When the Lord Jesus was asked about the most important commandment, he made it very simple for us when he said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” Then he added, “The second is equally important: Love your neighbour as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these”
Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ made it simple by breaking down the whole law into two to-dos, but just because something sounds or looks simple, doesn’t mean it’s easy. These two commandments are two of the hardest ones to live by as we continue to fall short of His Glory. Our human weakness seeks to limit this, especially when we somewhat restrict that love to our own kind or to those that we are comfortable with.
When we are blessed with friendships from all walks of life, only then do we realize how wonderful Fiji is because our differences become a matter of joy and not division. The magnet that holds Fiji together is not our leaders but we the ordinary decent God fearing believers of all ethnic communities. Our interactions with each other every day enable us to connect and unite. This is something that we must continue to do in the best interest of the nation, a golden opportunity in such a time when the whole world is battling with Climate Change and Covid 19.
Therefore, in my capacity as a traditional leader and a representative of the yasana of Tailevu and matanitu o Kubuna, I humbly plead with the chiefs of the 14 provinces and 3 confederacies – Kubuna Ki vua na Vunivalu na Tui Kaba, Burebasaga ki vua na Marama Bale na Roko Tui Dreketi, na Matanitu Qaqa na Tovata ki vua na Turaga na Tui Cakau – and all believers in the wider body of Christ irrespective of ethnicity – to a call to 24 hours of prayer beginning today, given what our nation is going through, more so with the pandemic that is gripping not only our nation but the whole world. The Islamic and Hindu faiths are also honouring Ramadan and Ramnaumi respectively at this point in time.
I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous effort that the Ministry of Health through the Hon Minister ,in particular the Permanent Secretary and his team, are showing to fight this battle which is nothing short of amazing. We are all in this together and I also plead with ALL Fijians to be obedient to all directives released by the Permanent Secretary for the betterment of the nation and also thank all families for following and respecting the directives put in place. I also acknowledge the security forces and other stakeholders involved in this battle.
Today marks 167 years to the day that Ratu Seru Cakobau accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as His Lord and personal Saviour. On the morning of 30th April 1854 at 9.00am the lali (idiophonic Fijian drum) named Rogorogivalu (Reporter of War) and known to the missionaries as the “death drum” because of its association with cannibalistic ceremonies, was beaten to summon Cakobau and his family to come and worship Jehovah the Living God that he had accepted and would now serve. The lali would no longer be beaten for heathen practices as it used to be.
Prior to this, on the 28th April 1854, he began what has been coined as the “longest walk”. When he left the Vatanitawake to walk towards Ulunivuaka, which was only 50 meters away. He had summoned a full meeting of chiefs and governors from adjacent villages to let them know of his intention to renounce their traditional gods and accept Christ as his Lord. Some of the chiefs sought delay but Cakobau was firm and it was resolved that the Lord Jesus Christ would be substituted for the vain traditions received from their forefathers.
Cakobau and his family, priest and 300 chiefs, women, and children entered the house of worship. His own children sat in front along with his numerous wives and sisters, together with other women on the right hand side while he as the Vunivalu and all males sat on the left. Rev James Calvert conducted this historic service.
In the weeks that followed almost 1000 people followed Cakobau in acknowledging Jehovah as the true God. The pagan temples was desecrated and those who continued in their pagan activities were ordered to be beaten by him. Messengers were sent to neighbouring islands, authorizing those dwelling there to follow Bau. Family prayers were being regularly conducted on Bau, yet despite this, the missionaries recognized that their task had only begun. Even though Bau was converted from heathenism to Christianity they realized that ahead of them lay an enormous task to convert them from their sinful and deplorable lives to a life of holiness and righteousness. To this end classes were introduced to those who wanted to be baptized and receive the sacraments.
Cakobau had vowed not to continue to worship the gods of his forefathers. In fact he chose to humble himself before the Lord, pray, seek His Face and turn from his wicked and evil ways because he knew that this was the only way his lineage would be saved. As he worshipped God he spoke these words and pleaded with Him, “Ni tauri au vakakaukauwa, ni tauri au dei” (“Please hold on to me firmly in a big and powerful way and don’t let go”). It was obviously words of wisdom from someone who knew that he was nothing without God and everything in Him. It was the end of him and the beginning of God.
Those words continue to echo in Bau today. Subsequent to this the chiefly households on Bau met in March and agreed to have an evangelical program on the island beginning from 1 April to the 30 Apri 202l. On 28th March the chiefly households from the three villages released forgiveness to one another and washed each other’s feet. The program was led by Rev Iliesa Koroi, the head of the Evangelising Unit of the Methodist Church. Part of the program included cleansing and seeking forgiveness from each other via families, tokatokas and mataqalis. The month-long program was supposed to finish today (30 April) coinciding with Cakobau’s acceptance of Christ with the both the President of the Methodist Church and Rev Koroi in attendance. Unfortunately, due to the present Covid 19 situation, the program had to be called off. Bau was privileged to have Rev Koroi for two weeks, delivering very powerful and anointed messages which were very apt and timely.
“Bau sa kena oqo mo dou qarava na Kalou vakai dina ka vakai yalo, me dou maroroya na savasava ni Kalou, Bau dou maroroya na kena rokovi na Kalou ena laveti Bau tale e na kenai tutu e kilai kina e liu. Na valavala ca e na kauta mai na rusa kei na druka
“Bau, now is the time to worship God in Spirit and Truth, preserve His Holiness and Righteousness. If Bau will honour me I will lift Bau up again to its original position. Sin will separate you from me and bring destruction”
This message I believe is not only for Bau but for Fiji. Fiji needs to go back to loving God in its truest sense. All believers have a life sentence with Yeshua and there is no parole in this sentence. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. If we are to love God in its truest sense then we need to humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s Face and turn from our wicked ways. Only then will He hear from Heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land.
2 Chron 7:13 – 14
13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people,
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Notwithstanding this, three things that we as believers really need to embrace and understand in its truest sense are:
1.We have yet to embrace and learn to understand what it means to walk in Holiness and Righteousness 24/7 365 in Spirit and in Truth.
- Because we are not prepared to be uncomfortable in our comfortableness we will continue to live a life of inconsistencies as far as the fruits we will bear in our lives is concerned. When we are hurting we should always do the things that we normally do when we are not hurting.
- We will live a life of poverty if we continue to choose the wide road over the narrow road. Adonay Elohim is the God of the Mountains and still the God of the Valley. When things go wrong He will make it right.
One cannot tell the future, that is only known to God. Yet one can assert with confidence that the Lord will watch over Fiji as it is part of His Divine Plan. Christ will return in Glory as He has said to pass judgement on us all and raise the righteous to be with Him and the Father. When we truly Love God only then will we be able to love our neighbour which is reflected in the cross. One has to first love vertically before he or she can love horizontally.
In concluding I again humbly plead with the chiefs of the 14 provinces and 3 confederacies, Kubuna ki vua na Vunivalu naTui Kaba, Burebasaga ki vua na Marama Bale na Roko Tui Dreketi, na Matanitu Qaqa na Tovata ki vua na Turaga na Tui Cakau, all believers in the wider body of Christ irrespective of ethnicity, to a call to 24 hours of prayer beginning today given what our nation is going through, more so with the pandemic that is gripping not only our nation but the whole world.
Stay safe and well Fiji.
- Ratu Timoci Daniel is the Roko Tui Bau and a representative of the yasana of Tailevu and matanitu o Kubuna. The views expressed are his and not of this newspaper.
