MAN, TIME and FAITH

There was a young family man in the Edo North in Auchi town. He was a devout Catholic. He was a banker in a popular microfinance bank in that fast-expanding town. Now, he had been working for some years and with his moderate earnings, had married his wife, bought land, and built a two-room bungalow. A few years later, he was troubled about something. 

He had a clique. They were a group of young successful professionals from various fields. He was worried because his friends of other faiths, including Muslims and pagans, all had something to show for their success, among which was a car. He was a Catholic among the clique and could not afford a car. It was the beginning of a time when material goods showcased the authenticity of one's faith; that one who is a true believer and a child of God should have everything in possession. He had tried to save to buy a car but could not. It became a burden for him to own a car. Being the only Catholic among his clique, he linked this to his faith. 

One day, he made his decision to switch faith to a more vibrant, perhaps, authentic faith-based denomination. With the proliferation of churches and mixed faiths, this is not an unusual practice. Maybe more prayers, sacrifices, seed-sowing, and commitment will do the miracle. He joined the Believers Loveworld. With commitment, he served God and even pioneered crusades. He gave himself a target and even received the assurance of God's response to his intention. Some years passed. From one event and issue to another and he was still unable to buy a car. Impatient, he left the Loveworld to the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministry. He served the lord diligently. He prayed, fasted, sowed seeds, and visited the mountain countless times. More years passed, and he had still not gotten a car. 

The young man was a true believer, committed to God and blameless. He certainly believes that all things work for good for those who trust in God. He knew he did not need to get a loan. He could save enough to buy a car if he were prudent enough. However, events had always thwarted his plan. Countless needs and some emergencies had taken precedence. Though, he had applied for a loan once but was denied. None of his friends were willing or buoyant enough to help or lend him money. He was frustrated, tired of being committed and waiting on God. He felt maybe, after all, there was no God or God had forsaken him. The young man, now middle-aged, stopped going to church. He spent his time away from his clique and the church, lamenting. 

One day, on a Sunday, alone in the garden looking at the greens and listening to the indistinct buzz of insects, he fell into a trance. An angel of God was walking by and in its hand was a car key. He called to the angel and asked, "O angel, where from and where to are you going?" The angel answered, "The Lord sent me on an errand to deliver a car to you." "Here I am, why walk past me?" He asked and the angel replied to him, "O man, the lord instructed that I must meet you in the Catholic church where you were but I did not find you there." The young man fell to his knees and wept. He told the angel he had waited upon the lord but it seemed the lord had forsaken him so he went to other places to seek Him until now that he had given up. He pleaded to know why the lord had delayed in granting his request and the angel agreed to ask the Lord. 

When the angel inquired from the Lord about the delay, the Lord said He had answered the young man's prayer from the very first day. According to the angel, the Lord wanted to prepare him to receive his gift in its fullness. God made him fenced around his house and put a gate when there was an attempt to burgle his house. That was a sign for him to prepare because the car would be stolen without a fence. God made him set up a small business for his wife when she began to make trouble. That was for him to have a backup for the family when he would begin to spend on repairs and fueling the car. 

God had also delayed to avert an accident that he would have been involved in, the angel told him. "So, whether God says yes, no, or wait, all is for your good. You never should have lost faith, " the angel said.