Tuesday, October 11, 2011

THE NEED FOR PRAYER

Sometimes even in our own place when we don't expect it, things happen without warning that signify the perilous times we are in. Have we thought what we need to do when it happens? The main thing is that we should be wise as a serpent but harmless as a dove. My son Joshua once came upon his cousin Joel who was attacked by another teenage. Upon seeing the predicament of his cousin, he impulsively picked an empty bottle and hit the attacker on the head wounding the boy as he ran away. Joshua and Joel then went to his father's house. When I got home from work someone came and informed me of what happened and that three men was in the neighborhood looking for Joshua and Joel. Those men reportedly were the brothers and uncle of the boy whom Joshua hit with an empty bottle. I was alarmed and phoned Joshua right away and told him to immediately go to his auntie living in another city. I instructed him not to come home as men were looking for him and Joel. That night, as Israel my eldest went home to his father to sleep there, I told my daughters that we have to pray for Joshua and Israel since I thought he might also be in danger because of his brother's deed. It was indeed providence that we did it because as he walked down the dark road, three unidentified men suddenly appeared by the way and attacked him with a knife. He would have been killed right there. But by YHWH's grace they failed and so he was able to run to his aunt's house which was nearby. He decided to sleep at his aunt's for he realized that it was dangerous for him to walk alone judging from what happened, it could be related to Joshua's incident earlier that day.So the next day, when Israel came back, he asked me to pray for him. I believe he understood the seriousness of the situation to feel the need that I pray for him to YHWH for protection. I also prayed for all of us for I felt dangerously embroiled by the happenings. Joshua had to stay away for a few months. Meanwhile, I proceeded to settle the matter amicably by paying a certain amount to the victim's parents as the boy had to be taken to the doctor to be treated with the wound. And also made efforts to talk to the parents and their relatives and emphasized that we are relatives therefore we should not be attacking each other. And that the kids didn't know that they're cousins. Now that they know it they should forget and forgive each other. They nodded in agreement and promised to instruct their kids. In the end, as they say, "All's well, that ends well", proves to be true indeed. What made me happy is the realization that my son Israel realized how important prayer is in dire times like these. When we don't know what to do, when we are afraid, when we are threatened, supplication to YHWH is the only thing that can give us courage and protection that we sorely lack. Even though I found Israel to be a bit rebellious but I know that through example I have shown him and all my kids about the need of praying. I know that this experience had taught them of its importance.

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