Over the last 8 years of my life, I have been privileged to interact
with different kinds of people. People from various walks of life have
sat before me, as they explained in detail, the various intricacies of
their situations or plights. And whenever I find myself in such
situations where I am the one giving the advice, I am humbled, knowing
how far I am from perfection.
The diversity of our lifestyle
has never ceased to amaze me. The plethora of circumstances that unfold
as people tell their stories, would give Nollywood movie writers an
endless source of materials for film. These accounts are sometimes
tragic and sometimes comical; they can be shocking or border on the
eerie. Regardless of the nature of the circumstances, I am reminded that
these are the stories of real people, searching for real solutions to
real problems.
When people ask for my counsel on certain issue,
there is a sense of helplessness I feel when I am face to face with
these people, whose eyes plead for an answer that is not known or an
assurance that cannot be given. I have been asked if God will provide
the money needed to pay the tuition before they are kicked out of
school, if a terrible situation would turn around or if a spouse would
come back. The truth is, I really did not know. These are the instances
that truly test our faith. Walking with God will often take us from the
realm of the difficult into the realm of the ludicrous; when the
promise sounds so farfetched that it becomes laughable.
We all
have moments when we conclude a certain situation will not change. This
is seldom because the change is no longer desired. It has more to do
with the fact that the time frame, within which the change made sense
has long since expired. As a matter of fact our faith is greatly
challenged when the things God intends to do in us, or through you, has no
precedent.
As humans, whenever we’re faced with a difficult
situation, there is great consolation to be found in the knowledge that
somebody has been through it before, and lived to tell the tale. We seek
solace in the voices of those connected to us; voices that tell us all
will be well. We have the propensity to require people to act as a
sounding board for the things God intends to do in our lives especially
when what God has proposed to do in our lives has no reference point.
However, such was not the case for a man called Abraham when God gave
him a promise. He had no such consolation. And the sad thing about
having no template is that there is very little to emulate.
As
Abraham gathers himself in the winter of his life, he is putting the
final touches to his memoirs. He has his regrets and he has his
highlights, but he has lain to rest the matter of a child. He has after
all, lived a good life. For God to attempt to reopen this issue, at
this stage, is humorous at the very least. But the fascinating thing
about God is that He has a way of revisiting issues, long after they
have been interred.
When we have attended the funeral of our
hopes, the thought of resurrection is amusing. When the world has stood
with you at the graveside of your dreams, and consoled you as the final
wreath was laid, talk of resurrection is ridiculous. It is such that,
even when we try to believe the impossible, the mocking laughter of our
friends and even our own laughter intimidates us from standing firm on
the promise. In all of this God is not deterred. The importance of our
destiny is so great that God may bypass our inability to believe, and
fulfil the promise inspite of us.
God is still in the business of re-writing stories.
