God is not asleep on cashgate
A recent visit to the cancer ward at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre revealed the suffering innocent people are being subjected to because of inadequate medical supplies and equipment. But while many are suffering, some people have been busy plundering government resources. So where was God when people were looting public resources? Couldn’t he have stopped them? Our reporter WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR engages Pastor Nyson Kathumba of the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) on the issue.
What do you make of revelations of mass looting at Capital Hill?
The massive looting of public resources by a few civil servants clearly shows that we have in our public systems people who don’t fear God. If we had servants who feared God, theft of such nature would not take place. This reminds me about Zaccheus who used to steal public funds before he repented and returned all that he had looted from the poor. Secondly, God hates people who are stealing public resources at the expense of the poor (Habakkuk 2:9).
But why does God let such looting take place if he really cares about the poor?
It’s not that God doesn’t know what is happening in Malawi. He is fully aware of the consequences the looting has had on the poor people. It is just a matter of time before he cracks his whip on the looters. As chapters 1 and 2 of Amos state, God has set aside the punishment for evil people. And I can assure you that even those connected to the looting have their fair share of punishments for subjecting the poor to untimely deaths because of their actions.
The question still remains as to why God is taking long to punish those connected to the looting.
What you need to know is that God is gracious. He waits for us to repent our iniquities after realizing that we caused unnecessary deaths and suffering to people. God does not want one of his own to perish, but have everlasting life. That’s the main reason he sent Jesus Christ to die for us. Now, if you feel God is delaying to act on the looters, it is because he does not want to punish people who are ready to repent. He is a gracious God and would not do that.
As faith leaders, what have you been doing since the revelations of mass looting broke out?
The church has been praying day and night since these revelations were made. The church is praying for government and those entrusted to run the affairs of this country. We are also constantly praying for the organisations that support us in different ways. Secondly, we have been in touch with government through different means possible to caution public officials against misappropriation of public resources. That’s our major role as faith leaders (2 Chronicles 15:1-4, 15). However, it is up to government officials to listen to our counsel and let God heal our nation of the moral decay we are currently witnessing.
