Biobele rushed into Bami’s apartment yelling “Hey…this is inconceivable o. I just read on social media that my pastor has been incarcerated for scamming people off millions by deceiving them and promising that he has been praying for them! Hey… Bami, I don’t know what to say, it means I am one of his victims. I sometimes use him as my prayer contractor for which he often requests some inducement and I willingly oblige. After all, fasting and praying are not my forte and after my mother passed, there has been a vacuum in that regard.

Bami was swift to react. “Bio dear, nothing beats taking your requests directly to your heavenly father yourself. You do not need an intermediary because the only person who knows the entirety of what pertains to you is God. Besides, no one can feel the pinch of your shoes better than you the wearer, so you are in the best position to cry out to God. The word of God says you cannot expect answered prayers when you pray amiss. How then do you contract out your communication with your father and think it would not be done amiss?

Biobele replied with a sigh “Hmmm…mama was a prayer warrior, so we always relied on her to pray for us. As children, she would quickly say a word of prayer over us before we left for school and would later go down on her knees for hours, praying for the entire household. She tried to encourage us to do morning devotion (which I did sparingly) but aside from that prayers were left to her.

Bami asked “How did you handle nightmares as a child?” to which Bio replied, “Mama would cuddle us pray for us, and sing us to sleep. Honestly, I miss my sweet mother.”

Bami shook her head in concern and advised Bio “I honestly think Mama made a mistake in taking on all the communication with God on your behalf and that is why you have now fallen prey to prayer contractors. One must develop a personal relationship with God and a clear channel of communication. Any other intercessor is only re-echoing your requests to God. If you haven’t communicated, there is nothing to re-echo. I know that because of the mother-child relationship, a mother’s prayers speak for the children, but she must teach them to fish rather than feeding them with fish all the time. As things stand, you need to learn to pray for both you and your family. Who will teach your children to fish and who will intercede on their behalf like your mother did for you? Darling, you need to put the full armor of God on and realise that growing in faith and spirituality requires dedication and discipline if you will stop being a Sunday – Sunday Christian who only enjoys the fellowship of attending church service. You must start a discipleship program and learn to commune with God every morning by having devotion and committing the day to his hands. It’s not about “Father please watch over me today and return me safely home” then being on your way. “You will also learn to study his word and gradually migrate into intense prayers and intercession for your family. It is not only doable but necessary, and the Lord will hearken to your prayers.”

“Now, let us celebrate your emancipation with prayers of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God for revealing the truth to you. “

Havilah admonishes parents and in particular, mothers, that they owe a duty to their children to bring them up according to the dictates of their religion which requires entrenching in them the tenets of their faith as well as teaching them how to commune with God. This not only assists them in navigating the storms of life but also consolidates their relationship with God, especially in these precarious times.

Love

Havilah