A Christmas Miracle

4

It's Christmas Eve but rather than the cheery mood, happiness, merriment, blitheness and the endless joyous laughter filling the house, it was dull and dreary. It felt like a funeral service was being observed in the residence as the gloomy aura swept through the villa like a rampaging disease, infecting the air and so, the breath of souls. It was like a perilous force repudiating all manner of peace and coercing an eminent hopelessness and bitterness.

       The family gathered together in the sitting room except for Ruth who was attended to by Nelly, Efemena and her husband, James. Salim also decided it was better to be locked up in his room than join them in mourning their very own essence, at least, that was his thoughts. Joy continued her lamentation in the midst of the family as Chisom clinged to her tighter.

"Oh God, we really do need you. We need you Abba. We need to pray, we all have too." She uttered solemnly.

Salim, who on the other hand have been hearing most of her mourning got tired. It tickled his bones as he was fagged from hearing her wails, he was exasperated from being irritated by her unnecessary and endless whines. He burst through his room as he marched to the sitting room, ready to question her faith and challenge her conviction, even if it meant crushing them.

"What God, Joy? I wonder at my own stake, for your own sake, how you still believe in a God, exhibiting such confidence? Is it just in humans, a desire to crown a God?" He asked, hankering to defy her illogical reasoning.

"There indeed is a God." She replied calmly.

"There dose not exist any."

"Salim, all you see is your brokenness, can you see past it? To God's blessings in your life?"

"I tell you, they don't subsist, not anymore." He muttered impassively.

"You tell the whole story Salim, God delivered you, he blessed you. He still blesses you, he still loves you, he's still with you." Sarah said, pointing her finger firmly at him.

"Then he destroyed me!" He raised both of his hands dramatically. "Take a good look at Caro. What wrong did she do? All she did was to spend hours praying to a God, reading his words and obeying all that he commanded, at the end what did all of it even matter?"

"He didn't destroy you. God knows best, he does best. His ways are not your ways and the truth is, this is where your trust comes in."

Salim grimaced as he hurled back.

"He did me wrong, your God took her away."

"I told you he knows best. God factors in what you need, you do otherwise. He is more committed to your destiny right now, not your desire. He doesn't do things based on your preference, but based on his purpose." Sarah spoke softly, trying to ease his hardened mind.

"After all of my sacrifices to him, I prayed, fasted, gave offering, even became a minister. I did everything! I expected more from him."

"God desires mercy not sacrifice. Sacrifice without mercy is worthless. He wants your loyal love, trust and commitment."

"He did expect more. What more did you expect, uncle?" Ireti asked calmly.

"A miracle. Anything."

"Fabricated expectations, my dear, plus failed reality is the road to frustration. It was okay to hope but you don't tell God what and how to do things. You only get to trust him, you have to trust him. If you question him, you question his holiness, for his holiness is on the line." Sarah said quickly.

"My mother once told me; you only know how great you're with the kind of oppositions you face. So she asked me, can I handle the persecution connected promotion?" Juliet spoke, smiling gently at Salim.