Christian Stories: Banking on it

She ran to the door, stumbling into her friend who heard the news and was at her place. She collided with the door and the lifeless child in her hands fell like a deflated balloon. Picking him up and throwing him over her shoulders, she yanked the door open and scuttled into the street, ignoring the many voices behind her telling her to wait. 

I followed her immediately because with the way she sped out of the house, it would be difficult to know her next action and of course, anything could happen. I ran after her, bellowing at the top of my voice to her to slow down but her strength could not be likened to anything human - even with the child on her back. She kept running. 

When she ran into the church, i knew my sister wasn't going mad. It was the only explanation i could give to her actions. She wasn't mad. I ran after her and caught up with her at the door which refused to open. It was like every door she encountered that day decided not to succumb to her needs.

I stepped forward and with all force, I pushed it open. As soon as it was opened, she sped inside crying. All the tears she held back even when she first held her lifeless child at home fell.  I decided to end my journey at the door, standing still as I watched her take the child from her back and lay it at the altar. I watched her kneel and weakly raise her shaking hands.

"Jesus!!! I'm here! I'm here o. My child! My child. Tosin. Tosin is not breathing. Jesus, Tosin is not breathing! I didn't take this child from a deity. You gave me this child! Even after waiting for years, you gave me this child!. 

Jesus, you told me! You told me my son will be a minister of your word to nations. You told me yourself that this child will be an instrument of amplifying your words to nations. You promised! You promised me when i was eight months pregnant that out of my belly shall spring forth a man you will use for years that will be given the mandate of the kingdom.

Read: Biography of Pastor John Piper

Jesus, you gave me his name. You told me his name is Hezekiah. You told me that my son will be your priest and you will give strength to him. Jesus, your priest is not breathing! You're not a man to lie! You're not a man to go back on your promises! You're not a man to break your vows! Honor your vows, Lord!. 

Tosin is not breathing! Do something! You can't have a dead priest! I can't raise a dead priest! You can't send out a dead priest! Honor thy word, Jesus! Honor thy promise! Give me back my priest!"

It was quiet. Everything was quiet. She fell on the child and i heard her sniffling. I could not find explanation to what she felt but i knew whatever she was feeling at that moment was something greater than losing a child.

It was more and for the first time since i got the news that Tosin was gone, my tears gave way. The tears i chased away because i was trying to be strong for my sister gave way that i ran to her and wept on her shoulders. 

I couldn't raise my head to see her face but she patted my head on her shoulder. 

"Do you think he will come back?" I asked raising my head to search my sister's face and what i saw on her face shocked me. This woman was smiling!!!! Instead of replying my question which sounded so stupid even to my ears, i looked at the child and back at my sister who already rose and sat on the pew few meters away from the altar. 

She was still. Relaxed. Unperturbed. 

I sat beside her and held her hands hoping she would squeeze them and probably dig her long nails in my flesh but it didn't happen. Instead, she patted my hand and smiled. Ten minutes. Fifteen. Twenty. Thirty. Forty. An hour. And we were still there. 

By then, other members of the family had gathered at the church because i placed a call through just to let them know she was fine. Since they were not having my explanation, i told them our location and they came. They stayed at different angles looking from child to mother and from mother to child. It wasn't a funny moment.

Another hour passed and the multitude started reducing till it was just us. Just my sister, her husband, his parents and our parents. At this point, many were tapping my sister's shoulders to allow them take the child away for burial but she kept smiling, shaking her head at them.

"If it is God that gave me this child, then He can raise him. If it's not God, then he can be buried. Besides, He gave me promises about this child."

Another hour passed and the miracle we waited for happened. He sneezed. My cousin sneezed! Guess the first person that moved to him. 

His mother!

She moved to him and held him to herself and you know what she said when she turned to us?

"I told you God gave me this child and He gave me those promises. He doesn't joke with His words. I can always hold Him to His words."

You can always bank on the promises He gives. You can always hold Him to His words. 

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