JOY IN THE MORNING!
“For one mother, joy is the quiet pleasure found in gently rubbing shampoo into her young child’s hair. For another woman it’s taking a long walk alone, while for yet another it’s reviling in a much — anticipated vacation.” – Eileen Stukane The Lord has done great things for us. I magnify God openly as I rejoice with the family of Pastor Onwukwe and Ezinne Kanu (Pastor Kanu writes for TCFT – Houston) who has been blessed with two handsome twine baby boys, Onwukwe and Nkejika in the month of January 2012. They put faith in God’s first blessings to mankind: “……be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth…….” (Gen. 1:28). I also raise an altar of praise to our dependable God for His manifold miracle unto my family. God broke the bond of childlessness for my younger brother, Mark and his dear wife, Favor Ngozi Ogbonnaya in far away in Modena, Italy. They enjoyed God’s favor and were blessed with a BBB named David Ogbonnaya after 14 years of marriage. The lad, David was dedicated to God on Sunday, February 5, 2012.
While I rejoice with those whom God has put laughter in their mouths and smiles on their faces, I hold my faith with those who are still praying expectantly and declare: the night may be turbulent but joy comes in the morning. As I write this piece, I know I am not a novice or stranger to the issue of delay in child birth. I had my night season for 5 years and God in His mercies turned my challenges into experiences that have become a great part of my ministry. I’m blessed with four wonderful children; one female and three males. Praise the Lord.
Sequel to the creation of heaven and earth, the earth was without form and void; darkness covered the surface of the deep. The process of creation was still in progress. Darkness and voidness were not God’s ultimate. God is light and even in darkness He reveals His greatness and wonder. God made His Spirit hovered over the face of the waters. Then God spoke light into being in the midst of darkness and divided the light and darkness. God called the light – day and darkness He called night. So in the first day, there was day and night and the evening and morning (Genesis 1:1-5). Proverbs 30:5 says “weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning.” Indeed there is life’s day that starts in the morning and life’s night that precedes the day and starts the evening.
In the night, we have darkness while the sun shines through the day and brings light. Our nights could be a season of struggles and unanswered prayers, delays in our results, closed heaven, a period of desperation, distractions and endless expectations. During this period, we pray more but obtain fewer answers. We get worried and troubled; live in fears. Most times our faith is shaken and resolve becomes weakened. It’s time of hopeless expectation, sleepless nights, wetting our pillows with tears and jumping from one prayer house to another seeking for answers. It’s a season of dryness where we beg to ask God: why and how can this happen. It’s a time of trials and temptation, when life becomes miserable and meaningless; bitter – moaning and groaning.
Biblical Job experienced chains of trials that he sat on ash heap to show his sorrow as he passed through excruciating pains and agonies. At a point, his wife lost her trust in God and asked Job to curse God (Job 1:9). Job knew better than just adhering to the devil’s voice in his wife. Job cursed the day he was born and wondered why he did not died at birth (Job 3). Despite his agonies, Job did not sin against God. His friends knew nothing better than justify God’s righteous position; blamed and accursed Job of sinfulness. However, in Job 42:10-16, He experienced a breakthrough, turn around and uncommon favor of the Lord. His latter days became more meaningful and prosperous than the beginning. After a long night of sufferings he experienced a joyful morning.
Joseph was born a darling and an enviable lad to the family. His father loved him dearly and made him a coat of many colors. His dreams provoked hatred among his brethren. They kidnapped him with earlier intention to kill him and put him in the pit. Later they sold him to the Egyptian trade merchant, who traded him into Pontiphar’s hand. Again, there he was loved and favored; his master entrusted everything in the house except his wife. Unfortunately, Pontiphar’s wife set her lustful eyes on the slave boy /house help. The boy, Joseph fears God and honored his master; ran away and refused to lie with his master’s wife. The master’s wife grabbed his apron; this item became her evidence but the story was false. The wife lied against Joseph and he ended up in prison. However God’s favor was still upon Joseph. He must have wept and agonized for many long nights, wondering and reflecting back on his dreams. Was it a nightmare or vision? Joseph did not know that God was busy setting his stage. After the long night season came to pass, there was a joyful morning and through dream, God’s divine announcement catapulted Joseph into the palace not as a house help but as Prime minister. Who ever believed that a slave boy will become a Prime Minister in foreign land? (Genesis 39).
Elizabeth and Zachariah were happily married couple who hailed from priestly families of Aaron and Abijah respectively (Luke 1). They were both righteous and obeyed all the laws of God blamelessly but had no child yet advanced in age beyond child bearing ages in human judgment. Elizabeth described the night season as a reproach while Hannah called it a shame. Both gave birth to delayed children – John the Baptist and Samuel respectively. God used these two instruments mightily, beyond their imaginations and abilities. God brought joy to them in the morning and they sang notable songs of praise recorded in the scriptures.
This message of day and night season and of course, delayed children shall be incomplete without mention of the experience of our father of faith – Abraham and his dear wife, Sarah. It took 25 years to give birth to Isaac, the son of promise. Within this long night season of expectation and anticipation, Sarah attempted to help his husband out by making him to sleep with a slave girl, Hagar and brought forth Abraham first son, Ishmael. While Abraham rejoiced over the birth of a son, God said to Him that the son of promise shall be born by his wife Sarah, who had accepted her childlessness. She even laughed at God’s messenger who prophesied that she shall bear a son about that time in a year’s time (Genesis 18:12-14). Sarah considered this message of hope a mockery. Her unbelief did not stop God from fulfilling His promise. In the journey of life, there are both night and day season. Abraham trusted God and Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to Isaac. God is an unchangeable changer and can do all things. Whatever He did before, he can do again and again.
The night season of childlessness is not only embarrassing but also agonizing. In African society, the moment one is married; there is an expectation that the lady shall be pregnant immediately or within a couple of months. If after that time nothing happens, tongues shall begin to wangle and the level of anticipation heightened. Close relations of the couple especially those of the groom, could ask what they are waiting for? The groom’s mother may take a special interest in the matter and ask the bride when is she getting her grand children? When you do not have a child in marriage, you are regarded as a failure, a mischief and one having bad omen or bad luck. After this stage your marriage is in turmoil and insecure. Depending on the family the lady is married to, she could be thrown out of the house or another woman who may already be pregnant be brought into the house. It cuts beyond religious ties and beliefs.
In African society the women are blamed for childlessness even when the problems emanates from the men. On the male part some of his closed friends and age-mates shall become more concerned in the matter and jest their mates for not being a real man. In search of a child, they may even help to arrange another secret spouse for their friend or engaged in fetish thing to accomplish their desires. African society like the Jewish believes in the blessings of fruitfulness, multiplication and replenishing the earth. They believe everyone is created to be fruitful except one had harmed oneself by being sexual pervasive; committed early abortions or the man suffered venereal disease’s that obstructed the reproductive systems of the body. Sometimes, it could be as a result of curses and of witch crafts spirits but through prayers God reverses every demonic manipulation of the underworld kingdom.
There is joy when a child is born; more joy and excitement when a delayed child is born to break and remove the veil of childlessness on the family. As a matter of fact, we celebrate child birth, especially a male and merry during naming ceremonies. It is through this process that we bring forth the young who will build future healthy communities, support and take care of the elderly at old age, protect the family against enemies, etc (Psalm 127:2-4). The righteous man shall have children with great power and wealth; they shall inherit the land and be prominent (Psalm 112).
The night season strengthens our need for God. It takes total independence from us and builds our trust on God as well as patience and perseverance to weather the storm. It also teaches our hands to fight and war. In addition, one requires a loving and concern Church family and supportive community. Just as every night season moves into day, your night season shall not be static; it shall bring forth a joyful morning. Believe it or not, nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). The Lord has blessed you because you believe that He will keep His promises (Luke 1:45). It does not matter how dark or long or deep the weeping is in the night season, there is coming a morning and the Lord promises it shall be joyful. Do not give up or loose hope because the joyful morning awaits a weeping night. God is busy, packaging your gifts and the angels of God shall deliver them in the morning watch.
Reach: Evangelist Ogbonnaya Godswill @ weefreeministries.org or P. O. Box 720035, Houston, Texas, 77272.