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Lectionary
21 TRINITY: 12 - 18 OCT. 2008
THEME: YOUR GRAIN WILL
NO LONGER BE FOOD FOR YOUR ENEMIES
READING: ISAIAH: 62:
8-12
In Isaiah God promises God’s people that they
will now be able to enjoy the gifts given to them by nature,
as well as the fruits of their labour. God will stop others
from unfairly benefiting from the fruits of Israel’s labour.
Global trade is important for all citizens of the world,
because it helps continents and countries to share with others
what they have. Through it, countries are able to benefit from
each other’s gifts and skills. It is an avenue that gives
expression to the spirit of global community.
The
downside of global trade has often expressed itself through
the exploitation of poorer nations by the powerful. The
“grain” of Africa has been and continues to be “food for
others,” while Africa continues to experience extreme poverty.
Africa is a rich continent. It is rich in natural
resources such as gold, diamonds, platinum, coal, oil, etc. If
these natural resources are managed efficiently and
effectively, poverty and wars will be part of tales told to
children.
But because Africa is not equipped to process
most of its raw materials she relies heavily on other nations.
These natural resources create jobs and skills for other
countries that process them, while many Africans are unskilled
and unemployed. When the end products of African raw materials
come back, they are expensive and the majority of the people
within the continent cannot afford them. In this way the
“grain” of Africa never becomes the food that feeds her
children.
If global trade is handled well, with
nations as equal partners in decision-making and trading,
globalization should minimize the rate at which people migrate
from their own countries to foreign lands. Global trade should
help each country to have its basic needs met right at its
door step. Africa and the global community should strive to
see the “grain” of Africa feeding the Africans.
Submitted by Rev. Dr. Libuseng S. Lebaka-Ketshabile
PRAYER
Lord God, you care for your creation and
provide daily for our needs. You provide food for us to eat
and nourish our bodies. We have not been faithful in
husbanding our resources in Africa. Forgive our apathy and
make us good stewards of your bounty, though Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
PRAY FOR:
Food security in the
continent (World Poverty Day/World Food Day-October 17th)
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Psalm 24: 1‐6; Acts 10:
34‐43; Malachi 3:8‐12; 1Kings 21: 1‐16; Psalm 82: 1‐8; Amos
5:22‐24 | |
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