The message that a lady sent to me recently, reads…
“We live outside the country. When my mother-in-law became sick, my husband was sending money for her treatment but when we realized that her situation was worsening, he travelled home. The woman just kept asking them to take her to the church because “I want to free my mind”.
So, they took her to the first church, where she has been a full-fledged member for the past decade.
They told them to go and book an appointment to be able to see the man of God. And that could take days.
The second church they took her to was where she went for weekly prayers.
The outcome was the same thing. They were told that “the man of God cannot be seen just like that”. And that they needed to book an appointment before they could see him.
The woman asked them to take her back home while lamenting that “my church has failed me”.
That very afternoon, she died in her son’s arms.
Come and see my husband wailing like a wounded animal. Crawling on the floor and tearing his clothes.
I think something died in him too on that day because he has become a very angry and a withdrawn person that I do not know him again.
I am just trying my best to manage the situation but it is not easy because it is stressing me out, too.’’
From Oby…
The sick should be taken to the hospital, first. And then, arrangements can be made for their Pastor to go there and pray for them.
Pastors should be firmly encouraging the sick to go to the hospital and not church.
Timely medical intervention is an answered prayer, too. And God works through doctors.
Last year, I received a funeral notice from a friend’s number on WhatsApp. And it was his funeral.
I became angry and replied that it was a tasteless joke. But the response that came back to me made me realize that indeed, he had died and the family was just using his line to inform his contacts about his demise.
I called that line and had an extensive discussion with the person (who identified himself as his younger brother) who picked up the call.
According to him, my friend had been living in the church for a while due to a health challenge and that is where he also died.
It was of no use asking if he at least visited the hospital before making the church his final port of call.
The secrecy that people shroud their health challenges with is disturbing, too.
People have received adequate solutions and support on their issues by opening up.
We need to understand that the church can NOT play the role of hospitals.
Yet, the role of the church in our lives is no less important.
When some Nigerians come across a troubled person or when they learn about your health challenges, the major thing they do is recommend a church or “firebrand” prayer group for you to join.
You may not realize this but doing that doesn’t let you think of what YOU can do in your capacity to help that person.
I have often said that it is not for nothing that people come our way…especially, when we can do something about their situation.
The person you are recommending a church to, are they church-less?
What we should be doing is encouraging one another to be light, wherever we are worshipping God.
The solution to the vicissitudes of life lies in your relationship with God. It is not a function of the church one attends.
Have you not realized that you are the church, too? And that you can take their hands and say “Let me pray or fast with you”?
The person you are recommending church to may simply need a few minutes of your listening ear.
We are dumping too much on the church and taking no personal responsibility for the experiences that life brings our way.
If people have not specifically told you they are looking to change their church, desist from telling them which church to start attending.
Let us encourage others (via our conduct) to be the light wherever they find themselves.
What we have largely become are miracle seekers and not God lovers.
The blessedness of being a true God-lover is that the miracles lie in WHO you are.
If we earnestly walk with God, we will see His hand in our lives…clearly.
You are NOT doing the Lord’s work by telling people which church or prayer group to join.
Become a good friend, neighbour, spouse, colleague, business partner, etc…first.
It’s the attitude that will make people want to know your God!
