Stern, loving, wisdom filled… for a man who barely spoke, he taught and still teaches me a lot.
Among many lessons he taught me to love God, he taught me to love my mother and pray for her. He always said to make peace with her because although I had his blessing, I needed hers.
My father taught me to love God, he taught me the fear of God and that I am a child of God first before anything else. My daddy taught me to speak correctly, while the nature of a human child is to talk he nurtured my speech, not just holy… but acceptable before God. I carelessly yapped but, sternly and gently he corrected me and now my speech tells of who my father is.
I like to say that for me it’s easier to relate with God because over what seems to be a lifetime the last few years and counting, from 4 different angles taught me who a father is. I know better than to act homeless because my daddy consistently says to me, “there are things I do not expect from you at this age because of how much you’ve grown” the priest my father is has taught me labour in prayer, for my family and those entrusted to me by God. Among many other things, my father has taught me honour.
Today’s read is not long, but like I said, for a man who barely spoke, he taught me a lot. Recently he said “DON’T GO BACK, SOMETHING WORSE WILL HAPPEN TO YOU” I’ve had those words ring in my every fibre since he spoke them.
My father who is not only my friend but my priest is not only my friend is my mark of preservation. The words he spoke are not just to be re-echoed, they are mine for preservation, putting the fear of God in me each time I remember them. There’s people and places that I can never go back to because of the words uttered.
The parable with the unclean spirit is cast out and it returns later finding the place unoccupied and un-kept, it returns and then has the person in a worse state than when it was present before. As long as I have known my father he has always loved me. Don’t take the mercy of God for granted. God needs a man he can rely on, a free man bound by the will of God.
But a man who is now 10 times the drunkard he was in the beginning?
A woman who is 10 times the slanderer she was before deliverance?
God will accept you once you repent, but there’s a lot of work to be done, and sadly if you ever return to the place where you sat with God as a trusted friend, the process and investment is greater…more sacrifice. Unfortunately, others never make it back because as they went back the damage was extreme and they are barely recognisable. The words of my father flow deep inside “DON’T GO BACK, SOMETHING WORSE WILL HAPPEN TO YOU!”
with love,
Kana Lusuba.