One day, in our office, we were very
busy working on some information that was to be e-mailed the earliest time
possible to our head office. We were all at the secretary’s desk formatting,
deleting, and adding this that information. I was the main source of this
information. It was against this background that an elderly lady and a sister in
Christ came to see me. On seeing her, I immediately knew that she had come for
my contribution as we had discussed some months earlier concerning her
grandson’s school fees. She had traveled quite a distance and I could therefore
not ignore her. I therefore asked her to wait for me outside the office, a
little while, as I completed the point that was being worked on. As I completed
the point at hand I continued with another and another until I forgot all about
the sister. Much later a colleague reminded me about it.
Feeling very sorry I immediately rushed out. In my
mind I was set to convey my apology first, then take her to my office, hand in
my contribution and then part ways the soonest time possible so that I could
continue with the urgent exercise. After all, wasn’t it money that she needed
from me?
I found the lady sited on the grass patiently. I made
my apology, as per plan, and asked her to follow me to my office. I didn’t find
it necessary to offer her a seat. I went straight to where my money was but as I
opened the cabinet in a hurry and removed my contribution, a powerful voice that
I could not ignore asked me, “WHAT IS MONEY? CAN”T YOU JUST APRECIATE HER?”
I was ashamed. I immediately put the money in my
pocket, turned to the lady and offered her a seat. I took mine. The conviction
was so strong that I no longer cared about my urgent work. I promised God that I
would not rise from my seat before the lady. I was ready to give her all the
time possible to show her appreciation. I in turn expected God to intervene in
my work somehow.
“How have you been, since we last talked?” I asked her
as she settled on the visitor’s chair. I recalled the fellowship we had with her
and her lady friend as we waited for lunch in a community participatory meeting.
It seemed like I was discovering that even illiterate people know the deep
issues of God. Education is no determining factor to having a quality
relationship with God. Obedience and prayer is the determining factor.
“All has been well,” she replied
Out of nowhere I decided to encourage her since I knew
her background she had shared with me that day in her village. I said something
like the following;
“Sister, God is going to see you through the whole
issue of fees. Your grandson will go to school because the bible says that God
is the Father of orphans. If God is the Father of your grandson, how will He be
unable to raise enough school fees, if you trust Him?
As for you, God says that He is the husband of the
widows. You are therefore beloved of the Lord. Incase you have anything that you
have been unable to sort out take it confidently to your husband, who is God.
Wake up before anybody else and talk to Him. People will think you are from
sleeping like them but you have already done much work in prayer. Pray sister.
God answers prayers. While you are not able to do much work taking into account
your partial disability, will you be unable to pray? God is real…………”
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is
God in His holy dwelling.
Psalms 67:5
After listening keenly it was her turn to speak. She
said something like this; “Sister, thank you very much for those encouraging
words. Last night I really cried bitterly. If you look at my eyes, you can tell…
I wondered what she was about to tell me. Would I be
able to handle it? God is the one who gives wisdom. We do not have any of our
own and if we imagine we have it, that little which we possess can disappear
from our memory when we need it. I continued listening attentively.
“When my grandson received the invitation letter to
high school, I asked my villagers to assist me in raising school fees. They told
me that they were ready to assist me provided our church took the lead role.
When I shared this with our pastor, to my surprise he was angered by my request.
He told me many words that hurt me very much. He, in addition, told me that I
had a land title deed which I could take a loan instead of looking up to the
church which had more urgent issues to sort out.
“As I sat in the house last night I felt bitter. Here
I am a poor woman without a husband, the parents of my grandchild are not there
and now the church where I go to worship cannot even help me. I cried, sister. I
cried!
“ I have now come with my land title deed to give you
so that you lend me some money or you assist me get somebody who can lend me. I
also got a letter from the DO’s office authorizing me to collect money from well
wishers…”
I did not interrupt. That was unlike me. She had
opened her heart and poured out much. It was clear that the previous night was a
discouraging one. Yes, the uninvited guest from the enemy called discouragement
had been her companion. She couldn’t see hope. The church that represents Jesus
Christ had also let her down. She must have felt all alone in the world.
“Your pastor did very well, sister” I started to her
surprise. “He did well because he reminded you what you had forgotten. That
cursed is he who puts his trust in man. You had trusted that your help would
come from your pastor. Cursed are you but thank God for reminding you this now
because he loves you and want to help you. Thank God for your pastor. He was
used of God. Love him all the more and honour him as your pastor. Do not leave
your church organization for another. When you meet him next time, greet him
cheerfully with a Praise God from a pure heart because he turned you to God.
Sister, never depend on any one human being. Depend only on God………
“Now, you don’t need to give me your land title deed.
Keep it and go to God in prayer. You will get enough school fees for your grand
son, Ensure before you go to collect money, you ask God to lead you to where he
has prepared money for you. If He tells you not to go here or there, obey Him.
If he says go there, obey.At the end of the day you will get enough. Your
grandson will complete school to the glory of God………”I said all that God enabled
me to without being in a hurry.
As I watched the face change positively, I was also
encouraged and thanked God that I had obeyed His voice of telling me to
appreciate her. Only when she woke up to go that I handed my contribution.
Later she came with a testimony of how a man who
claimed to be the son’s friend, from the city of Mombasa, came searching for her
home in the village after hearing that the boy had fees problems. The man
pledged some money every term till the boy completed school. By the time I left
the place the man had honored his pledge and the boy was doing very well in
school. The granny brought me his performance report one time. The lady had got
some work of preparing a certain quantity of fodder for a neighbor’s cows daily.
The money she received monthly assisted her give the boy as pocket money or
bought other small school requirements for him.
God touched the man from Mombasa to leave the city to
go to the village, up the hills, to fulfill God’s purpose because the lady
prayed and trusted in God. A neighbor also sympathized and gave the lady some
light duties to earn some more money which she could use to buy small items and
pocket money for the grand son.
I was never called upon to contribute any more money
than what I gave that day. So, let’s not be in a hurry to give money. God honors
Love more than money given.
Best wishes as you listen to God,
Margaret
margieephtfcp@yahoo.com
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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