Dwight Fletcher | We are a godly nation

ONE OF the things I hope for every time I celebrate Jamaica’s Independence is that more of us would know our history – our true history and how deeply we are grounded in Christianity. This has been the key to our success as a country.

Pre-emancipation, many of the leaders on the forefront of the fight for freedom were Christians. This is not surprising because the Bible is a book of liberation that speaks of the value of humanity.

This foundation in Christianity carried through to our independence. And we can clearly see this in our three national declarations. Our National Anthem is a prayer, our National Pledge declares we are “under God”, and our National School Song speaks of a lifelong commitment under God.

I believe that because our foundation is built on Christ, the solid rock, God has blessed us tremendously. Yes, there are prevailing problems in Jamaica, but it is undeniable that the hand of the Lord is on this land. The problem is that we are so rehearsed at identifying all that’s wrong, we have forgotten to speak up about all that’s right. Jamaica has been prominent on the world’s stage for music, culture, sports, trading, and so much more.

God has called this nation to be a leader. He has said that “… this nation is destined to rise and lead spiritually. This requires focus. The church has to rise in its influence, becoming relevant to all sectors of society. She can’t be afraid to speak up and speak into the society. Her love must be evident to all. As this happens I will open the heart of the people and they will know that I am their God. I will soften their heart and revive this land. Your country will be like a city on a hill, shining brightly and many will be attracted to its light. They will come and receive life.”

God is not through with us yet. He has so much more in store for us and we need to be prepared to put in the work required to get us there.

First, we must worship the Lord. As a people, we need to acknowledge and worship God for His goodness. It is He who has saved us time and time again. Economic and political issues have their place, but God is pre-eminent. Christians must live committed lives of believers and we all need to love and serve the people of Jamaica, as God does.

GOD AND POLITICAL LEADERS

Then, we must determine to live right as a nation. Psalm 33:5 says,“The Lord loves righteousness and justice ...” That is why we have to pray for our leaders – that they will serve the Lord and do what is right, always, and not just what is politically correct. We need to choose our leaders carefully and then hold them to a standard of right behaviour, knowing we will accept nothing less.

Third, we need to build upon the Christian principles that were our foundation. Greece built a civilisation on culture and Rome built its on power. Both crumbled. Our forefathers founded our nation on godly principles and this is how we will thrive.

As a Christian country, we cannot compromise. While we respect all persons and their right to choose their faith, the nation under God must live as God dictates. This means passing laws that promote righteousness. Even if the world goes one way, we have to go the right way. Our laws must be based on a certain standard, and our standard is the Bible.

Bills that go against God should not be tabled under any circumstances. As Proverbs 14:34 tells us, “Doing what is right makes a nation great, but sin will bring disgrace to any people.”

Lastly, we have to stand up for justice as we hope in God’s unfailing love. We need to strengthen godly justice reinforcement organisations that will not be complacent; because if we fail, the enemy will overrun us and institute his plans and his purposes.

As a nation, we all acknowledge that God has been with us. The COVID-19 numbers and hurricane season are proof of that. This is the time to declare that we are a godly nation!

We are not a corrupt nation. We are a godly nation with corruption, and as we follow God’s standards, we can be confident that He will bless us in the years to come.

Dwight Fletcher is pastor of Transformed Life Church.