By Charles Rukuni
The head of the Zion Christian Church, Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi, has called on church members to pray for their country Zimbabwe, describing it as the greatest gift that God gave them.
He said it was important to remember their country in prayer as it was suffering from the devastating effects of economic sanctions that were imposed nearly 20 years ago following what the West alleged were gross human rights violations by the government.
The United States of America and the European Union say sanctions they imposed on Zimbabwe do not affect ordinary people but only a few targeted individuals and firms.
However, the Zimbabwe government, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) argue that these sanctions are negatively impacting the country’s economy and the region.
In his sermon broadcast live across the globe on 25 October, as SADC and the AU were commemorating Zimbabwe’s Anti-Sanctions Day, Bishop Mutendi said it was incumbent upon all Zimbabweans, especially members of the ZCC, to pray for their nation.
Quoting from Acts 17 vs 26, he said we were not Zimbabweans by accident but through God’s design because he is the one who determines, “the exact place where everyone should live”.
It was, therefore, foolhardy for anyone to turn their back on or to despise one’s country of birth, no matter how bad things might appear.
Emphasizing the idea of identity and belonging he taught on Psalm 87 vs 5 which says: “Indeed, of Zion it will be said ‘this one and that one were born in her’.”
He said to God Zion is a place of residence, just like Zimbabwe is to her citizens.
Bishop Mutendi also added that even though Zimbabweans had suffered immensely because of sanctions, they could easily redeem their country and themselves through prayer and tilling the land that God gave them.
He said the country had a peace-loving people and some of the most resilient individuals, who could easily overcome their difficulties.
“God knows the suffering that you are going through, but he knows that you will pull through,” he said.
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed,” he added, quoting 2 Corinthians 4 vs 8.
He said he was optimistic good things were coming because God, in his wisdom, was aware that the people of Zimbabwe were suffering and there was going to be an end to that suffering.
He spoke of the children of Israel who suffered in captivity for 400 years but after they were freed became a rich nation, and are now among the richest people in the world.
The 81-year-old cleric read Romans 8 vs 22-23 which says: “For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering.”
As a church which has people at grassroots and all levels, Bishop Mutendi asked those who have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe to remove them unconditionally.
But he added that people should not sit idly waiting for sanctions to be lifted because no one knew when that would happen. Instead, they should get on with tilling their land, as ordered by God in Genesis 2 vs 15 and Ecclesiastes 5 vs 9.
Zimbabweans, especially members of the ZCC, must restore the breadbasket status the country once enjoyed by embarking on farming ventures, including the recently introduced Pfumvudza scheme meant for small scale farmers.
Bishop Mutendi said he was confident that the country could once again become the breadbasket of Africa because, “our faith in our God is bigger and stronger than the fear that our enemies are trying to instill in us”.