TIME OF THE DAY
“No, No…..Why would you miss that goal now?”
“I told you that this team is useless, they will lose this match. I am so disappointed in them right now”
“I won’t give up on them. No, I won’t”
At that point we heard the door opened and Mama Awero came in. She went into her room and we continued watching our match until about half an hour later when the power supply was cut off.
“Ooh, this power supply guys are killjoys. I just hope our team wins’
“Let’s beg Mama Awero to allow us put on the generator”
“Hmmn, that’s true o, it won’t hurt to try”
We walked gently into mama Awero’s room, made the cross sign and knocked on the door before we entered. Mama Awero was sitting on a chair, reading a book. She looked up as soon as she saw us stepped in.
“Oh, my boys, come and have a seat”
We moved towards her bed like zombies and sat at the edge of the bed
“Michael and Israel, what have you been up to for the day?”
“Hmm, we washed our clothes in the morning, we ate, we did some parts of our assignment, we slept in the evening and we were watching football when the electricity supply was cut off”
“Good one, Israel I believed you enjoyed your day, right with all that Michael said?”
“Yes Mama, I did”
“While you are here and before you tell me the reason for this emergency visit to my room, let me tell you a story”
There we go again, I am very sure that by the time Israel’s grandmother would be finished with her story, the match would be over. What is it with Mama Awero and her stories?
“As at the time I became a Christian, I gave myself fully to the work of God. I served him faithfully and diligently. There was a young man, Samuel, in my church then. He was in his early twenties, and he also gave his totality to the Lord. What a vibrant young man! I am sure he is doing greater works wherever he is right now.”
“So what now happened?” Israel asked mama Awero growing impatient as I am, I mean time is slipping away from us and Mama is telling tales—only God knows what is happening to my club right now.
It was as if Mama knew we were on the edge; she took some time before she continued.
“There came a time when the church Mission board decided to send a member oversees for further studies on Mission and evangelism; someone who would go with the foreign missionaries and learn more about God. I was nominated by the church council but Samuel was also nominated.
“Wow, you got it right?”
“No Michael, I did not. After much prayers and deliberation in the church council. They also consulted with the foreign mission board, Samuel Ayegbo was chosen.”
“Oops, but why, you were also vibrant and you deserved it. You should have been chosen”
“Israel my child, I was as angry as you are but God used my Pastor to set me straight. I approached him and he said that God is the rewarder of men and the mission trip is not a reward but a call to work in another land. He said Samuel was chosen because he was in his time of the day”
“Time of the day?” I interrupted her because I couldn’t help it.
“Yes, he was young, vibrant and could handle any challenge that may come his way. He was not wasting away his time; he was diligently pursing the Lord. I knew it and I saw it, I saw how he channeled his youthful strength to seek the face of the Lord and work for Him. I mean, he would wait after vigils to pray and be in God’s presence. He was very diligent at his work as a school teacher and faithful to serving the Lord in the Mission and Evangelism unit. He was one of the good teachers I knew. He was wise with how he spent his time.”
“Hmmn” Israel and I got the message and essence of the story and we couldn’t say a word but to take a deep breath and bowed our head in shame. Yes, we are not twenty yet, but why can’t we seek the Lord right from now?
“Football is not bad, sleep is a good way to rest. It is also good to wash our clothes as cleanliness is next to godliness but in all these, where did you put the Lord? Is He with you, and are you in His presence? As the preacher said in Ecclesiastes:
Honour and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young, before the years take their toll and your vigour wanes, before your vision dims and the world blurs And the winter years keep you close to the fire…
In old age, your body no longer serves you so well. Muscles slacken, grip weakens, and joints stiffen.
So, why did you come into my room?”
SILENCE
Did you learn something from Mama Àwèró’s story? Why don’t you let me know in the comment section below🤷
I call you blessed.
