In The Name Of The Father?! (Victor Odiong Library)

In The Name Of The Father?!

A couple of years back, I heard this story about a woman who was going through depression because she had lived many years in the United States without being able to obtain legal residency and her husband lived faraway in Nigeria. She was growing increasingly unhappy because she wanted children but this was out rightly impossible as she lived continents away from her husband and he could not visit her either. So, she started sowing seeds in church. Her friend who was telling me the story was trying to teach me the power of seeds. She believed that because of the money the lady was giving in church, God was going to give her children.  Please let me state plainly that I have nothing against sowing seeds (money) in church, but certain folks have rather abused this principle.  I was shocked that she really believed her friend’s giving could make her pregnant. How?! By what mode of conception? “Harvest time” conception? Or an immaculate one? “Abeg,” I must confess that until then, I had never seen foolishness displayed in such majestic grandeur.

I am tired of seeing folks who have stopped thinking but rather prefer to put the responsibility of everything they do on God. I heard another story of a woman who was always busy in church that she hardly attended to her husband’s needs. He had gone months without sex and anytime he complained, her answer was that “she was serving the Lord.”  She was shocked when he filed for divorce a few years later and then she started asking “God, why?”  Well, my answer was “God, why not”.

You see, there are spiritual laws as well as physical laws. Spiritual laws do not always negate physical laws. There is a physical law called the law of gravity. If you jump up praying in tongues, you will come down praying in tongues. If you run into the rain without an umbrella holding a Bible and a Koran, you will get wet with your Bible and Koran. God is not responsible for every decision you make. God did not decide what you ate or wore this morning. YOU DID. Certain things will not happen for you until YOU DO something. I don’t understand when I see couples having challenges with conception refusing to carry out medical test, but preferring to “trust God.” Having a medical test does not mean you trust God less, it simple means you know exactly what to trust him for.  People, please let’s wake up and drop this notion that certain things will only happen if God permits it and if God does not permit it, it won’t happen. THAT’S A LIE.

There is a cousin of mine with six children and no income. Yet, when I asked him why he had so many children with little or no income, his reply was that God is the giver of children. Really?! When my cousin brought out his penis in the heat of passion and had “hot steamy sex” with his wife, it probably wasn't him. IT WAS GOD, right?!

Please forgive my sarcasms but I am tired of Christians, Muslims or any other religion blaming God for everything.  Nobody wants to be responsible anymore. The Boko Haram group that recently kidnapped over 250 Nigerian girls claim they are fighting God’s cause. And also, when Former President George W. Bush invaded Iraq a few years ago, he claimed God told him to end the tyranny in Iraq. It is always God, God, and God.

You are responsible for your actions. Some folks believe that to be led of God means to fold their hands, wait and do nothing. Abraham was led of God to a foreign land - not knowing where he was going, yet when he got there he did what he knew best. He was a farmer, so he started to irrigated, cultivated and planted. He did not get there, fold his hands and say to himself, ”Well, er… since God brought me here. I’ll just sit and wait for him to make me what he promised.” Nah!  He did something physical; he stayed in the center of his expertise. So, how was he able to reap a 100% increase in the time of drought?  He sure didn't do it counting the stars!

I heard this story about a woman whose restaurant business wasn't doing so well. She didn't understand why she had such low patronage because not only was she a fabulous cook, the restaurant was located in a very busy part of town. So, she called her Bishop to come anoint the place, that it could attract customers. The Bishop came as arranged but before he prayed, asked if he could give some suggestions and she obliged him.  He suggested that the restaurant needed fresh colorful curtains for the windows, a couple of air fresheners on the wall, flat screen TV with probably cable service, staff in uniform and a menu list for the guests. He advised her to get these items as soon as possible, and then he prayed and left.

In the weeks that followed, the business picked up remarkably.  The once empty room was now constantly packed with customers into the late hours of the night.  The owner was ecstatic; so she called her Bishop to thank him. She told him his prayers had turned her fortunes around. She was rather surprised when the Bishop explained to her that the change would never have been effected if she did nothing to create a welcoming and excellent atmosphere to attract what she wanted.

Stop playing safe!!! Dare to take risks, dare to step out, dare even to fail too. Then you will finally realize that failure is never an option but a pointer to the right direction.

STOP WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN, MAKE IT HAPPEN!