The draft constitution, when stripped to the bone, boils down to two things: power and change. Some church leaders have vowed to rally their followers to vote NO because they are unhappy with two contentious issues: abortion and Kadhi's Courts - and by extension, the impact (change) they will have on our nation. But should they be alarmed to the extent of rubbishing and trashing the proposed constitution? Is the constitution going to compromise Christians' values? Does the church derive its authority to uphold Christian tenets from the constitution? Is the church powerless in the face of secular obstacles?
We hear a lot about power today and its ability to bring change. We assume that if we have enough power, then everything will work out for us. But as He does so often, God has a different point of view. He says that we don't need power in ourselves to bring about change or see things accomplished in our lives. He says that it isn't by our might or our power, but by His spirit that things get accomplished. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit", says the Lord (Zech. 4:6).
It is interesting to see how alive the Bible can be in today's context when the Scriptures are seen in the light of the Spirit and understood in the context of the people of God. Whatever the outcome of the referendum and the consequent changes, God's values will not change; neither will His promises. God has commanded His people to be courageous, to stand firm, to safeguard the values He has given them. In return He has promised to be with them, never to forsake them, wherever they go (Joshua 1:5-10). If Christians stand on the promises God gave them (through Joshua) then they have no reason to be shaken.
The neat thing about standing on God's promises is that it takes the pressure off of us. When we feel powerless, we can turn to the One who is 'power-full'. When we have reached the end of our rope, we can call on the rope Maker to extend the line. When we have lost all hope, we can turn to the One who is the source of all hope. When the task is too big for us to handle alone, we can call on the One who assigned us the task and He will help us carry it out. The bottom-line: We must safeguard the values God has given us - whatever happens, wherever we are, at all times.
Join the debate on our blog, Constitutional Crossroads, where Kenyans are airing their views on the draft. To participate in the discussion, log onto www.radio316.net and click on BLOG . The debate on the blog has received divergent views and comments, with some people feeling that the draft is a big joke.
