Cul de Sac: --- The island government of St. Maarten was given a stern warning during the sermonette at Sunday’s Day of Prayer. Delivering the message was Pastor Royston Philbert of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. “While it is good to seek God’s Guidance this must be done on a daily basis especially in times of making decisions.” Philbert said.
He also called on politicians to put aside their past and party colors and unite for the best interest of St. Maarten who is seeking country status. He said the fact that politicians has stopped to seek God’s guidance is a strange phenomenon for politicians and politics. Philbert said the church has come to the conclusion that politicians or those that sit in government are self opinionated as well as anti-religious convictions that they would never grant the nation the opportunity for a service such as the one held on Sunday.
Philbert said he believes the situation that is facing the world today has forced local politicians to turn to God for a formula. That formula he said is to get out of the world economic crisis and immorality.
He reminded the large gathering that showed up at the Emilio Wilson Park that people are very vulnerable since financial doom has all independent countries looking for a way out, while Iran is trying to emerge as the new superstar with their nuclear holocaust. People from all over the world are looking for solutions to solve problems such as homosexuality, crime, teenage pregnancy and gangs related violence. Philbert reminded government that they are living in a world that is mad with problems yet still there are men who are embracing the opportunity to lead the nation to country. Philbert said St. Maarten does need a new beginning since those responsible for the shaping of minds has been destroying the morality and the discipline of minds. Philbert said St. Maarten has locked itself in a deadening trap by looking the other side for too long, now the people are looking at government to lead them out of that trap. While reflecting on scripture Pastor Philbert reminded the new National Alliance/ Heyliger government that they can lead the people to the promise land just as Moses did. He said people once looked at St. Maarten and was jealous of it but today St. Maarten is not the same. Philbert said while those in government are busy looking for a way out there is already one and they needed to look to God for that way out since God has that formula waiting for them to receive it. He warned that it’s not just calling for a day of prayer since St. Maarten needs to experience God and times such as these demand spiritual leadership. Philbert said spiritual leadership does not begin when an event is called but when the lives of the leaders are transformed by God and the process of leading a nation towards God depends on continuity.
In closing Philbert made three suggestions to government if they are to move forward. First they must let go of the past. He said people sometimes want new things but are not willing to change since they consistently live in the past. Philbert said nothing is wrong with memories but one must know that memories do not live lives it is people who does.
He said while people believed the world is lacking money the major need is more men with wisdom, he admonished the new government to forget about their past and focus on the future which he said is bright with God.
He also advised the leaders to look to their faith in leading. In addressing the leader of government he said if God destined him to be the one that would take St. Maarten towards country status then that is what it would be since God is able to put people up as well as take them down. He also called on the gathering to look at the man behind the man in leadership, while politicians need to put aside their differences, past and party color and unite for the sake of the island. He also reminded Marlin that when God is for someone nobody can be against them. At the end of the service Pastor Wycliffe Smith prayed for the island council. Accompanying them were their spouses and members of the clergy.
Endorsing the speech given by Philbert was assistant Lt. Governor Millicent de Weever who said that government needs to follow God’s rules when governing. De Weever also gave credit to the youths who participated in the program as well as attended the service. The theme of the national day of prayer “Dawn of a New Beginning, Be Emancipated” comes at time when St. Maarten is at a crucial juncture in its constitutional changes as well as the socio-economic development. De Weever said the constitutional process does requires the input of the entire nation and the God’s guidance which she said is definitely needed to move them forward.
The island’s Lt. Governor said St. Maarten is now confronted with greater challenges with the economic down turn more than it did in the past. She said with the perseverance of the people the island would prevail.
De Weever said the national day of prayer at this time brings greater significance and would definitely go down in history.
Also calling for unity was leader of government William Marlin. Marlin said politicians have to aside their own agendas and put all hands on deck to serve the people.
Marlin said when a nation is divided they would definitely fall but when united they stand tall. Marlin said a united front is only possible when they set aside all political differences and party colors to fulfill the mandate of the people who elected them.
He said there is much work with the negotiations to bring home country status which the people of St. Maarten voted for some nine years ago And it is the believe of his government to set aside partisans and political concerns and seek common grounds to serve the people’s purpose.