Are we a bunch of losers?

The Lutheran Theological Institute (LTI) in Pietermaritzburg has opened for the new academic year. This means that we can start attending morning devotions there again, after the summer break.

This morning’s devotion was led by Bishop Musawenkosi Biyela, one of the teachers. He read one of the texts for this week – from Isaiah 49. The context is that the people of Israel are in exile, because they have not obeyed God. Based on that the bishop said:

We are all a bunch of losers.

One cannot understand this unless one heard the words of South Africa’s Sports Minister, Fikile Mbalula, who yesterday said about Bafana Bafana (the South African male national soccer team):

What I saw was not a problem of coaching, it was a bunch of losers.

Bishop Biyela preaching at LTI.

It is nothing strange that a preacher in South Africa uses soccer as a context in a sermon. The bishop went on saying that God punished the people of Israel. I have some concerns with this kind of theology. I believe that God is the saviour. But of course, God did not save the people of Israel from being taken to exile. So, one has either to say that God was not able to save them or God did not want to save them. (Which in itself could be interpreted as a punishment). Yes, I know, this is an unsolvable dilemma. The Theodice problem.

The point that Bishop Byela made was also related to another context, namely the start of a new academic year. After the defeat comes a new beginning. When God allows us to go through defeat, God also brings us to a new beginning.

Maybe he and the students are hoping for a new beginning for Bafana Bafana. Or a new, better beginning in the theological studies.

It is always good to listen to the bishop. I do not always agree but he always give me some food for thoughts. Sometimes I also feel like a loser. And surely, sometimes I am a loser. Then my prayer is, that God will lead me to a new beginning.