By: Qeko
The notion that God cannot use “certain people” to answer particular prayer petitions offered to Him is untheological, unbiblical, unfounded, and something which reveals a worrisome lowest level of biblical knowledge prevailing amongst both laymen and some clergy in Malawi. This is pathetic and really sad for the church and the nation at large. It is a sad thing because it is expected of the church leadership to be biblically versed and able to argue based on scripture and not on emotions.
It was reported in the media that at this year’s graduation at Mzuzu University, a particular prayer for the nation was offered to God and latter His Excellency the State President made a statement that he wanted to respond to the content of the prayer offered by the clergy. This raised some controversial questions because according to some clergy and laymen, only God can answer prayer and thereby it was not good for the State President to say that he was to respond to the petition raised by the clergy in the prayer. This therefore raised the two main questions; how does God answer or prayers? And when does this God answer these prayer petitions? In this article, I want to show that God can answer our prayers offered to Him anytime, anywhere and using anyone in line with His divine will and purposes.
Firstly is that God can answer our prayers in many different ways. God answer our prayers through miracles or by using fellow human beings to intervene in our situations. Many times in the bible God intervenes in the lives of His people using the so called “angels” whom He sends to answer petitions. Sometimes these angels appeared like directly sent from heaven and sometimes God used the human beings to act as angels and instrument of intervention in the plan of His people. In other circumstances, God used individual persons or group of people or even unique situation and circumstances to respond and answer petitions and this is always in line with His divine will and purpose for his people. Biblical examples are too many to mention where God used some people in answering particular prayer items. For example, God raised Moses to deliver Israelites from Pharaohic oppression in Egypt. The bible says that God heard the prayer of His people and he raise up Moses as the instrument of deliverance for His people from captivity. God performed the wonders through the man- Moses and his younger brother Aaron. Throughout biblical history God has responded to people’s petition using different mode of communication even using human beings just like us. We need to know that God does what is best for us to satisfy His will and purposes. So the argument raised concerning the Mzuzu University prayer shows a worrisome level of biblical knowledge the country suffers from which is dangerous. Also if the bible in Romans 13 says that God appoints leaders for the nations (whether good or bad all depending on his plan for his people) then what is it that can stop the same God from using the very man He appointed to lead the nation? Surely if God can choose a leader for the nation then surely God can even use Him to answer some of the key needs for the nation.
Secondly is that Malawi has a unique history where we have seen God intervening in the social political and economic life of the nation. The problem with Malawians is that we tend to easily forget God’s past dealing with the nation which is unfortunate. There has been the great touch of God in the history of our country where God used some people to intervene in the political life of the country. To begin with let me mention to you that the history of the nation reveals that in the 1800s the Portuguese almost took over what we call southern region of Malawi. Sir Harry Johnston who was the British representative for Nyasaland almost gave in to the Portuguese demands to take over the entire southern region of the present day Malawi. But God used the Christians in Scotland and the few who were in Malawi to stop this from happening. If it was not for the great intervention work of God through the Christians in both Scotland and Malawi, what is southern region today could have been part of the present day Mozambique. But God intervened to give this nation what was the best in His divine plan.
Also you may be reminded that after more than 30 years of oppressive rule of the Dr. Banda regime, God finally raised some men and women in whom he instilled boldness and courage to lead the emancipation of the nation from the oppressive regime.I don’t have to remind you how God used our men and women in Parliament to stop the third term bill. If that bill passed that day, Malawi could not have been the same and we may not know why God intervened like that. God in His divine plan and love for the nation created a situation that made some MPs not be in the house and some not even vote and the bill failed to pass that day. We all were shaken those few hours and we all said that this was the hand of God and nothing else. It was God again who in His great wisdom, love and mercy for the nation also created mysterious circumstances that led to the failure of the whole impeachment process in addition to the many interventions that God has used in the life of the nation.
We need to know that some situation demands God to use people and other situations God comes down himself to answer our petitions. I don’t have to remind you how many times God has sent angels to answer particular prayers in your lives and you are all witness to this great hand of God through the people he uses. So if God can use you and me to answer other people’s prayer then surely the same God can even use the State President to answer particular prayer even in the life of the nation like Malawi. So it is wrong to quickly judge that the President was wrong to response to the prayer because being the Head of State, there are some petition that God can use him to bring about solution for the nation. We need to refrain from this spirit of being judgemental because sometime we may not know that we are arguing against the plan of God because God can use anyone, anytime and anywhere and anyhow according to His divine will and purposes for His people.
Finally is that we need to know that God can answer our prayers anytime and we are not the ones to dictate when God can answer these petitions. Like the Mzuzu University issue, the problem to many has been that it was too quick for the prayer petitions to be responded to because may be they wanted the response to come after some time or through a different mode of communication. We need to always remember that God’s plans are different and final and He respects nobody and He does things according to His own divine plans and purposes. Whatever thing we want, we shall not manage to dictate Him because He has a final say and does things in line with His divine will for His people. Now was it wrong to have the petitions responded to right there that same day? Response to prayer can be instant (right on the spot) or it can be gradual all depending on the plan that God has for a particular person or nation. His divine plan and purpose for His people is vital and supreme and its determines whether the answer may be instant or gradual. We have see prayers being instantly answered and sometimes God delays to answer all depending what is best for us. I don’t have to remind you that on the cross the thief made it to heaven instantly after he made his plea to Jesus. God does not care how chaotic the social political situation may be on the land but as God He is able to answer our petitions Anytime, Anywhere, Anyhow and using Anyone (AAAA) all depending on His great plan for His people and the nation.
