Cedric Moss
08-07-03, - 12:05 AM
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CSME: A Biblical Approach – Part 1
By Apostle Cedric Moss
August 6, 2003
Over the past several weeks, there has been much public discussion on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and whether the Bahamas should join. If you are unaware of the intended provisions of CSME, there is a helpful brochure that you can download from www.caricom.org.
Today I share my thoughts on how I believe we should approach the CSME decision as a nation, and they apply to the Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement (FTAA) as well. In addition, although I speak from the perspective of The Bahamas, I believe that all God fearing nations in CARICOM should take this approach to deciding whether or not to join CSME.
An Important Question
Although I was out of the country during the week of Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur’s recent visit to discuss CSME, I have been able to sample the spectrum of local views on the possibility of The Bahamas’ joining. Virtually all of these views focused on the potential economic advantages/disadvantages for the Bahamas, and this is understandable because such is the nature of CSME. However, it is my view that while we do need to ask logical questions about how CSME will benefit the Bahamas, there is a far more important national question we must ask and it is this: “Lord, what will you have us to do?” Scripture calls this kind of questioning “inquiring of the Lord”.
A Complex Decision
Inquiring of the Lord is always necessary because things are hardly ever what they seem to be on the surface. This is especially true with complex agreements like CSME; and CSME is complex.
The major complexity of agreements like CSME is they tend to be more fluid than fixed, and thus they are constantly changing. Figuratively speaking, the last word in such agreements ends with a comma, not a period. This means that as time progresses the terms of these agreements will be amended and will soon be very different from the initial terms laid out and agreed upon. For this reason, what might be advantageous for one country at initial signing can within a few months easily become disadvantageous by the stroke of the pens of the majority of member countries. The reverse of this is true as well; country disadvantages at the time of signing can be turned into advantages in the future.
Therefore, it is shortsighted to decide upon complex agreements like CSME based primarily on the terms of the initial agreement.
Prophetic Guidance
Beyond the words of the CSME agreement, I believe we desperately need to hear God’s voice to know how we should proceed. In this regard, the government would do well to look to prophetic voices within the Church for this guidance.
The Old Testament king, Ahab, is an example to be avoided by leaders of God fearing nations who decide to seek prophetic guidance. Ahab only consulted prophets who would prophesy what he wanted to hear (see 2nd Chronicles 18:1-7). He failed to realize that no word from God is a bad word so he could not bear hearing a prophet tell him to do other than what he was already minded to do. So Ahab listened to his own prophets and not God’s prophets.
In my view, the decision to join or not join CSME (and certainly FTAA) is weightier than the decision made for us to become an independent nation back in 1973. Therefore, if there has ever been a time and a need to seek prophetic guidance in our nation, I believe it is now.
In light of this weighty matter, I urge Prime Minister Christie and his Cabinet to sincerely inquire of the Lord for prophetic guidance. I also urge and caution them to not get bogged down in preliminary discussions about possible concessions and exceptions for the Bahamas prior to knowing the Lord’s will for our nation regarding CSME.
Our Guaranty
As a nation, our guaranty that it will go well with us in the future lies in our present ability to inquire of the Lord and obey Him regarding whether or not we should join CSME. Therefore, joining or not joining CSME is not the issue; divine direction and obedience to that direction is the issue.
As we inquire of the Lord, He will give divine direction and insight to see beneath the surface of CSME and beyond the moment of this opportunity. And only the Lord can grant this. Whether or not we join CSME, we will face future challenges as a nation on multiple fronts. Such is the way of the world we live in. However, as long as we know that we have taken the path upon which the Lord directed us, we will be able to face and embrace the future challenges as part of our divinely directed national journey.
Click here for Part 2 (http://www.bahamasissues.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=357)
Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre. Comments and feedback may be directed to: apostle@kingdom-life.org.
CSME: A Biblical Approach – Part 1
By Apostle Cedric Moss
August 6, 2003
Over the past several weeks, there has been much public discussion on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and whether the Bahamas should join. If you are unaware of the intended provisions of CSME, there is a helpful brochure that you can download from www.caricom.org.
Today I share my thoughts on how I believe we should approach the CSME decision as a nation, and they apply to the Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement (FTAA) as well. In addition, although I speak from the perspective of The Bahamas, I believe that all God fearing nations in CARICOM should take this approach to deciding whether or not to join CSME.
An Important Question
Although I was out of the country during the week of Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur’s recent visit to discuss CSME, I have been able to sample the spectrum of local views on the possibility of The Bahamas’ joining. Virtually all of these views focused on the potential economic advantages/disadvantages for the Bahamas, and this is understandable because such is the nature of CSME. However, it is my view that while we do need to ask logical questions about how CSME will benefit the Bahamas, there is a far more important national question we must ask and it is this: “Lord, what will you have us to do?” Scripture calls this kind of questioning “inquiring of the Lord”.
A Complex Decision
Inquiring of the Lord is always necessary because things are hardly ever what they seem to be on the surface. This is especially true with complex agreements like CSME; and CSME is complex.
The major complexity of agreements like CSME is they tend to be more fluid than fixed, and thus they are constantly changing. Figuratively speaking, the last word in such agreements ends with a comma, not a period. This means that as time progresses the terms of these agreements will be amended and will soon be very different from the initial terms laid out and agreed upon. For this reason, what might be advantageous for one country at initial signing can within a few months easily become disadvantageous by the stroke of the pens of the majority of member countries. The reverse of this is true as well; country disadvantages at the time of signing can be turned into advantages in the future.
Therefore, it is shortsighted to decide upon complex agreements like CSME based primarily on the terms of the initial agreement.
Prophetic Guidance
Beyond the words of the CSME agreement, I believe we desperately need to hear God’s voice to know how we should proceed. In this regard, the government would do well to look to prophetic voices within the Church for this guidance.
The Old Testament king, Ahab, is an example to be avoided by leaders of God fearing nations who decide to seek prophetic guidance. Ahab only consulted prophets who would prophesy what he wanted to hear (see 2nd Chronicles 18:1-7). He failed to realize that no word from God is a bad word so he could not bear hearing a prophet tell him to do other than what he was already minded to do. So Ahab listened to his own prophets and not God’s prophets.
In my view, the decision to join or not join CSME (and certainly FTAA) is weightier than the decision made for us to become an independent nation back in 1973. Therefore, if there has ever been a time and a need to seek prophetic guidance in our nation, I believe it is now.
In light of this weighty matter, I urge Prime Minister Christie and his Cabinet to sincerely inquire of the Lord for prophetic guidance. I also urge and caution them to not get bogged down in preliminary discussions about possible concessions and exceptions for the Bahamas prior to knowing the Lord’s will for our nation regarding CSME.
Our Guaranty
As a nation, our guaranty that it will go well with us in the future lies in our present ability to inquire of the Lord and obey Him regarding whether or not we should join CSME. Therefore, joining or not joining CSME is not the issue; divine direction and obedience to that direction is the issue.
As we inquire of the Lord, He will give divine direction and insight to see beneath the surface of CSME and beyond the moment of this opportunity. And only the Lord can grant this. Whether or not we join CSME, we will face future challenges as a nation on multiple fronts. Such is the way of the world we live in. However, as long as we know that we have taken the path upon which the Lord directed us, we will be able to face and embrace the future challenges as part of our divinely directed national journey.
Click here for Part 2 (http://www.bahamasissues.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=357)
Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre. Comments and feedback may be directed to: apostle@kingdom-life.org.