I wrote this almost a year ago now. It spoke volumes to me:
Risk, risk, and yet more risk
Working for a global accounting firm, I am accustomed to being reminded every hour of every day on the importance of managing risks; and the Bible is full of examples of every day people who took risks. Every day people who dared to believe God, who dared to be moved by Godly counsel or who dared to honour God (at times hesitantly) through an act of obedience to the quiet voice within: the eleven disciples, Esther and Abraham are but a few examples.
Risk taking is an intrinsic part of every day life, and the decision, the choice, as to whether to take a risk or not unambiguously demonstrates the resolve, values and faith level of the one who is doing the decision making.
Beauty queen turned liberator
Esther’s story is a significant illustration of the necessity and the value of gathering the courage to take risks. Hers was a particularly noteworthy risk taking venture; fuelled by reverence, great spiritual resolve, and respect for her mentor Mordecai. Having made it to the palace as queen, Esther’s cousin and mentor Mordecai sends a message to her with instructions to go to the king and plead with him to annul the decree to massacre the Jews in all the king’s provinces (the Book of Esther, chapter 4).
Esther’s response is honest, yet painstaking: ‘’Everyone who works for the king here, and even the people out in the provinces, knows that there is a single fate for every man or woman who approaches the king without being invited: death. The one exception is if the king extends his gold sceptre; then he or she may live. And it’s been thirty days now since I’ve been invited to come to the king.’’
Go get a mentor
Her cousin’s response demonstrates the importance of having mentors to guide and counsel you during times of difficulty, during seasons which require risk-taking. ‘’Don’t think that just because you live in the king’s house you are the one Jew who will get out of this alive. If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this.’’
Two points shout out at me in that response: realising that God wants to use you but if you don’t avail yourself to be used He has other alternatives, and the fact that to everything there is a season, a right time for everything under the sun. This was Esther’s season; her opportunity to choose to impact her generation. Fuelled by this counsel, Esther reverently declares a three-day fasting and praying period and works through a plan to approach the king, uninvited: ‘’I will go to the king, even though it is forbidden. If I die, I die.’’ That is risk taking to the core.
The dignity of reverence
A testimony to the power of prayer and fasting, the dignity of reverence for God and the reward of gathering the courage to take risks, the Bible records that Esther, uninvited, approaches the king and he, uncharacteristically, welcomes her and hears her out. In a dramatic turnaround, the plot - to massacre all the exiled Jews who lived in the expanse of fifth century BC Persia – fails.
And then none get killed
It turns out that no God-representing men and women get killed in this story.
I am convinced that God-honouring and God-worshipping people do not get killed, do not die, do not get totally cut off, in anyone of our life stories - whether that be spiritually, emotionally, financially or whichever the case may be. The Bible says weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. It also records the words of Christ Jesus which warn that in this world we will have many troubles, but also enlightens us that for us, Christ has overcome them all.
Learning to lose ourselves in faith, hope and love
Victory is assured because of the decisions you make, the risks you take and the sacrifices that you make in reverence to the Word, the leading of the Holy Spirit and the Blood shed for each one of us at Mount Calvary. Matthew 28 reads: ‘’Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw Him, they worshipped Him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.’’ Noting the presence of his disciples, and in reverence to His Father, Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and told them exactly what He had in mind to tell them, regardless of the doubting Thomas’ who did not want to risk themselves totally. He gave them this charge: ‘’Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.’’
Should I stay or should I go?
I woke up this morning with my head full of a risk-taking choice which I have to decide on. Faced with an offer of relocation to a position in which I’d enjoy a significant salary increase, in a country of my birth and where I would be with my elderly mother, my siblings - plus the prospect of notably more challenging and exciting work - I still find myself wanting. Age thirty-five and alone in a third country which has become my home over the past three years, I ponder what I would lose if I took the risk and accepted the offer before me.
And what about my networks?
What I know for sure is that the one thing I would lose is the intimacy with God in the community of believers I have come to know and cherish through the local church I have been attending over the past three years; and the treasured, life-impacting friendships I have come to develop among a few people that work and play has brought me in contact with. What a delight and comfort some of these have been.
On being faithful to what you know you've been called to do
In my local church, I serve as a steward in various leadership capacities. Through that same local church I have also come into contact with a handful of like-minded people and made some friendships which have led to the formation of a number of exciting outreach projects. And I don’t want to give these up. I don’t want to start all over again. I know that intimacy with God is something that you carry with you, that there are a thousand and one other Word-based and life impacting churches in the city in which I am being offered this promotion, and that God can make me a home in this new city and put me into contact with a new family of believers – but I don’t want to go. And I am not sure if I am being short-sighted.
On trusting in Him
My heart says no; that there is work also to do here. The singular and distinct feature which attracts me to the offer is the prospect of yet more challenging and exciting work. But my heart is telling me that if I take the risk of believing God and remaining in my seemingly ‘desert land’, He will make the rough places smooth and that I will drink water from rocks. And like Esther, I want to talk this over with my mentor.
As I embarked on quiet time this morning, I flicked through my Bible and came across a decisive note I had written alongside Matthew 28 verses 16-20 almost a year ago. It reads as such: ‘’Don’t be unsure about risking your life totally in worship of God. It is in totally risking your life in worship, total worship of God, that you regain your life – that you regain hope, joy, prosperity, you regain back lost dreams. Therefore do not be afraid – and give your life totally to God, in Christ Jesus. 13 July 2005, Nairobi, Serena Hotel.’’
Thursday 31 May 2007
Friday 25 May 2007
A longing fulfilled is a tree of life
Over the past few weeks I have posted a number of essays, and this week The Creator of the universe just proved once again that He purposed what I was posting.
Here goes.
In When Hope is Deferred, I noted how many a times things don't go the way we would like and in this light I cited my own frustrating experience with tender submissions and tender evaluation committees: 'the tender evaluation committee has not yet concluded its evaluation of all the tenders...." Hope deferred makes the heart grow weary.
In Surprised by Joy - I remembered my emotional, professional and financial struggles in the midst of certain setbacks, noting that in amongst my confusion, I heard God laughing...laughing at my oblivion to the great things He had planned for me, whilst He encouraged me that the hardship I was going through was only for a while.
In the same piece I also noted that although all things were not yet equal, and that for example I did not yet have the business success that I crave, years down the line, I am learning to trust God more, to wait on Him, and believe, really believe, that He does know what He is doing with me, in as far as I trust and follow Him.
Praising Him for what He has done and is yet to do
The Creator of the Universe also reminded me this week that He is a Jealous God and prompted me to post a psalm in praise of Him Who created my earthly father to whom I had posted a tribute. He needed me to acknowledge that He is The Waymaker, making the way for each and everyone of us - supporting us and ensuring that we redeem the time.
In the midst of all of this, I was not to know that God was orchestrating the fulfillment of one of my life-long longings.
Yea..hoooooooo!
On Monday I received a phone call from one of those tender evaluation committees I wrote about in When Hope is Deferred, many of who had doused my hopes and dreams in the past.
The voice at the other end of the phone told me that we had been successful with a particular tender.
Want to know the contract value? Try this. How about seven figure US$ sum, darh-ling?
Guess Who and who are laughing now? Yea...hoooo! Words from my previous postings are screaming, not shouting, at me:
A longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Time and chance happens to us all.
Here goes.
In When Hope is Deferred, I noted how many a times things don't go the way we would like and in this light I cited my own frustrating experience with tender submissions and tender evaluation committees: 'the tender evaluation committee has not yet concluded its evaluation of all the tenders...." Hope deferred makes the heart grow weary.
In Surprised by Joy - I remembered my emotional, professional and financial struggles in the midst of certain setbacks, noting that in amongst my confusion, I heard God laughing...laughing at my oblivion to the great things He had planned for me, whilst He encouraged me that the hardship I was going through was only for a while.
In the same piece I also noted that although all things were not yet equal, and that for example I did not yet have the business success that I crave, years down the line, I am learning to trust God more, to wait on Him, and believe, really believe, that He does know what He is doing with me, in as far as I trust and follow Him.
Praising Him for what He has done and is yet to do
The Creator of the Universe also reminded me this week that He is a Jealous God and prompted me to post a psalm in praise of Him Who created my earthly father to whom I had posted a tribute. He needed me to acknowledge that He is The Waymaker, making the way for each and everyone of us - supporting us and ensuring that we redeem the time.
In the midst of all of this, I was not to know that God was orchestrating the fulfillment of one of my life-long longings.
Yea..hoooooooo!
On Monday I received a phone call from one of those tender evaluation committees I wrote about in When Hope is Deferred, many of who had doused my hopes and dreams in the past.
The voice at the other end of the phone told me that we had been successful with a particular tender.
Want to know the contract value? Try this. How about seven figure US$ sum, darh-ling?
Guess Who and who are laughing now? Yea...hoooo! Words from my previous postings are screaming, not shouting, at me:
A longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Time and chance happens to us all.
Wednesday 23 May 2007
Serving a Jealous God
A few days after I posted the blog and tribute to my late father, The Lord reminded me during service the following Sunday that He is a jealous God and asked me to post a blog in praise of Him Who created my earthly father.
What an honour that would be, I thought. I know exactly what to write.
But I did not immediately obey. I went on rather to post two other blogs on this site. None was a specific ode to God.
Even this morning at quiet time I remembered that I had this one deficit to honour, and yet I was also remembering the other entries that lie in wait in my PC to be posted on this blog. Self importance.
And I thought how pressing it was for me to post some of those entries, even before the blog in praise of Him Who is The Creator of the Universe. Self idolization.
The Gracious God
That we to and fro, day in day out, but sometimes only momentarily pausing to honour Him Who gave us the strength, health and wealth to rise up that very morning.
To Him Who gave us the strength, health and wealth to wake up each morning surrounded by those we love, whether near or far, and tread to work.
To Him Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing to find meaning and satisfaction in our work, as many of us do.
To Him Who enables us to find validation and contentment in many of the relationships we encounter and manage day in day out.
And I wondered, horrifically, at how self idolization had led me to procrastinate writing an honorific to The One Who blessed me with the gift to write in the first place.
The Merciful God
So, to Him Who is able to keep me from falling, asking for forgiveness, I write my ode to Him Who is my Saviour, my Redeemer, The Head of my life: Christ, my Shepherd
Jesus is my Shepherd – therefore I have everything that I’ll ever need.
He causes me to rest in the fullness of His daily blessings;
And leads me unto ordered, purposed, peaceful paths.
When He orchestrated my salvation, He reinstated my soul unto Himself: the stamp to give me life and life more abundantly.
And He guides me in the way of His Truth – for the purpose of His name – that His purpose would be established in my life, and yes, for His glory, that all might know that He is ‘The I am that I am’.
Even though I may go through many challenges and tribulations, even as dark as the shadow of demise;
I will not give in to fear, because Christ is with me.
His Word and His Spirit comfort me.
He orchestrates favour for me - favour only and favour always; even in the presence of my enemies, even when I stare eyeball to eyeball with seeming failure.
His only desire? My consecration unto Himself, for His glory and purposes;
That my unique mark of distinction in Him overflows.
Without doubt the goodness of Christ, and His mercy will follow me
ALL the days of my life.
I will remain in the presence of the Lord forever more. Amen
What an honour that would be, I thought. I know exactly what to write.
But I did not immediately obey. I went on rather to post two other blogs on this site. None was a specific ode to God.
Even this morning at quiet time I remembered that I had this one deficit to honour, and yet I was also remembering the other entries that lie in wait in my PC to be posted on this blog. Self importance.
And I thought how pressing it was for me to post some of those entries, even before the blog in praise of Him Who is The Creator of the Universe. Self idolization.
The Gracious God
That we to and fro, day in day out, but sometimes only momentarily pausing to honour Him Who gave us the strength, health and wealth to rise up that very morning.
To Him Who gave us the strength, health and wealth to wake up each morning surrounded by those we love, whether near or far, and tread to work.
To Him Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing to find meaning and satisfaction in our work, as many of us do.
To Him Who enables us to find validation and contentment in many of the relationships we encounter and manage day in day out.
And I wondered, horrifically, at how self idolization had led me to procrastinate writing an honorific to The One Who blessed me with the gift to write in the first place.
The Merciful God
So, to Him Who is able to keep me from falling, asking for forgiveness, I write my ode to Him Who is my Saviour, my Redeemer, The Head of my life: Christ, my Shepherd
Jesus is my Shepherd – therefore I have everything that I’ll ever need.
He causes me to rest in the fullness of His daily blessings;
And leads me unto ordered, purposed, peaceful paths.
When He orchestrated my salvation, He reinstated my soul unto Himself: the stamp to give me life and life more abundantly.
And He guides me in the way of His Truth – for the purpose of His name – that His purpose would be established in my life, and yes, for His glory, that all might know that He is ‘The I am that I am’.
Even though I may go through many challenges and tribulations, even as dark as the shadow of demise;
I will not give in to fear, because Christ is with me.
His Word and His Spirit comfort me.
He orchestrates favour for me - favour only and favour always; even in the presence of my enemies, even when I stare eyeball to eyeball with seeming failure.
His only desire? My consecration unto Himself, for His glory and purposes;
That my unique mark of distinction in Him overflows.
Without doubt the goodness of Christ, and His mercy will follow me
ALL the days of my life.
I will remain in the presence of the Lord forever more. Amen
Friday 18 May 2007
Intercession and the Single 30 Something
I think I should add to that single 30 something female living in Africa.
I wrote a piece on intercession last week and if there is one thing that I know some people are INTER-CEEED-ING for me on it is the issue of marriage.
They are not interceding – they are INTER-CEEED- ING. Heavy prayers. HEAVY.
“It’s that her job and her career. She's always travelling. Going up and down. No time for men or relationships. Hmmm. May God deliver them from their careers.”
I wrote a piece on intercession last week and if there is one thing that I know some people are INTER-CEEED-ING for me on it is the issue of marriage.
They are not interceding – they are INTER-CEEED- ING. Heavy prayers. HEAVY.
“It’s that her job and her career. She's always travelling. Going up and down. No time for men or relationships. Hmmm. May God deliver them from their careers.”
“Aaah, which man will want to marry a woman with her own house, her own car, her own mind, her own money? He will run. He won’t be in control. He will just use her for what he can get.”
“We are praying for you o. Ehm. It is well. May God give you the desires of your heart.”
“Aah, maybe it’s spiritual. Who could tell?”
And this one is from my lovely eldest sister, usually every 1st of January and on my birthday – and usually said in Yoruba so those of you who speak the language will get the gist: God will give you a good husband. A compassionate man. I’ll carry your babies on my back.
The lives and times of being single in my mid 30s
The whole saga makes me laugh sometimes, and infuriates me others. Before I relocated to Africa, it wasn’t too much of a problem being single and in my 30s. In the UK, like the rest of Europe and the developed world, there aren’t clearly defined roles for women and clearly defined roles for men anymore. You decide what you want to do and go right ahead and do it. If a relationship that leads to marriage comes, all well and good. If it doesn’t, well, you carry on living life doing, enjoying and pursuing those other things which add value to life. No one thinks you are from planet Jupiter if you are single.
Over here though, the plot thickens.
By and large, people are expected to and do get married in their 20s, followed up with children soon afterwards. Nothing wrong with that. But I didn’t get married and have children in my 20s and I am not sure that I should be castigated for it.
Neither do I want people to feel sympathy for me.
One of my team members returned to work from maternity leave recently and I went to greet and congratulate her. It was her second and final birth she said - “I’ve passed the baton on to you now.” That was her intercession, I guess. Pass the baton all you like – I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all (Ecclesiastes 9 verse 11)
“Don’t you get lonely?” Hardly. I live alone, but I can’t say I am lonely.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying I don’t want to get married. I do. And there are days when I want it baaadly – I am sure it has something to do with libido and the fact that I shouldn’t… you know…. And then, well, it would just be nice to be in a gratifying union.
And then again, there are times when I think: “God, you know what? Today, I am VERY glad I am single.” Like when I hear marriage horror stories from my married friends and colleagues.
And then they go on to enquire about children
“Don’t you want to have children?” Well, yes I do. “When then?” Mind you own blooming business. “You could just have kids and bring them up on your own, you know?” No thank you. Besides, like it’s easy being a single parent.
“Don’t you get broody?” Enough! Why can’t people just think outside of the box?
The future
I will get married. When I am convinced of the relationship and the person to enter a union with.
Watch this space. Time and chance happen to them all.
And then I guess the INTER-CEEED- ING will be about getting pregnant, right?
Sunday 13 May 2007
Intercession and The Accidental Donor
Like most people reading this I’ve only ever thought of intercession as a prayer raised to our Father on behalf of someone else.
But I am discovering a new kind of intercession. And I bet you it also pleases God. Here goes.
Interceding through gifts
One of the things that I often feel compelled to do is to give. Gifts, alms, special projects, foundations, charities. And boy do I love the feeling I get inside when I give. It is elating.
Unique Presents and Unique Foundations
It starts with the thought. If it’s a birthday then it’s easy. What does she like? What unique experience or gift can I introduce him to this birthday? Where could I shop for the gift? What about the card? It’s got to be a card unique to the individual. It’s planning, it’s rewarding.
If I am giving to a foundation or a charity, then it’s normally to do with being part of a vision. I am saying to the charity, “I value your work. I believe in your vision. I want to invest in your work.”
It was after one of these moments of giving (in this instance to a foundation) that I discovered that giving was one of the ways that I could not only obey God’s Word that I should invest in acts of charity (Ecclesiastes 11: 1), but it was also an avenue for me to intercede, and intercede for the voiceless.
I wanted to make a donation to this foundation. They had organised an impressive advocacy and fundraising event. Their theme was based on the premise of ‘’look how far we’ve come and toiled; be a part of what we want to become’’. And what they wanted to become was unprecedented, challenging and remarkable.
On Being Tagged The Accidental Donor
I so wanted to give – but I did not want the organisers, friends of mine, to think that I was giving out of sympathy and not empathy. Silly, I know.
The sum to give then became an issue. $10,000? That’s how much I personally regarded and was touched by their vision. Indeed a part of me was thinking that this is the kind of vision that people give hundreds of thousands of dollars to. And I thought of donating a total of that sum through monthly instalments.
Hustle, bustle. What should I do? I knew that I must nevertheless give, despite my overwhelming anxiety as to the prospect of being tagged the accidental donor. I nevertheless gave.
Loosing the chains of Injustice
It was a few days later after I had made my (smaller though significant) donation, I discovered a comforting verse in Proverbs 31, verses 8 to 9:
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
That was all the comfort and confirmation I needed – accidental donor or no accidental donor. I did what I did because I wanted to, and, incidentally, it also fits in with one of the many requirements The Lord demands of us. I felt vindicated.
Being there for your friends and family
Then something else happened. A life long friend had undergone major surgery and was convalescing. She was in the UK and I committed to speak to her on the telephone twice a day. It wasn’t even a few days after I had made this decision that I realised that she really needed me by her side – even if it was for a few days. I calculated the costs – finances, work issues, etc. I could afford it – I had three times the money I needed for the trip in the bank: but I also had my own plans for the money.
I was discomforted by my unease. How on earth could I be thinking this way? This dear friend is in distress and needs comforting – the last person I should be thinking about is myself. Then a scripture jumped out to me: Isaiah 58, verses 6 to 9:
"This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.”
Being available to your own families. And you know that fasting is not just abstinence from food, right? In my instance it would mean abstinence from whatever I had planned to spend the money on. I made the booking.
Mother Theresa? Not
I am no Mother Theresa – some of you who know me can testify to that! But I think what drives me is the need to treat and celebrate others as I would have them treat and celebrate me. Yes, the generosity might backfire. It has its costs, implications and impacts – good or bad, negative or positive. But I love doing it.
Do good: be rich in helping others; be extravagantly generous (2 Timothy 6 verses 17-19).
Intercede. Cast your bread upon many waters.
But I am discovering a new kind of intercession. And I bet you it also pleases God. Here goes.
Interceding through gifts
One of the things that I often feel compelled to do is to give. Gifts, alms, special projects, foundations, charities. And boy do I love the feeling I get inside when I give. It is elating.
Unique Presents and Unique Foundations
It starts with the thought. If it’s a birthday then it’s easy. What does she like? What unique experience or gift can I introduce him to this birthday? Where could I shop for the gift? What about the card? It’s got to be a card unique to the individual. It’s planning, it’s rewarding.
If I am giving to a foundation or a charity, then it’s normally to do with being part of a vision. I am saying to the charity, “I value your work. I believe in your vision. I want to invest in your work.”
It was after one of these moments of giving (in this instance to a foundation) that I discovered that giving was one of the ways that I could not only obey God’s Word that I should invest in acts of charity (Ecclesiastes 11: 1), but it was also an avenue for me to intercede, and intercede for the voiceless.
I wanted to make a donation to this foundation. They had organised an impressive advocacy and fundraising event. Their theme was based on the premise of ‘’look how far we’ve come and toiled; be a part of what we want to become’’. And what they wanted to become was unprecedented, challenging and remarkable.
On Being Tagged The Accidental Donor
I so wanted to give – but I did not want the organisers, friends of mine, to think that I was giving out of sympathy and not empathy. Silly, I know.
The sum to give then became an issue. $10,000? That’s how much I personally regarded and was touched by their vision. Indeed a part of me was thinking that this is the kind of vision that people give hundreds of thousands of dollars to. And I thought of donating a total of that sum through monthly instalments.
Hustle, bustle. What should I do? I knew that I must nevertheless give, despite my overwhelming anxiety as to the prospect of being tagged the accidental donor. I nevertheless gave.
Loosing the chains of Injustice
It was a few days later after I had made my (smaller though significant) donation, I discovered a comforting verse in Proverbs 31, verses 8 to 9:
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
That was all the comfort and confirmation I needed – accidental donor or no accidental donor. I did what I did because I wanted to, and, incidentally, it also fits in with one of the many requirements The Lord demands of us. I felt vindicated.
Being there for your friends and family
Then something else happened. A life long friend had undergone major surgery and was convalescing. She was in the UK and I committed to speak to her on the telephone twice a day. It wasn’t even a few days after I had made this decision that I realised that she really needed me by her side – even if it was for a few days. I calculated the costs – finances, work issues, etc. I could afford it – I had three times the money I needed for the trip in the bank: but I also had my own plans for the money.
I was discomforted by my unease. How on earth could I be thinking this way? This dear friend is in distress and needs comforting – the last person I should be thinking about is myself. Then a scripture jumped out to me: Isaiah 58, verses 6 to 9:
"This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.”
Being available to your own families. And you know that fasting is not just abstinence from food, right? In my instance it would mean abstinence from whatever I had planned to spend the money on. I made the booking.
Mother Theresa? Not
I am no Mother Theresa – some of you who know me can testify to that! But I think what drives me is the need to treat and celebrate others as I would have them treat and celebrate me. Yes, the generosity might backfire. It has its costs, implications and impacts – good or bad, negative or positive. But I love doing it.
Do good: be rich in helping others; be extravagantly generous (2 Timothy 6 verses 17-19).
Intercede. Cast your bread upon many waters.
Monday 7 May 2007
Redeeming the time: tribute to Chief
Time and chance
We are all given many, many opportunities to redeem the time over our life time, and I wonder how many of these we might have misused.
The opportunity to start that business you’ve always wanted to have. The opportunity to put money aside for that university degree. The opportunity to buy a piece of land and make a home for your family, free from the domination of a landlord. The opportunity to show kindness, demonstrate compassion to those less fortunate than yourself.
These are our God-given every day opportunities to redeem the time.
I once knew a man who redeemed the time with immense gusto. That man is one of my heroes - my late father, Abdul Razaak Olajide Sanusi. Chief, as we liked to call him.
Shopping trolleys and night school
Chief grew up dead poor. Child number three of illiterate parents who could not afford to send their children to school. He left his home town Abeokuta for Lagos probably in his late teens. He left barefooted, for he didn’t own a pair of shoes. With his cousins who had left for Lagos with him, Chief worked in an open market carrying on his head (in large baskets and aluminium bowls) the groceries of shoppers who cared to hire him to carry their groceries. No trolleys in those days!
The story goes that sometime later their assiduousness caught the eye of a British colonial man who had a stall in the same market selling bicycle tyres, bits and bobs of items made from iron and steel. They started to work and learn from him. They worked long and hard and were diligent with what had been entrusted unto them. They also started to go to night school.
Breakthrough and grit all in the same breath: the making of an industrialist
As their boss grew older, he longed to return home to the UK and he made them an offer of a lifetime – the chance to own the business. Chief and his cousins borrowed money for the purchase and accepted the offer with fervour. Business was good but, as is the norm given times and seasons, the business also knew down times. It was during one of these down times that I am told that Chief tried to commit suicide. Drenched in debt, he thought he had no other option.
As fortune would have it, someone who knew him spotted him by that fateful bridge on Lagos Island, asked him what on earth he thought he was doing, and promptly took him home. Thank goodness he met that man.
A testimony to the rewards of hard work and making the most of every opportunity, Chief went on to build substantial manufacturing companies across Nigeria, manufacturing iron and steel products and rubber products. He employed thousands in the process. He owned real estate in choice areas in Nigeria and in the UK. His story does not end there.
Education, education, education
He had twenty four children, and in his life time paid for each and every one of them to be privately educated in the UK through primary, secondary and or tertiary education; and he also provided for as many others of his nieces and nephews to do the same in the Nigeria, the UK and in the United States. A Bachelors degree was not enough – a Masters degree had to be added on to that, fully funded, living allowance and all.
Morunmubo
When Chief built his dream home in the township of his birth, he named the house Morunmubo, which means I returned with bounty. When you enter the main living room in that house you discover what Chief considered to be bounty. Plastered all over the wall of that living room are the graduation pictures of his sons, daughters, nieces and nephews whose education and upkeep he had provided for over the years. That was his bounty. He redeemed the time.
But I often wonder what would have become of me if Chief had not redeemed the time.
My everyday promptings to redeem the time
My own work takes me to some of the poorest countries in Africa and during these travels I see scenes of abject poverty which prompt me to remember that had Chief not redeemed the time I may well have found myself living in the same abject poverty.
When I see that poor, only partially literate woman with a child tied to her back selling fried yam and plantain on the roadside – I think to myself, ‘’that might have been me’’. And I thank God once again that Chief redeemed the time. I also thank God once again for redeeming the time, sending His only begotten Son, our Saviour, Our Redeemer, to this world.
Whenever I find myself being frivolous with money, I remember Chief. I bear in mind that had he being as frivolous as many of his contemporaries, I may not have had the opportunity to be frivolous at all. Sometimes I celebrate his achievement by just going ahead and being frivolous, but I have learnt to celebrate his accomplishments more by making the most of every opportunity.
We are all given many, many opportunities to redeem the time over our life time, and I wonder how many of these we might have misused.
The opportunity to start that business you’ve always wanted to have. The opportunity to put money aside for that university degree. The opportunity to buy a piece of land and make a home for your family, free from the domination of a landlord. The opportunity to show kindness, demonstrate compassion to those less fortunate than yourself.
These are our God-given every day opportunities to redeem the time.
I once knew a man who redeemed the time with immense gusto. That man is one of my heroes - my late father, Abdul Razaak Olajide Sanusi. Chief, as we liked to call him.
Shopping trolleys and night school
Chief grew up dead poor. Child number three of illiterate parents who could not afford to send their children to school. He left his home town Abeokuta for Lagos probably in his late teens. He left barefooted, for he didn’t own a pair of shoes. With his cousins who had left for Lagos with him, Chief worked in an open market carrying on his head (in large baskets and aluminium bowls) the groceries of shoppers who cared to hire him to carry their groceries. No trolleys in those days!
The story goes that sometime later their assiduousness caught the eye of a British colonial man who had a stall in the same market selling bicycle tyres, bits and bobs of items made from iron and steel. They started to work and learn from him. They worked long and hard and were diligent with what had been entrusted unto them. They also started to go to night school.
Breakthrough and grit all in the same breath: the making of an industrialist
As their boss grew older, he longed to return home to the UK and he made them an offer of a lifetime – the chance to own the business. Chief and his cousins borrowed money for the purchase and accepted the offer with fervour. Business was good but, as is the norm given times and seasons, the business also knew down times. It was during one of these down times that I am told that Chief tried to commit suicide. Drenched in debt, he thought he had no other option.
As fortune would have it, someone who knew him spotted him by that fateful bridge on Lagos Island, asked him what on earth he thought he was doing, and promptly took him home. Thank goodness he met that man.
A testimony to the rewards of hard work and making the most of every opportunity, Chief went on to build substantial manufacturing companies across Nigeria, manufacturing iron and steel products and rubber products. He employed thousands in the process. He owned real estate in choice areas in Nigeria and in the UK. His story does not end there.
Education, education, education
He had twenty four children, and in his life time paid for each and every one of them to be privately educated in the UK through primary, secondary and or tertiary education; and he also provided for as many others of his nieces and nephews to do the same in the Nigeria, the UK and in the United States. A Bachelors degree was not enough – a Masters degree had to be added on to that, fully funded, living allowance and all.
Morunmubo
When Chief built his dream home in the township of his birth, he named the house Morunmubo, which means I returned with bounty. When you enter the main living room in that house you discover what Chief considered to be bounty. Plastered all over the wall of that living room are the graduation pictures of his sons, daughters, nieces and nephews whose education and upkeep he had provided for over the years. That was his bounty. He redeemed the time.
But I often wonder what would have become of me if Chief had not redeemed the time.
My everyday promptings to redeem the time
My own work takes me to some of the poorest countries in Africa and during these travels I see scenes of abject poverty which prompt me to remember that had Chief not redeemed the time I may well have found myself living in the same abject poverty.
When I see that poor, only partially literate woman with a child tied to her back selling fried yam and plantain on the roadside – I think to myself, ‘’that might have been me’’. And I thank God once again that Chief redeemed the time. I also thank God once again for redeeming the time, sending His only begotten Son, our Saviour, Our Redeemer, to this world.
Whenever I find myself being frivolous with money, I remember Chief. I bear in mind that had he being as frivolous as many of his contemporaries, I may not have had the opportunity to be frivolous at all. Sometimes I celebrate his achievement by just going ahead and being frivolous, but I have learnt to celebrate his accomplishments more by making the most of every opportunity.
Tuesday 1 May 2007
Surprised by Joy
Are you offended?
Many of us are surprised, even offended, by life’s challenges.
But life is full of ….well, let’s call them surprises. Things just do not seem to go the way you plan, the way you want, the way you thought they would. And then the pain mounts up, and if we are not careful, so does melancholy and depression.
It is in this light that I am sometimes disturbed by some of the prosperity message we so often hear these days from the pulpit. Don’t get me wrong, mind. I fully believe The Message of prosperity (am I not a living testimony of that Message?). That Message is my daily bread – and I believe in comprehensiveness of the prosperity Message: to include physical, emotional, spiritual, marital etc prosperity. However, what we don’t hear enough of from the pulpit is about the trials that are attendant with everyday living, so that when the trials do come, we are so often surprised, even bewildered, by them.
Balance: faith and works
I appreciate that our pastors cannot very well mount the pulpit every Tuesday and Sunday to preach unlikeable news. But what I am saying is that we need enough balance in the teaching and preaching to awaken us to the truth that trials are an intrinsic part of every day life. I consider that this is one of the commissions of our shepherds – to remind us, day in day out, that, despite our pain, our God is still faithful. We will know that abundant life that He has promised. The Shepherd Himself said: “In this life you will have many trials… but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world!”
It’s the age old Murphy’s Law. You start a business with zeal, but the returns in the first years or so fall short of your expectation. You relocate to that country where, on vacation six months ago, you felt that God Himself has asked you to relocate to – only to find fatigue and seeming emptiness somewhere around year one and a half and two, when the honeymoon is over. You get married, maybe even for the second time – only to find your expectations of and in marriage are not met yet again.
‘Well, what to do?’ as our driver would say.
In the valley? Run to The Lily of the Valley
2001 springs to mind. I had lived in Accra on assignment for about a year and it was time to return home to London. In expectation that I would return to the West African sub-region sometime pretty soon, I packed up my boxes and stored them in a friend’s house. I left Accra with one suitcase. Months down the line in London, still no work. I was confused - at the best of times. I had a mortgage to pay, household expenses to take care of, but no work to call a job. I felt like Job (note the pun). Month five. Month six. “Hello, God. It’s me. Ruka? Hello? There's the small issue of my mortgage? And my career? Hello? God?” And God was laughing.
Honestly, I am sure I heard Him laughing. Laughing at my useless distress and my lack of faith. He seemed to be saying: “Well, Miss Ruka, you are here in this valley and life is so unkind, but it’s only for a while. And, my dear child, can we please be mature about this and accept this condition for the now? I know the plans that I have for you. Plans to give you a hope and an expected end.’’ Jeremiah 29. Realizing that I just had to take heed and wait for my change even if I did not want to, I began to gain composure.
He that started a good work in me will see it through till completion.
Ever been the Queen's neighbour?
Of course I found work - and not just any work. I found work with a respected, global organization. Even the physical address of our offices made people green with envy. I was, darling, the Queen’s neighbour. Our offices overlooked St. James’s Palace. Buckingham Palace was my backyard. Presidents and Prime Ministers were constant visitor in our offices. I rubbed shoulders with those who, as a matter of course, met with Presidents, Prime Ministers and High Commissioners of countries all over Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Our consultants were Nobel Laureates - Amartya Sen and the likes. I myself, on a number of occasions, rubbed shoulders with one or two of them. And now God was laughing with me.
Ghana revisted...
A couple of years on I am in Accra again – and I have been here for four years or thereabouts. Ups and downs, round and about, joy and pain. But I decided that I will in all things give Him thanks. I won’t let go of His name. Yes, someone thieved $10,000 from me most deceitfully, and I was once again left to rally funds from my sisters and my lovely, lovely, elderly mother. Yes, I may not yet have the level of business success that I crave, but God is still laughing, and, like you, I remain an evidence of His mercy, faithfulness and love.
And laughing...
So I decided to take God head on in His Word. Like Jacob, I said, “I won’t let You go until You bless me.” So I have grown tired of not trusting God. I have grown tired of not expecting challenges. I have grown tired of having sleepless nights. By Job, I think it’s clicked - I am learning to trust God.
Expect high and low seasons. Realise that low seasons are seasons for reflection and use them to gather strength – spiritual, emotional, the lot. Be only surprised by The Joy that you feel even in the depth of your confusion, for God is laughing. That Joy is your strength. It is the bulwark that causes you to rise up and go to church on Sundays, even if your purse is empty and you are out of work. The bulwark that makes you say: I will wait until my change comes.
Many of us are surprised, even offended, by life’s challenges.
But life is full of ….well, let’s call them surprises. Things just do not seem to go the way you plan, the way you want, the way you thought they would. And then the pain mounts up, and if we are not careful, so does melancholy and depression.
It is in this light that I am sometimes disturbed by some of the prosperity message we so often hear these days from the pulpit. Don’t get me wrong, mind. I fully believe The Message of prosperity (am I not a living testimony of that Message?). That Message is my daily bread – and I believe in comprehensiveness of the prosperity Message: to include physical, emotional, spiritual, marital etc prosperity. However, what we don’t hear enough of from the pulpit is about the trials that are attendant with everyday living, so that when the trials do come, we are so often surprised, even bewildered, by them.
Balance: faith and works
I appreciate that our pastors cannot very well mount the pulpit every Tuesday and Sunday to preach unlikeable news. But what I am saying is that we need enough balance in the teaching and preaching to awaken us to the truth that trials are an intrinsic part of every day life. I consider that this is one of the commissions of our shepherds – to remind us, day in day out, that, despite our pain, our God is still faithful. We will know that abundant life that He has promised. The Shepherd Himself said: “In this life you will have many trials… but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world!”
It’s the age old Murphy’s Law. You start a business with zeal, but the returns in the first years or so fall short of your expectation. You relocate to that country where, on vacation six months ago, you felt that God Himself has asked you to relocate to – only to find fatigue and seeming emptiness somewhere around year one and a half and two, when the honeymoon is over. You get married, maybe even for the second time – only to find your expectations of and in marriage are not met yet again.
‘Well, what to do?’ as our driver would say.
In the valley? Run to The Lily of the Valley
2001 springs to mind. I had lived in Accra on assignment for about a year and it was time to return home to London. In expectation that I would return to the West African sub-region sometime pretty soon, I packed up my boxes and stored them in a friend’s house. I left Accra with one suitcase. Months down the line in London, still no work. I was confused - at the best of times. I had a mortgage to pay, household expenses to take care of, but no work to call a job. I felt like Job (note the pun). Month five. Month six. “Hello, God. It’s me. Ruka? Hello? There's the small issue of my mortgage? And my career? Hello? God?” And God was laughing.
Honestly, I am sure I heard Him laughing. Laughing at my useless distress and my lack of faith. He seemed to be saying: “Well, Miss Ruka, you are here in this valley and life is so unkind, but it’s only for a while. And, my dear child, can we please be mature about this and accept this condition for the now? I know the plans that I have for you. Plans to give you a hope and an expected end.’’ Jeremiah 29. Realizing that I just had to take heed and wait for my change even if I did not want to, I began to gain composure.
He that started a good work in me will see it through till completion.
Ever been the Queen's neighbour?
Of course I found work - and not just any work. I found work with a respected, global organization. Even the physical address of our offices made people green with envy. I was, darling, the Queen’s neighbour. Our offices overlooked St. James’s Palace. Buckingham Palace was my backyard. Presidents and Prime Ministers were constant visitor in our offices. I rubbed shoulders with those who, as a matter of course, met with Presidents, Prime Ministers and High Commissioners of countries all over Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Our consultants were Nobel Laureates - Amartya Sen and the likes. I myself, on a number of occasions, rubbed shoulders with one or two of them. And now God was laughing with me.
Ghana revisted...
A couple of years on I am in Accra again – and I have been here for four years or thereabouts. Ups and downs, round and about, joy and pain. But I decided that I will in all things give Him thanks. I won’t let go of His name. Yes, someone thieved $10,000 from me most deceitfully, and I was once again left to rally funds from my sisters and my lovely, lovely, elderly mother. Yes, I may not yet have the level of business success that I crave, but God is still laughing, and, like you, I remain an evidence of His mercy, faithfulness and love.
And laughing...
So I decided to take God head on in His Word. Like Jacob, I said, “I won’t let You go until You bless me.” So I have grown tired of not trusting God. I have grown tired of not expecting challenges. I have grown tired of having sleepless nights. By Job, I think it’s clicked - I am learning to trust God.
Expect high and low seasons. Realise that low seasons are seasons for reflection and use them to gather strength – spiritual, emotional, the lot. Be only surprised by The Joy that you feel even in the depth of your confusion, for God is laughing. That Joy is your strength. It is the bulwark that causes you to rise up and go to church on Sundays, even if your purse is empty and you are out of work. The bulwark that makes you say: I will wait until my change comes.
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