AN ODE TO THE ONE I LOVE

Matthew 15:4-6 (AMPC)

“For God commanded, Honor your father and your mother, and, He who curses or reviles or speaks evil of or abuses or treats improperly his father or mother, let him surely come to his end by death. [Exod. 20:12; 21:17; Lev. 20:9; Deut. 5:16.]

5 But you say, If anyone tells his father or mother, What you would have gained from me [that is, the money and whatever I have that might be used for helping you] is already dedicated as a gift to God, then he is exempt and no longer under obligation to honor and help his father or his mother.

6 So for the sake of your tradition (the rules handed down by your forefathers), you have set aside the Word of God [depriving it of force and authority and making it of no effect].”

Dear friends, our God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ used her to bring me into this world. She nurtured me, ensured I had the good things of life and encouraged me all the way to adulthood.

At times she went out of her way to ensure I was comfortable even when she had very little. I saw this same love displayed to my siblings even to a fault. She always wanted the best for us and kept pushing to make sure it happened.

Alas, illness came suddenly and took the shine out of her. She lost the bubbly energy she once had but she never succumbed. She kept hoping and praying to recover and kept asking God to have mercy on her.

Even in her condition, she never stopped loving her kids and their kids. She loved them till the very end. She passed on exactly 3.05a.m. Monday May 22, 2017.

Do I believe she is gone? Absolutely not! Though I’m still in shock and deep pain, I am standing on the Word of God in Matthew 10:8, which says “RAISE THE DEAD”.

Will God honour His Word? I have no doubts whatsoever. God cannot fail! God cannot lie! God can do all things!

Her name is Brigid; she is my mother. I never expected to have this experience so soon, no, not at her age. Some live to over a hundred, some ninety, some eighty, some seventy. She is just 67.

I never understood when a neighbour said he would have preferred to still have his mother around even if she were ill. I did not understand then.

Now, I understand.

I’m in pains. But I know it is only Jesus that can heal me. On His Strength alone I rely. His grace and love is sufficient for me.

Dear friends, if your parents are still alive, please do what the Word of God tells us today in Matthew 15:4a. Note that it is a command from God to honour your father and mother.

Honour them, love them, respect them, give them all the help and love they need and all the time you are able to give without complaining.

When they are gone, you will have only memories and will keep asking what you could have done better and what you should not have done.

You may not understand and you will never understand because it is one thing to have an experience personally and it is another thing to be told about the experience.

May God bless you as you heed His Word today, act on it and share with others in Jesus’ Most Powerful Name, Amen.

Gabriel Ama.