Let’s Start Here!
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For Mary and Joseph, their joy was mixed with sorrow. They knew that the child they were being given to raise was not and would not be like other children of His time. He was special. Prophecies were being fulfilled at His birth and the parents each had angelic visitations. Things were definitely not business as usual.
It is a no holds barred society that we have here. Anything goes. We used to accuse the ‘oyinbos’ of being promiscuous; they have no values, they kiss in public etc.
In today’s Nigeria, especially in Lagos and other major cities, nude bars abound, strip clubs, high class prostitution dens. Nobody bats an eyelid. Nobody talks about them.
I read an article once in the newspapers, written by a like-minded man, asking parents the question – do you know what your daughter living in Abuja is up to? The man went on to reveal the activities of our politicians and rich contractors who throw money around in Abuja and how they ‘capture’ the greed of young, female Youth Corpers who were posted to spend their service year in Abuja.
It can be amazing how fast time flies by and you find yourself running to catch up. I was talking about how March arrived overnight, when New Year’s Day felt like yesterday. In the past few days, I have had to ask myself, ‘What’s up?’, when it felt like there were not enough hours in the day.
Isn’t it amazing to realise that we have come to the last quarter of 2019? The days have flown by and we find ourselves trying to take stock of the first nine months of the year. In these parts, this is the time where gloom sets in. Unrealised dreams, unfulfilled promises, dashed hopes. Everything comes to the fore. For some however, it is a happy season. They have a lot to show for the first nine months and are rejoicing at God’s goodness.
When a victim speaks up and is ridiculed, it brings the pain of other victims back to the surface and you suffer along, although secretly. The comfort survivors have is that God is there. He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3).
I wish there was more succor for the suffering, such as access to counselors and people who understand abuse and how to deal with it, both for the victim and for the abuser. This is because it’s not only the victim that needs help. The abuser does too.
Our lives are filled with many uncertain outcomes. We have very little or no control over what happens in the next moment. Hence we tend to be anxious. The Bible tells us not to be anxious about any thing. Instead, we should pray and bring our issues before God. There’s also a promise that in its place, we will have the peace of God. Jesus said which one by worrying can add a cubit to his life? (Luke 12:25). Indeed, we can’t.