Romans 15:6, Exodus 33:13, Exodus 32:32, Deuteronomy 30:20, Romans 9:3, Romans 10:1, Malachi 3:7

Karunakar Mallamari reflects on the need for leaders with a heart after God

Karunakar Mallamari

On May 1st 2014, the 63rd annual 'National Day of Prayer' was held in the USA. Christian leaders, politicians and concerned citizens gathered across the country to lift up the nation in prayer. The theme was 'One Voice, United in Prayer' and the Bible verse for the event was Romans 15:6 which says, 'So that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ'.

I've come to know about this prayer event from the Tweets of Ravi Zacharias, an Indian-born, Canadian-American Christian apologist. Ravi has previously spoken about a young British politician, who in the year 1931, was on a lecture tour of the United States, when he nearly lost his life. He was crossing a road in New York when he was hit by a car, hurled into the air and in his own biographical words, said, "I should have been smashed into oblivion". He came landing with a thud on the pavement, but was rescued, restored and went back to England. It is the famed Winston Churchill. What would the world be like today without the courage, rhetorical power, insight and the unfailing strength of a man like that? Our whole world would look different.

Looking at the history of God's people Israel - they were in bondage, in Egyptian slavery, but were promised that they would possess a land flowing with milk and honey. To transition from one place to another required a leader who could deliver God's people from slavery. A baby was found in the River Nile and was saved by Pharaoh's daughter from the water. He was called Moses. She paid the baby's mother to nurse him, but then he was supposed to become Pharaoh's heir. Later on though he was sent into the wilderness and there he gets the call to lead his own people. We see the heart of this great leader when he asks God:

'If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you.' Exodus 33:13

Here we see that this leader is not dependent on his Egyptian schooling or wisdom and he's not trying to please people, but rather lead the people in the strength of His presence.

It is said that Moses is the most humble man on the face of the earth. He was so determined to lead and save the people of Israel that he pleaded with God when the people sinned by worshipping gods of gold, asking Him to forgive them, but if not, blot me out of the book you have written.

Deuteronomy 30:20 records Moses' exhortation in his final address to the Israelites before entering the promised land, to choose life over death and blessing over cursing - it says, 'Love the Lord your God and listen to His voice and hold fast to Him'.

Similarly in the history of the Church, God chose a man resembling Moses to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. Paul expresses his heart's desire wishing to get cut off from Christ for the sake of his own race and in Romans 10:1 he says, 'Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved'.

When reading about these two great men in Bible history it leads me to believe that we should rightfully expect from God, leaders for ruling our world with a heart to deliver people from suffering in every bondage and from hunger.

Let me mention another great leader who made a splendid speech that critics hailed as a speech without parallel and probably never to be equalled. In less than 700 words, 14 times he refers to God and His power, providence and sovereignty over the affairs of human beings. That speech ends with the beautiful words, "With malice toward none, with charity for all" and "With firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us finish the work." These are the words voiced by great former president Abraham Lincoln.

'Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty' Malachi 3:7

Let's get thirsty for getting on our knees and praying and relying on scripture. There has never been a time in history when it has been so easy to get a copy of the Bible in our language and our desired version.

To inspire us we can read the story of a thirsty Welsh girl and how she was the inspiration behind the mission of printing Bibles for Wales: Mary Jones was born in December 1784 into a poor Welsh family. Her father was a weaver. Her parents were Calvinistic Methodists and Mary herself became a Christian aged eight. They lived at the foot of the Cader Idris mountain, in Gwynedd, North Wales. Mary learned to read in schools organised by Thomas Charles, a preacher from nearby Bala, who had a passion for teaching children from poor families. Mary used to visit a farm two miles from her home to read a copy of the Bible there. But it became her burning desire to possess a Bible of her own. It was a vain hope. Money was scarce and Welsh Bibles were hard to come by. The nearest place to buy one was Bala, 25 miles away and it was not even certain that a copy could be bought there. But Mary saved money for six years and eventually she had enough money to buy a Bible.

One morning in 1800, Mary set out to buy her Bible. It was 25 miles to Welsh Bala and she was barefoot, as usual. Her journey took her through valleys, across streams and around mountains. Eventually, she came to Bala and to the home of Mr Charles - the only man with Bibles for sale in the town. But all the copies Mr Charles had were either sold or spoken for. Distraught and heartbroken, Mary wept. Her despair touched Mr Charles, who sold her one of the copies already promised to another.

Mary's visit profoundly impacted Thomas Charles. He began to wonder what could be done for others such as Mary - for people who long for the Bible around the world.
He proposed to the Council of the Religious Tract Society to form a new Society to supply Wales with Bibles and, in 1804, the British and Foreign Bible Society was established in London.

Today, we need people committed to Christ, who will lead us to experience the goodness of God in the land where we live.