STORYTIME WITH MAMA ÀWÈRÓ (EPISODE 4)

PRAY DON’T PREY

Did you miss the previous episode? Kindly click here to read😍

“Good afternoon, Mama Awero”
“Blessed afternoon, my son. How are you today?”
“I’m doing fine Mama. You are reading your Bible as usual”
“Yes I am, my darling. I love reading my Bible because it is the way I feed my spirit and stay fit spiritually”
“Okay, I wish I can read…….”

“Knock, knock here, Peace be unto this house”
“And unto you”
“Good afternoon Mama Awero”
“Oh, sister Lydia, good afternoon, my daughter. How are you and your family?”
“We are doing fine Mama. How are you too?”
“I’m good, glory be to God. Michael, kindly get a cup of fruit juice for Sister Lydia and wait here so we can continue our discussion”

I went into the kitchen for a cup of juice as I was surprised that Mama wanted me to sit with her in the presence of a visitor.

“I just came to check up on you since it has been a while we saw you in church, especially for the women’s meeting”
“Oh, thank you for that. I usually worship in the morning service that starts by 7am. I don’t have the energy for the long hours of the second service due to my age. This is the same reason I have not been consistent with the mid-week services and the Pastor is aware of this”
I brought in the juice at this point and sat beside Mama.
“Hmmn, thank you for your hospitality Mama”, sister Lydia said as she took a sip from her juice.

“You’re welcome my sister, I hope everybody in church is fine and growing in the knowledge of God. I pray for the church everyday, that the gates of hell shall not prevail over the church”

“Hmmn, Amen ooo, a lot of things are happening Mama. The Pastor is now a ‘money padstor’ using every opportunity to raise money, I even heard that he has been cheating on his wife. Ah mama, may God have mercy, ever since you have been absent in church, the Women’s Forum has turned to battle ground, people delight in causing strife and havoc, I tried my best but you know our people do not like the truth”
SILENCE
“yes, I know you will be shocked, visitation has drastically gone low, everybody is just busy showcasing their acquired wealth. Even Mama Ladipo, your friend, has left the church. The Pastor said she relocated, but I know it’s a lie—everything is just upside down. Hmmn Mama, do you know that Elder James lied that his daughter was just sick when we all knew that the young lady committed an abortion, ah I forgot to…….”
“So what have you done about all these?”
“Ah, Mama, I tried to talk that we should seek peace and pursue God as you used to tell us but you know they wouldn’t listen to me because I am not rich”8
“Let us pray”
“Eeh-ehn”

“Lord, we bring the Church of God before you today, heal your Church, build up your Church. Let your power flow and take away the dross in the Church of God. Let men truly desire and worship you in Jesus name”
“Amen”
I also pray for your daughter, Lord, teach her to walk by your word in James chapter three, help her to walk in love as she keeps her tongue, thereby keeping her life. Teach her your ways and bless her family, in Jesus name we have prayed”
“Amen”
“Ehen, I just remember…”
“Thank you for visiting me Lydia, see to it that you always pray for the church and sanctify yourself by the word. I would appreciate it if you can be coming for bible study and not just to give me the gist from church. If you know all these about others, there is surely a lot to know about you. We can start today, let study…” Mama said as she opened her bible

“Ah-ah, it’s okay Mama, let’s make it some other time. Have a good evening ma”
“Okay my daughter, Michael please lock the door and let us continue with our talk”
I stood up and locked the door after Sister Lydia
“So, you were about telling me something”
“But mama, why didn’t you allow the woman to tell you what happened in church? Sola told us in school that his mum and the pastor’s wife fought in church some Sundays ago”

“Michael Ajao, I cannot allow gossip in my abode because I pray for people, I don’t prey on them, neither do I delight in the work of darkness—I am a light. Why do you think I asked you to wait here while she talked? It is so that I am not tempted to use my mouth in tearing the church apart; I needed you to be a check on me. Go inside and call Israel for me, let us have a teaching on how to study your bible”

“I pray for people, I don’t prey on them”
That statement resound in my eardrum with every steps I take towards our room.

What does it mean to prey on people?
Let me know what you think in the comment section.

Read Episode 5 here