After the Gold Trade Seminar on Saturday, I was a bit tired so I decided to lounge on the sofa; unfortunately or fortunately for me, my notebook was switched on since I left the house in the morning. I saw so many chats that were not replied and I saw my e-mail box was quite full. On impulse, I shut down the entire opened browser and about to shut the system when I noticed a folder on my desktop labeled; videos: they were some recent AVI movie files that a family friend gave me to watch. There is no faster way to sleep than to watch a boring movie; I told myself so I perused the files and the one that appeared boring was Oliver Stone’s “W”.
My dear readers, I have never been so wrong in my life; this was an A list biopic of George W. Bush. The film was so intriguing and captivating that I had to rewind some parts and watch again. The part that really got me thinking was the crucial board room session in the White House when they debated on going to Iraq or not without much evidence of Iraq having weapon of mass destruction. Collin Powel, the then Secretary of Defense, opposed going to Iraq despite his being there when W’s father won the operation desert storm. There were so many of the cabinet members for the war (all having their special interests at heart). The final decision to go to Iraq was made by W himself.
Sometime in life, we blame ourselves for the decisions we make or the decisions of those around us that directly affect us but our decisions are a consequence of what we sow and the decisions we make are sometimes beyond our comprehension. In 2nd Samuel: 19, the soldiers were surprised and felt betrayed at King David crying for his son, Absalom’s death after all the atrocities he committed against the king; sleeping with his fathers’ wives in the open; rebelling against the king; killing king David’s son Amnon; etc. What they did not understand was that everything that Absalom did was not his fault but a prophetic word that God declared through Prophet Nathan for David’s abuse of authority and only King David knew this.
After King David killed Bathsheba’s husband and married her, Prophet Nathan declared God’s word in 2nd Samuel 12:10-13; “therefore, murder shall be a constant threat in your family from this time on because you have insulted me by taking Uriah’s wife. I vow that because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did this secretly but I would do this to you openly, in the sight of all Israel.”
God watches over his spoken word; his word does not return to him void but accomplish that which he had sent it no matter who you are. This was King David, a man after God’s heart. King David was sober because he knew it was his fault that Absalom committed all the atrocities he did; it was simply God’s word coming to effect. The same thing happened to W; according to the film; before he ran for president, God called him and told him to run for president because there was a crucial decision that he was meant to make. At the time, W was the least likely candidate to run for president and he was not even the one that won the popular vote in fact the election was rigged to bring him to the presidency.
It does not matter what you do, this was simply God’s word and it would definitely come to effect. God’s word is not a popularity contest; it is his word and his word is for the good of common man despite our opposition. The whole world was in awe when W was elected the second time because the whole world did not know that W was called of God. Being called of God may not make you popular (check Jonah in Nineveh or the martyred Stephen) but would make you fulfill His spoken word.
W’s boardroom in the white house reminded me of Ahab’s decision to attack the Syrians at Ramoth Gilead. Collin Powell was like Micaiah who was against attacking Ramoth Gilead amongst 400 prophets that were for it. The problem was that the 400 Prophets were fulfilling God’s prophesy through what Prophet Elijah told King Ahab that he was going to die. There was nothing in this world that Ahab could have done, his decisions were already prophesied. This was exactly what happened to W; his decision was to attack Saddam and it was prophesied when he was called. He could not really justify his decision despite the lying spirit flocking him.
Despite the world’s disagreement with W on this decision; the decision has brought fruits that can never be denied; Iraq has been freed from the tyrannical Saddam; sanctions have been lifted off Iraq; Iraq has become a democratic state; Iraq’s economy has a huge projection of getting better; Americans have a forever grateful ally in the middle east and the list goes on. The impact of this war to the world has also ushered in the first black president to the United States ushering hope to the rejected. This war despite the world’s criticism would mark a turning point in the world’s policies.
I know there are so many people in the night periods of their lives; out of a job, left by your lover, threatened by your employers, career indecision, etc. These stories are simply to tell you to stop struggling because all the prayers and fasting of King David did not stop Bathsheba’s first child from dying. You simply need to align yourself to his spoken word because that is where the power lies. How would you know his spoken word if you do not get close to God. Your running up and down everyday would not get you to your destination, it is by following Jesus advice to Martha; “only one thing is needful and Mary has chosen it.”
