Calling for National Day of Prayer is not President Kiir responsibility but of the Church

By: Rev Daniel Amum

The decision made by President Kiir to call for national day of prayer is a clear indication of his ignorance about what the Bible teaches. So God is distraught because you took a duty entrusted to the Church. In this regards let me highlight some of the biblical references and the consequences of violating them.

In the book of 1 Samuel 13:9-14, King Saul took the position of prophet to offer sacrifice to God, hoping to win God favor, so that he may face the challenges posed by Philistines. Unfortunately, the Prophet Samuel questioned him what he has done? With unconscious Saul reiterated that he thought of presenting sacrifice (prayer) to gain God's favor because the Philistines were coming down against him at Gilgal. Indeed, he felt compelled to offer the burnt offering. God was extremely upset by the decision of King Saul.

Straight away, the Prophet Samuel under inspiration of the Holy Spirit criticized Saul that he acted foolishly, and he has not kept the command the Lord his God gave him. Now, if you would have waited for the Lord, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.  But as result of your disobedience, your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command.

The calling for national day of prayer is a political one which President Kiir resort to for gaining support from apathetic people. But in real sense it is a sign of the end of his leadership like Saul, who was rejected by God, because he tried to accomplish the task which was not entrusted to him by God.

President Kiir seems distracted by the feeling that being a leader gives him full right to champion all affairs of the nation including spiritual aspects, forgetting that God ordained certain people to carry out that job. When the Lord deserted Saul, his life was controlled by Satan that worsened his situation.

President Kiir, you need to be assured that God never delights in the burning offerings, sacrifices or prayers but He delights in justice, equality, peace and freedom. Without being righteous and without fulfilling necessary duty to let citizens live in harmony and peace, your prayer will not be acceptable by God.

In 2013, the Church have adviced you not to conduct the SPLM Convention but you personally sidelined the Church and you went on with your destructive project, and what happened is well known to all. The truth of matter is that your toxic and poison leadership spoiled the minds of southerners to look at themselves as enemies.  

The obedience is better than prayers and sacrifices and to heed is better than any offerings.  For rebellion you made against the Church is like the sin of divination, and your arrogance is like the evil of idolatry. Profoundly, you have rejected the word of the Lord from the Church. Now, God has rejected you as President like what He did to King Saul (See 1 Sam.15:22-23). President Kiir obviously God is not delighted in your national day of prayer because you failed to listen to Him through his servants and failed to do the right thing.

Now, instead of calling for national day of prayer, why don't you visit UNMIS and see the condition of people in the Protection Camps and try to hear their stories and how do they feel about you as a person and your government.

President Kiir the only option to restore the broken relations and to stop tribal conflicts in South Sudan is your resignation, nothing less. People feel gruesome in their hearts against you and they can't come to a national day of prayer you are calling for.

The question that poses itself is, can people in UNMIS Protection Camps in South Sudan, in bushes and in Refugee Camps real come for prayer? I think they can't because they see you and your government as the cause of their sufferings which they encountered during dark four years in history of South Sudan.

Mr. President, your continuation in the leadership will widen disintegration, disunity, discrimination and dislike among your subjects. It will be very hard to heal mental, physical and social breakdown in your present. It will be impossible to convince the remnants southerners to restore mistrust created by you because of sorrowful memories and afflictions imposed on them by your government. Allow me to repeat again, the only suitable solution before you to resolve this chronic problem and unpleasant experiences in South Sudan is your resignation from leadership and not the calling for national day of prayer or national dialogue. These will be waste of time, energy and limited resources without tangible outcome. Don't cheat yourself whatever you initiate will not bring fruitful result.     

God of justice never wanted his creatures to be oppressed by anyone, and he will fight on their behalf as He did for Israel against Egyptians. Mr. President, people were murdered in your presence, displaced internally and externally and you made no response to such tragedies that befalled them. What kind of leader are you, who never react to tribulations and agonies your subjects are experiencing?

Are you not ashamed to call skeletons to come for national day of prayer that will not be heard by God? In case you still feel legitimate President, why are you shielding yourself with tanks? Your fear from the subjects implies definite uncertainty that there is insecurity in capital Juba. It is also well known that criminal rate within Juba have reached to highest level, for crimes are being committed on daily bases by unknown gun men. Moreover, inflation has reach to 800%, logically can empty stomach, dying and starving person adhere to your prayer call? I doubt that.

Mr. President, be specific in your call for national day of prayer, which group within communities are you targeting, are you calling wealthy belt out or dying people? Please be reminded that wealthy belt out group will not attend the prayer nor the dying people because they are physical weaken.

Mr. President Kiir, let me refer you again to the astonishing biblical reference in the Gospel according to St. Mark, chapter 9:42 - 45 which say " if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell''. The only thing you can do to win God favor is true confession, repentance and turn away from your sin, no way for hypocrisy.

Mr. President Kiir, you must know that God will not accept your call for national day of Prayer because you have ruined the nation and scattered his children around the world as a result of madness, man-made war you employed. In case you do have sense of humanity in your heart and feeling of the agony of God's children that are suffering under your leadership, please take courage to step down for the sake of such destitute citizens that were compelled to live in such inhumane conditions within their country for which they shade precious blood in liberation war.

As Christians, you need to observe what God  says in his words, for example in book of Amos the Lord authorized Amos to declare to the leaders of Israel  that He  hates,  and despises  their religious feasts and He cannot stand their assemblies. Even though they bring Him burnt offerings and grain offerings, He will not accept them. Though they bring choice fellowship offerings, He will not regard them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps (see Amos 5:21-24).In same manner God is telling you by now away with your baseless call for national day of prayer.

Indeed, Mr. President Kiir, be assured that God Almighty will not attend your prayer, also He will not listen to your prayer and will not bless you unless you make justice roll in South Sudan like a river and righteousness like a running stream.

Mr. President Kiir, be reminded that the Lord had put some guidance for acceptable prayer and pasting: One is to lose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke. Second is to set the oppressed free and break every yoke. Three is to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter. Four is to cloth the naked people, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? (See Isa.58:6-7). In the light of mentioned quotation, God will never hearken to your call because the requirements God wanted to answer the prayer is not present in your life.

The gains which are waiting for you if you do what is right in God's sight are: your light will break forth like the dawn; your healing will quickly appear; your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.  You will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here I am. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, and with the pointing finger and malicious talk'' (See Isa.58:8-9).

Mr. President Kiir, prayer is a conversation with God, but how can you speak to a person whom you didn't have an intimate relationship. In case you want God to answer your prayer, you must spend yourself on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. Apart from this your call for prayer will be empty and baseless exercise you wished people to participate. So you must leave what belong to God and mind about your own business.