February 3, 2013     Africa blogger     "Bakhita"        Previous articles

PRAY AND BELIEVE

When the Bible says, pray without ceasing, we should simply do as we have been commanded.  So many a time, through experiences that I have gone through, I know beyond a shadow of doubt that when I pray, the Almighty ALWAYS answers. Many a time, almost always, the answer is Yes. Whenever the answer is in the negative, it is because the Almighty is simply deflecting some trouble that would otherwise have come my way.

 In my part of the world, many people believe in witchcraft, and at times even the people we live with may believe and practice it. My house help is one such person. One may ask how I can let a non-believer or someone who believes in witchcraft live under my roof. This is the person that I have entrusted my household with. She cooks and cleans for us and she takes care of my little one when I have to go to work.

Over the Christmas holiday, I witnessed something that shocked me and I’m still in shock and do not know how to handle the situation. As I had given my house help time off so that she could go and be with her family, I took to doing all the chores. One day while doing a spring cleaning of the entire house, I found paraphernalia-pieces of polythene paper tied with contents that were fishy and some of my clothes and personal items amongst these things. I put the dirty papers in the rubbish but put my clothes in the washing basket. I decided to open her quarters, where she sleeps and found more of the same, including a pot with ashes. In as much as I say I don’t believe in witchcraft, I couldn’t help being terrified by all these. She returned from her leave and I tried my level best not to be overwhelmed by anger. I sat her down and questioned her on the things that I had found and she denied.  

I have been silently praying for God’s protection upon my entire family, for God to cover us with the blood of Jesus and no matter what evil one may wish my way, then the power in the blood will always protect us. I have also been looking for a replacement, which is not an easy task. One day this week, in the morning, my house-help said that she had had a difficult night because she saw (dreamt of) a lady praying without ceasing, praying for her, vehemently and reading bible verses to her. The one bible chapter that she could remember was Proverbs 13. It may have been Proverbs 13, it may have been any other verse in the Bible but the fact of the matter is that she received a message from God. To me this was a message from God and that my prayers were not in vain. I will continue praying for her and for God’s protection and should she be up to no good, then I know that God is watching over my household and me and HE has already spoken to her, so she stands warned.

I am also reminded that I only have to talk to God, and speak to Him directly and He will answer