Wondering how…
Erick du Toit
October 20, 2019
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Jeremiah 31: 27-34 (NIVUK)
27 ‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will plant the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. 28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,’ declares the Lord. 29 ‘In those days people will no longer say,
“The parents have eaten sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge.”30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes – their own teeth will be set on edge.
31 ‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord,
‘when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to them,’
declares the Lord.
33 ‘This is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,’ declares the Lord.
‘I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 No longer will they teach their neighbour,
or say to one another, “Know the Lord,”
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,’
declares the Lord.
‘For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.’
Entering the museum I was confronted with an unmistakable melancholy. My heart was heavy and my soul sick. Previously I had experienced these emotions visiting a World War II monument in Jerusalem and thereafter attending a story-telling seminar on Apartheid in South Africa. Today, however, I was in Rwanda.
A feeling of loss and disappointment engulfed me.
World history is filled with suffering and it’s unavoidable. Reaching deep into our unconsciousness we remember those who suffered terrible deaths. So, as I was walking through the Kigali Genocide Memorial where thousands of Hutus were killed one specific testimony stood out.
One video recording was showing a young man sharing his story. He had been 5 years old when the chaos of the civil war broke out in 1994. Something told him to climb a tall tree as he heard troops approaching his home. And then it happened. A rebel group came storming in, killing his entire family.
In front of him.
He had to watch it all happen.
From above — in silence.
‘How is this even possible?’
Over a period of 100 days, more than 800,000 people died. And as the world tried to support the grieving families one wondered how Rwanda would ever recover.
Ever be able to pick up the pieces.
Ever be able to move forward.
Ever be able to forgive.
Eventually, the miracle happened. The country and its people made the decision to move beyond. Beyond their suffering, crossing the border from hatred and resentment into forgiveness. Allowing time to heal their wounds.
The people of Rwanda allowed love to be inscribed into their hearts. Sins of the past were forgiven to ensure that no would ever have to endure the same kind of suffering EVER again.
How did they manage this?
Jesus.
The cross.
Confession and prayer.
Forgiveness.
Whatever you’ve done, whatever they’ve done — God’s forgiveness will always cross the liminal spaces between acceptance and moving forward in his love.
What steps do you need to take enabling you to move in the right direction?
Go on, you can do it.
Lord God, guide us across what divides us
towards acceptance
so that we can move onwards in your love.
Amen.
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