Time is understood in the Bible realistically as the time of opportunity and fulfilment. When Christ’s birth was proclaimed, it was a time of celebration for the shepherds and lowly whereas it was a time of apprehension for the King Herod. Bible also talks about the time of liberation of the Israelites, the time of wilderness, the time of exile and so on. This realistic understanding of Time helps us to realize Time as an opportunity. Recognizing the time as God’s gracious gift and opportunity is not enough but we need to believe that it is given to us so that we discern our time and see where God is at work.
Today God’s given prime time has come for the Christians in Nagaland to consciously participate in selecting our rightful political leaders with fervent prayers to the God of all Creation and our Redeemer Jesus Christ. As we also join our hearts in the prayer for persecuted Christians, we are reminded that the contemporary Indian scenario is marked by the phenomenon of the resurgence of religious fundamentalism causing violence to our society. There is rampant persecution of Christians and other minority communities who experience not only pain and shedding of blood but the exercise of physical force by the dominant community that damages or forcibly interfere with the personal freedom, verbal or violent conducts.
As we pray for our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in India, let us be informed that, communalism has become a national menace with detrimental effect on the minority Christian community who became easy targets. We witness newer dangers to society, to democratic and secular values in the form of communalism, communal violence and rise of new social political forces based on religion in the political arena.
Christians! Let us be vigilant towards the engineered and tactful forces of unsecularization, militancy and politicization of religion, exclusivism, dictatorship, fanaticism, misogyny, ill treatment of minorities, jingoistic nationalism, violence and continue to resist against any dehumanizing forces that are taking place at our doorsteps. Our God does not demand perfection but God works within us to produce perfection. Faith is believing God and stepping out by obedience knowing that God can be trusted. Those who walk by faith, allow God to guide their steps knowing that God will never forsake them nor allow them to be deprived. God gives grace to the humble, but resists the proud.
Christians, let us ask ourselves whether we are utilizing God’s given time in a meaningful way in the light of what the Bible has taught us. Colossians 4:5 ‘Conduct yourselves with Wisdom toward outsiders making the most of the opportunity’ for Christ is with us always, to the end of time; in him our efforts and labor cannot be lost.
Rev. Dr. Mar Pongener
Executive secretary
ABAM, Impur