CALLED TO HOPE
Dr Rudzani Muloiwa, Deputy President, CMF of SA

Texts: Jeremiah 14:1-10, Revelation 5:8-14

Despite historic moments of spectacular divine intervention, there are times when the people of God find themselves in situations of anguish and despair. What is worse, we who follow God may be convinced that these periods and situations are the result of God's anger towards us. It is at such low points of faith that we need to remind ourselves of what hope is.

What is hope? Hope is a theme that stirs many passions. Christians are sometimes accused of focusing so much on their future hope that they neglect attending to the present needs of others. But is the Christian hope a form of escapism? And does a firm hope take away our motivation to live a Christ-filled life in the present, to wrestle with the issues of our day and to "get our hands dirty" in the mess of injustice? Healthcare workers are not immune to despair. Dealing with injustices in the healthcare system almost all the time - with no human solution in sight - causes many to withdraw into despair and cynicism. The plague of an incurable, fatal disease that affects a quarter of the population also shatters all illusions of successful care. And the financial compensation for the long working hours often hardly seems worth the effort of going to work.

Is this creeping despair unique to the healthcare worker? Most certainly not. Anybody honestly facing our society's issues has to admit that no human solution can undo the damage. In fact, we cannot even imagine a divine intervention that will repair the devastation. Reason alone cannot guide us to a solution. In fact, reason devoid of faith only leads to despair. But what about those of us who claim to have faith? Some believers, reading certain Old Testament passages in isolation, are tempted to draw the conclusion that God is angry with them. But even Jeremiah, lamenting God's anger, clings to God as the "Hope of Israel." His God had not forsaken His people forever. Indeed, if our Redeemer becomes our Enemy, what hope is left? Are we then not to be pitied both in this life and the next?

Revelation 5 contains one of the clearest calls to hope in the Scriptures. At the centre of this passage stands "the Lamb who was slain." He was fully God-forsaken in our place and now lives to bring all things to completion under Him. The believer's suffering is not due to divine wrath or revenge, but is rather a form of discipline, compelling us to look to God in faith. As the book of Revelation emphasises, Jesus is worthy and, one day, all of creation will be subjected to him. He is the King! The future belongs entirely to our God.

The call to hope is spoken loudest at the moments of greatest distress. As the Jeremiah passage shows, we are more receptive to words of hope and more aware of our inability to save ourselves in times of anguish. When things go well, we are likely to forget that this present life is merely one step in a journey with Jesus, not the final destination. When things do not go so well, we acutely feel our discomfort under this world's bondage to evil and decay, and, consequently, lift our eyes expectantly to our Hope.

Faith and hope have this in common: both are based on divine promise and both are unseen in the present. But whereas faith finds its strength in God's fulfilled promises, hope finds its courage in God's as-yet-unfulfilled promises. As faith-full followers of the Risen Christ, we are all called to hope, not just for a future fulfilment of promises, but to a present, daily fulfilment of them. Hope is certainly not one-sided optimism. In a world that often promotes despair as 'realism', we need to grapple with what answer we have to give to all the brokenness and hurt around us. The world of healthcare professionals is just one sphere where Christians can live out the reality that there is always Hope and that our present brokenness is not divorced from its future resolution, but intrinsically intertwined with it. The calling to "Health-Care" is not for certain professionals only, but to all who believe that health and wholeness are found in no-one else but Jesus, the Lamb who was slain.

Unpacking this truth to a dying and hurting world is part of the calling of everyone who confesses Jesus. This hope does not discourage us from acting in this world. Indeed, it is despair that paralyses us. By contrast, hope is a collective calling to the entire Body of believers, each of whom has a specific and important caring promise to fulfil. Indeed, Love is Faith and Hope in action and made visible in the present. Having hope ourselves means giving hope to others.

It is our sincere prayer that Healthcare Sunday will be used by God to extend His Kingdom in the health sector of South Africa and beyond, through His children working in this sector and His Church supporting them.

PRAYER POINTS

When praying through these points, make an effort to pray specifically for those individuals in your faith community who are involved in healthcare.

Praise and Thanksgiving

Thank God for:

  • His merciful forgiveness of our sin
  • His faithful involvement with all of our lives
  • His abundant grace that weaves all the threads of our lives into a magnificent tapestry to His glory.
  • His promise to bring an end to all our suffering and to comfort us tenderly if we turn to Him
  • His assurance that all injustice will come to an end and all be made new.

Healthcare Staff

Pray for all those involved in caring for the ill and the broken. Intercede for all those involved in the public, private and academic health sectors, whether in a clinical, administrative or support capacity. Bring to God also those who are studying the health sciences and for those doing medical research. Pray for hope and joy, for wisdom and gentleness, that the light and life of Christ might shine through them.

Healthcare Regulation

Pray for those in authority, who take decisions affecting the health of our nation. Pray for our President, the National Minister of Health, the National Director General and the various provincial MEC's of Health and all those reporting to them. Pray for equity, justice and righteousness to triumph in healthcare as elsewhere in society and for more Christian leaders to take up the challenges of health regulation.

Healthcare Issues

Remember in prayer those who are affected by the terrible plagues sweeping our country - AIDS, TB, violence, alcoholism and drug abuse. Plead for those suffering because of these scourges, as well as for those indirectly affected by them, especially children. Cry out for the children of our nation, who are so often the victims of others' sins and are helpless to defend themselves against exploitation. Pray for all those involved in attempts to alleviate the impact of these plagues - physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

Healthcare Support

In gratitude and with earnest petitioning, pray for all those involved in organisations that assist and support healthcare workers - professional bodies, trade unions and NGO's. Remember the work of the Healthcare Christian Fellowship and Christian Medical Fellowship, as well as other organisations such as the International Christian Medical and Dental Association, Doctors for Life, Hospiview, Catholic Health Carer's Association, Focus on the Family and International Fellowship of Evangelical Students.

Caregivers

Thank God for all those in your own life who brought help and comfort in your times of need and suffering. Ask His blessings on those who volunteer their time and resources to selflessly and compassionately address the ills of others. Examine your own heart to see how the things that you have suffered in the past are God's voice, calling you to care for others. Dedicate yourself to continue praying for those who minister care to others.

DOWNLOADS
English brochure with pictures (Word .doc, 220 kB)
http://mail.cmf.org.za/CMF/Events/HCS2007/HCS_Flyer_Eng_Pix.doc

English brochure without pictures (Word .doc, 50 kB)
http://mail.cmf.org.za/CMF/Events/HCS2007/HCS_Flyer_Eng_Plain.doc

The brochure is also available in Afrikaans. Please visit our website for more information and to download the Afrikaans version.

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The Christian Medical Fellowship of South Africa, has been in existence for more than half a century. It seeks to encourage healthcare workers to glorify and honour Christ in their daily practice, linking faith and service. Through mutual study of the Word, prayer and fellowship, members are strengthened and encouraged to serve in their place of work, according to the example of Christ. To find out more about us, please visit our website at www.cmf.org.za.

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Healthcare Christian Fellowship gives glory to God for 70 years of ministry to healthcare staff. It is interdenominational and operates as an arm of the church. Constrained by God, Carl and Francis Grim founded the fellowship in South Africa in 1936. From here, the fellowship has spread to many parts of the world. The mission of HCF International is to extend God's Kingdom in the health field worldwide through prayer, evangelism and discipleship. Christians in the health field have unique opportunities for witness and service to the needs of the whole person, through compassionate ministry.

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www.cmf.org.za 
Caring for the caregiver
Sorg vir die versorger