1st Week of Advent - Christine Mutua

Slaps of Life

by

Christine Mutua, Kenya

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4:7)

"Mum, I know that my name means peace in English, what's the name for peace in Kamba?"  "Muuo" I replied. "In Swahili?" "Amani". In Kikuyu? "Thayu". And so I started another of my typical mornings with a bunch of questions from my six year old son, Shalom. Together with his sister, they then embarked on a discussion (with mum as the consultant) on the meaning of their names in as many of the Kenyan tribes that they could think of, all the while testing mummy heavily on her knowledge of other languages in the country. Apparently Shalom set me thinking of what peace means especially following the events in my country in December 2007 through January 2008.  Those days had seen Kenya move from her unique position of "an island of peace" in Africa to an uncomfortable situation. To say the least, the slaps of life had hit Kenya, as witnessed in the violence, killing, displacement and looting in some parts of the country.

Having studied and worked in a theological school in Kenya whose students are drawn from all over Africa, I went down memory lane. I remembered the stories I had heard from my fellow students in my studies and also my students over the years as I have taught. I remembered each of their unique testimonies, all with one thread running through them:  God's unique peace in trying times. From Liberia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo DRC, Sudan and Ethiopia I remembered, their stories and somehow gleaned from them on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ in today's, world. It is a real world full of problems and difficulties; a world filled with the tyranny of injustice, a world of tears and sorrows, a chaotic world; A world where the slaps of life abound.

 But isn't this the reality of a world under the curse of sin? It is in such a world that Paul admonished the early Christians:  "...the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Paul in this beautiful verse brings home the truth, which Kenyans like myself, my friends from the other parts of Africa and Christians over the ages have experienced; amidst the slaps of life, whatever form they take; God is able to preserve our hearts and minds with His enduring peace." He made the provision in the coming of His Son who as Isaiah says in 9:6 "...he will be called.... Prince of Peace". Psalm 29:11 says "The LORD blesses his people with peace."

In the midst of life it makes sense to make a conscious choice to place the Prince of Peace on the throne of your heart. He came that we may have peace, with God, with ourselves, with others. With Him, it is possible to face anything and know the inner peace which Jesus Himself demonstrated, and which His followers have known down the ages! Because of Him we can boldly say, Shalom, Peace, Thayu, Muuo, Amani, to those far and near.

Lord we remember the gift of your peace embodied in your Son, to this world. Thank you that in the slaps of life in this world, you have and will always guard, keep and garrison our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Christine is married to Daniel Muvengi and is a mother of three, Hope, Shalom and Fadhili. She is the Director for the Institute for the Study of African Realities (ISAR) at Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology. After finishing her Bachelor's Degree in Horticulture, she served with FOCUS Kenya, a ministry to university and college students in Kenya then joined the civil service in Kenya as an agricultural officer. She then went to theological school and has since then been teaching first at Daystar university and now at Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology where she directs the Institute for African Realities. She holds an MA in Missions and is pursuing a PhD in Missiology at NorthWest University South Africa.