© Ayo Omolayo
“Daddy what is wrong? Why are you sending us away?”
“Not both of you. I’m sending her back. Just her alone. I don’t want to see her near my son”, he said with disdain.
“Daddy! There must be a reason why you said that!” He replied.
“What would make rich women leave their wealth to run after boys with bright future like you. They’re only hunting for destinies to trade with Lucifer”, he answered.
Chai! Father-in-law oooo! I don turn to destiny trader.
“Cris can you imagine? This family does not deserve you!” Came the arrogant voice.
“I don’t need them to deserve me. I only need to follow God’s instructions whether I’m comfortable with it or not”, I replied within me.
“So you mean you would swallow all these insults. You left your house and your comfort. Gave your money for this journey, bought enough food items for them and how do they thank you for everything? By calling you a destiny hunter.
Cris you are better than this. If not for this Christianity stuff, you shouldn’t have been in this God forsaken rotten house in the first place”.
“My sacrifice is nothing to me. I love Silas and I’m ready to respect the man that gave birth to him”, I replied.
“Cris! You need to understand that this people are ungrateful. How can you pay such sacrifice and they all overlook it? Even Silas is not acting like a man. His parents are insulting you right in front of him and he cannot scream at them in your defence”, came the arrogant whisper.
“That’s true! Silas is supposed to be on my side. He’s supposed to tell his parents to respect me. He’s too gentle with them. All he can say is why and daddy please, like a secondary school boy. I can’t believe Silas is this tolerant”, I said within me.
“Exactly! Tomorrow in marriage. This man will be there when someone would insult you and would not be able to defend you. Can you see for yourself?”
“That’s true! I can’t believe this! Love is really blinding me to Silas inaction. He’s supposed to defend his bride. But he’s not doing that. He’s busy smiling at the insults thrown at me. He’s not showing any sign of displeasure”.
“And this is the man you want to marry. Can you imagine?”
“I can’t believe this!” I replied.
“CRIS! WHAT DID I TELL YOU TO DO WHEN THE DEVIL WHISPERS INTO YOUR HEAD?” Came the gentle whisper.
“That I should not engage him in a conversation”.
“INSTEAD, WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO?”
“Reply him with the word of God”.
“CAN YOU SEE HOW THE DEVIL ENTERED YOU WITH NEGATIVE THOUGHTS?”
“Chai! Daddy I’m sorry!”
“NOW STOP THAT NONSENSE CONVERSATION YOU WERE HAVING WITH HIM AND GIVE HIM THE WORD OF GOD”, Came the gentle whisper.
“The bible says in 1Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
I don’t care what Silas has done. I love him and I will not nurse bitterness towards him”.
“But all your sacrifices, your comfort, your money, your time”.
“The bible says in Hebrews 12:2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
I will endure. This is a cross I must bear to get to that happy home God has arranged for me. This is something I must endure, to sit down tomorrow as a conqueror.
And in verse 3, it says. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
I will not be weary. Because the bible made me to understand in Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
I will not get tired of loving these undeserving people. Because as long as I don’t give up, my good works will bring a good result”, I replied.
It is as if the devil had nothing more to say. There was no response anymore.
“YOU CAN DISMISS HIM PRINCESS. COMMAND HIS TO EXCUSE YOU AND HE’LL OBEY”.
“Get behind me Satan! Be gone!” I replied.
That was how I regained myself.
“Daddy thank you so much for the rescue. I don’t know what I can do without you”.
“YOU’RE WELCOME MY PRETTY EBONY. DARK AND BEAUTIFUL!”
“Daddy! I’m blushing here! I’m owing you a kiss!” I replied.
I could hear him laughing.
“CRIS! IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KISS ME WELL, OBEY MY WORD. THAT’S THE BEST KISS I CAN EVER HAVE”.
“Daddy, give me the grace and I’ll be the most obedient baby girl you ever have”.
“MY GRACE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE. BUT AS I EARLIER SAID. DON’T FRUSTRATE IT. BE WILLING AND OBEDIENT”.
“Yes Daddy! So can I kiss you?”
“YOUR FATHER-IN-LAW IS ASKING YOU A QUESTION”, He replied.
“Father-in-law? I don’t understand”.
“Cris!” Silas tapped me.
“She’s not here at all”, he added and chuckled.
“Would you love to stay here for the night? That’s what daddy has been asking you. What were you thinking?” Mummy asked.
“What was I? Oh! Whether I would love to stay here for the night? I thought we were going back today?” I asked, I was now the confused wife.
Why do I always do what would make them label me a bad wife?
“Yes! I just spoke with daddy and he’s going to at least show us a little hospitality by sheltering us for the night. Tomorrow morning, we leave”.
“Oh!” I exclaimed.
“Yes! So what do you think?”
“Yes I would love to spend the night here!” I replied.
If only I knew what spending the night in that house meant, I wouldn’t have accepted the offer.
First I must not say I complained about the food. As wealthy as I am, I was at their mercy. They could chose to feed or starve me. I had to eat whatever I was given with a smile.
The second part was taking a bath. I don’t want to go into that topic. I won’t speak bad of my hospitable in laws. They are such good people. If I hear pim! They are good people, so I won’t tell you about their bathroom.
The part that really got me was when they dressed a bedroom for Silas and I. I don’t understand ooo! These my in-laws can be dramatic. I just love them. This was my new found family.
Lord help me today roll with them.
“What do you mean both of you cannot share the same room? Isn’t she your wife?” Mummy asked.
“We’re not yet married!” Silas replied.
“Wait! You mean you have not touched her?”
“I’m a child of God!” He replied.
“Wow!” Mummy replied.
“It’s amazing you have kept yourself from her destiny destroying bed”, she replied.
I don’t understand my in-laws oooo. I only had to act as though I never heard that. Nothing that would be said in this house that wouldn’t hurt me. So I decided to play the deaf lady. I was completely deaf to all their insults. And secondly, whatever negative thing they said about me was not for me.
I mean, you’re a good person and someone is calling you an evil person, is that who you are? Since you’re not, there’s no need to respond. I sometimes smiled at the insults they threw at me. That threw them into confusion. My in-laws were dramatic. They knew how to hide their surprise. But I was smart enough to catch them hiding it.
Mummy left the two of us in the room. We looked at ourselves and smiled.
“Christiana, are you angry?” Silas asked.
It was the first time we had the opportunity to talk to ourselves.
“Why should I be angry? The bible says, anger rests in the bosom of fools. Only a fool will allow himself to be angry. I’m at the front of a door. Rye door the my marital bliss. I’m about to enter into my marriage of milk and honey. I should expect Satan to play his foolish drama of course.
That’s all my eyes are seeing. So as a wise woman there’s only one thing to do. The weapons of my warfare are not carnal. I don’t fight physically. I fight spiritually”,
“Wow!”
“With these two knees”, I said tapping my knees.
“God! Thank you so much for this lady you brought into my life. She’s wealthy, but she’s so humble. I don’t understand how you managed to break her to this point”, he said smiling
I returned the smile.
“Father, if there is still any trace of pride in her, break her some more. More dealings Lord! Till all that is found in her is the humility of Jesus Christ. A king who took the position of a slave”, he said.
My heart flew at the prayer. I was like haven’t I handled enough of the dealings? That should be the end of it all. Which one is more dealings? I don try ooo.
“So, please change into an Ankara. My parents would really love to see you in that out fit. I’ll sleep in the parlour so you can have the room to yourself”, he said and walked towards the door.
“Charming!” I called.
“Can you please pray for me?” I requested.
He looked at me and smiled.
“Remember what mummy said that this would be a test. I just don’t want to fail God”.
“Are you scared?” He asked.
“Should I say, yes and no! Part of me is and the other part is not”.
“It’s alright Christy! The Lord will be with you and direct your every part. I’ll be praying for you. I’ll never stop praying for you. Infact I’m going to do so before going to bed”, he replied.
“That’s so sweet of you! Thank you so much Charming! You’re the best charm that charmed my head”, I said and made to hug him.
But I felt a restriction in my spirit. I paused in the act and quickly changed it to a thumbs up.
“What was that for? Can’t I hug my man?” I asked within me.
“NOT IN A SECLUDED PLACE LIKE THIS. THIS IS A BATTLEFIELD. IF SATAN CANNOT SUCCEED IN MAKING YOU NURSE BITTERNESS TOWARDS YOUR PARENTS. HE WOULD LOVE TO SUCCEED IN MAKING BOTH OF YOU SIN AGAINST YOUR BODIES.
BE SOBER AND VIGILANT. DON’T GIVE ANY BREATHING SPACE TO THE DEVIL IN THIS BATTLE. HE HAS NOT LEFT. HE’S STANDING AT A DISTANCE, LOOKING FOR A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY. HE’S REALLY AT IT CRIS. SATAN IS ALWAYS IN THE BUSINESS OF FIGHTING HAPPY MARRIAGES”.
“That’s wonderful! Thanks for that information my sweet Daddy!” I replied within me.
“YOU’RE WELCOME MY BABY GIRL!”
“Charming! Can we pray together tonight!” I asked.
“I was about to ask you the same thing”, he answered.
“That’s wonderful! I can bow see your thoughts. I’m seriously the missing half of you”, I said grinning.
“Yes oooo! The bone of my bone. But wait ooo!”
“Yes!”
“How come you were made from bone instead of dust?”
I burst into laughter and ran to hit him. He quickly ran out of the room and shut the door.
“Good night Pretty Christy, Christy Pretty!” He said from the other end of the door.
“Good night Charming Silas, Silas Charming! I don’t know what would make you charm an innocent baby girl like me”.
“She was the one who asked to be charmed na! If I didn’t charm her, she would say I’m wicked!”
“Charming! Leave me abeg!” I said admist laughter.
“Good night”,
“After our marriage, you would be sued to the court. And judgment would be passed on you. You would be given a life imprisonment with labour of making babies”,
“Christy! I will gladly labour and labour! Untill there are 15 babies in 15 years of life imprisonment!”
“Oh my goodness! No be me and you!” I said laughing.
“Shoo! No be you want make I labour! I’m a good labourer na!”
“Get away! You workerholic!”
“Na wa oooo! Na labour I come labour na!”
“Yes na! No be to turn person pikin go machine!”
“No fear! If you tire to carry the belle, dash me small the womb. I go help you carry the pikin!”
I burst into laughter.
“Silas, go abeg!”
“I don dey go na! Na you dey take style hold me. Imagine we’re talking to each other from the back of a door! See love!”
I laughed so hard that tears flowed down my cheeks.
“God! Satan will not stop me from marrying this package of blessing. He is everything I want in a man. I will be humble to the call. I will be so humble to take the position of a slave like Jesus. Washing the feet of his disciples”.
To be continued…….
Finally, Christiana would be spending the night here. Hope you all have blankets with you.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Satan doesn’t give up. He’s always waiting for that moment when we would let down our guard. That’s why we have the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Many people lost guard through an innocent hug in secluded places. The hug turned to flames and soon they had to put out the flames by eating the forbidden fruit.
That’s why Jesus said ‘WATCH AND PRAY’.
It’s not enough to pray. Be watchful.
