Opinion – Conducting national prayers is a noble task yet insufficient

The Namibian Government summoned the nation to prayer on 12 September 2026.

It is indeed a noble task and humbling experience that the government in charge of our constitutionally secular state, Namibia, calls on us citizens to a National Day of Prayer. This is so, taking into consideration that many nations have increasingly abandoned biblical and scriptural norms in respect of secularism. Religion and religiosity are relegated to the background, declared to belong to private homes and should not be part of public administration and management.

The very fact that a government in charge of a secular state can call and spearhead the nation into prayer shall not be taken lightly or for granted. This is indeed a favour and an unwarranted gift to the religious community, more especially the Christian community in Namibia.

Nature of Prayer Questioned

While the above is true, the serious exegetical question must not only be asked but answered. Pertinently, what kind and type of prayer are we asked to offer? If the prayer day is approached as a public ceremony, with religious and even political leaders’ speeches, music and nice solemn words, yet less genuine repentance, humility and godliness, then we would have missed the very heart and central biblical pattern, considering the most quoted text, 2 Chronicles 7:14:

“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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” We are here invited to take note that prayer cannot be isolated from an act of genuine faith in God and the display of Christian virtues and attitudes, such as humility, seeking God and an act of repentance — turning away from wicked ways. There is no question that prayer without faith and therefore without repentance can as well become theatrics. This means God does not need people who know and can pray only, but those who are willing to humble themselves before Him and turn away from what He termed as wicked ways — in other words, evil deeds.

Humility — An Act of Exalting God Before Self

In a secular state, it is not God who governs but people. But here, if we call on God, we must demonstrate daily and in every other way that God reigns supremely. If this is our approach, then we are on the right trajectory.

If we compare human traits and ability with the greatness, holiness, majesty, supremacy and sovereignty of God, then the desires of human beings appear to be elusive midway. But there should be no other way; there should be one way: God and His Word above all things.

The Bible has many records of people who genuinely humbled themselves before God, and He heard them. Consider Jonah, a messenger of God, who proclaimed the impending judgement of God, to which people from the top — the King — to the bottom — ordinary persons — responded positively. They humbled themselves, fasted and mourned. There was an urgent call for national repentance (Jonah 3:5-10). A call for everyone to repent: The President and Cabinet must repent; the National Assembly and National Council must repent; regional councillors, traditional chiefs and their councillors must repent; bishops and all clergy houses must repent; and all ordinary people must repent. Repentance must be an ongoing activity.

Repentance: What It Is and What It Is Not

Repentance is not a pause or a click, but a demonstration of amended life and turnaround. It is not just a feeling about bad things happening in society. It is not a temporary halt in behaviours, only to return to such behaviours after a few moments, but turning back and moving away from wicked ways.

As a nation, we must ask ourselves about ways which may as well be characterised as wicked ways.

Have we rejected or abandoned God’s commands? Have we permitted socio-economic injustice? Have we dishonoured marriage and family? Have we tolerated corruption? Have we embraced greed? Have we encouraged sexual immorality? Have we neglected the poor and vulnerable? Have we lied, cheated, hated and abused our positions?

Have churches in Namibia compromised biblical truth for popularity, political influence or financial gain?

If the answer is no, as it should be, then we should do national repentance. If the answer to the above is yes, as it ought to be, then why do National Prayers seek transformation and not just prayers of thanksgiving and praise?

The Best Approaches to Healing Our Land

Firstly, we need to learn and pick principles from a biblical figure called Ezra. Ezra wrestled for his people. After realising that his people had sinned, he did not only express concern and deep regret, but he carried the burden of his people to God.

So, we need men and women who do not only rise up on platforms and say eloquent, impressive prayers, but those who will wrestle before God in humility and repentance. We need not only individuals who repent for their personal sins, but parents who call their households to repentance, pastors who call their churches to repentance and leaders who call their constituencies to repentance. Secondly, we have a perfect example in King Josiah.

Under his rule, the Book of the Law was rediscovered, the temple repaired, worship and sacrifices restored, and national sharing of wealth activated. Not only that, he tore his clothes in humility to express his repentance for his people, who did what was pleasing in their eyes because there were no laws, ordinances and commands of God being read, as they had been abandoned.

It is important to highlight and underline that revival begins when God’s Word is allowed to confront people’s hearts, wills and desires. Only God’s Word can expose sin and bring about genuine repentance and the needed reformation of the manners and foundations of society.

The Pertinent Question Remains

Do we, apart from individual sins, have national sins? Let us consider the obvious: corruption, injustice, exploitation and violence of any form, i.e. murder, theft and rape.

How about our hearts? Are they infested with pride, greed, hatred, partiality, oppression, sexual immorality, covetousness, unforgiveness and indifference to those who suffer, inter alia?

In the context of Namibia, the following must be considered before, during and after prayers. All things considered, repentance is warranted.

Personal Government (Gal. 5:22-23)

Everyone is accountable for his own life before God and will be judged accordingly in this life and in the next (Rev. 20:12; Gal. 6:7-8). This will come down to self-governance, individual morality and personal accountability under God’s law (and under human law).

Family Government (Eph. 5:22–6:4)

God has ordained the family to consist of one man and one woman in a permanent union and children born to them. The family is responsible for caring for children, the aged and widows (1 Tim. 5:8).

(Religious (Church) Government (Heb. 13:17)

The main task of the Church is knowing God and making Him known. This includes teaching the whole counsel of God and disciplining members for moral and doctrinal failures (1 Tim. 5:20; Titus 2:1-15). In addition, the Church is the light of the world darkened by sin and the salt of the earth, morally decayed and rotten (Matt. 5:13-16; 1 Cor. 13; James 2:14-17).

We wish Namibians a blessed Prayer Day and call for genuine faith and repentance.

May God heal and bless our land.

*Bishop Lukas Kaluwapa Katenda and Pastor Laban Shitundeni Mwashekele are under-shepherds of Jesus Christ, working at Reformed Anglican Church of Namibia and Evangelical Baptist Church in Namibia, respectively. They write in their capacity as such.

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