20090217 God in Africa

A fascinating conversation with some fellow college students left me wondering about the Gospel’s introduction into Africa.

A Xhosa girl told me how her Christian family prays to both God and their ancestors for protection and provision, believing that their ancestors watch over them, like angels. These ancestors bestow spiritual gifts and abilities upon certain members of the family that enable them to heal and to have supernatural knowledge of things happening in others’ lives (basically they are ‘psychic’).

However, these people still believe that God is the Creator of heaven and earth and everything in it, and that the Holy Bible is His Word, but that He works in conjunction with their ancestors to give them abundant life.

It boggled my mind how people who read God’s Word, which commands us to have no other gods alongside Him (Exodus 20:23), and which says that He is our Sole Provider (1 Timothy 6:17, Romans 5:17, Psalm 111:5), our Shield and our Reward (Genesis 15:1), our Portion, could believe that their departed ancestors have the power to do the same.

I told her that according to my personal beliefs, people who died had finished their race and had no part in our lives. God is the absolute authority and nothing else can provide for me. I also tried to explain how Satan doesn’t necessarily have to physically hurt or possess people to bring them harm – simply by deceiving them into believing and trusting in something other than God, accrediting their blessings and safety to someone else, they would be drawn away from God and relationship with Him.

This girl argued that their ancestors don’t draw them away from God as they work alongside Him to take care of them, as His angels do. However, God’s Word makes it clear that God rules over His angels and does not function alongside them:

“For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;”
- Psalm 91:11

The fact remains that if God is not the only One you look to for guidance, protection, comfort, salvation and provision, if you do not have an exclusive relationship with Him, you are missing out on the greatest blessing of all – an eternal life with Him.