Last week Tuesday, my dad passed away in the hospital; he lived his life for the development of others sacrificing his own personal comfort for the success of others. So when I was faced with either attending the speaking engagement for the Youth Corpers Passing Away in Delta State or just staying at home to mourn him, I chose the former to fulfill his legacy. The flight to Benin was smooth but the conversations that went through my heart took a different direction – many of us are destined to die but what we leave behind is what really counts.
Since most of us do not keep the end in view when taking decision, we tend to focus too much on our immediate challenge. When our minds engage too much on the immediate challenge, we lose touch with our destiny and purpose. The immediate challenge becomes the compass to our lives directing us in our everyday choice like what we need to pray about. What we pray about is definitely a function of what engulfs our mind which definitely slips in our conversation with God which ultimately gets answered.
Last week, I pointed out that the perception of the lion is what ultimately crowns it the king not the talent that it possesses. The same scenario appears in our prayer lives; while one man is praying to get a job another one is praying to create jobs; the same human, the same theme but different perception hence different outcomes. The illogical thing happens: The man that prays for a job becomes offended with the man creating the jobs. This is definitely not an aberration but a norm. Suddenly, I realize that it takes the same energy to pray for different outcomes so why not focus on what you really want.
Two weekends ago, I organized the cash flow 101 game and I witnessed firsthand on the way people think to make decisions. The goal of the first stage of the game is for people to generate enough passive income to offset their bills but I realize all the players prefer to accumulate their paycheck. I realize they derive joy in having a lot of cash doing nothing than to generate passive incomes. This kind of thinking also affects the way they pray – “God, I need a good paying job to buy a duplex and marry the woman of my dreams; have three children; buy two cars (one for my wife and the other for me) and one bus to take the children to schoolâ€.
I shared different praying perception with the Delta Youth Corpers using the character of Jacob to drive home my point. When Jacob left his father’s house to his uncle’s house, he experienced a divine visit from God in his dream. God said; “And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessedâ€. After the initial shock and finally acknowledging God’s visit, his prayer perception was filled with his ongoing challenge; “If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God†(Gen 28).
If you really did not grab my point, the nutshell was that God promised to increase his influence through his seed and to make him prominent round the world but his prayers were divergent to God’s purpose for him; he was more worried about what he would eat and wear and was bothered about returning in peace to his father’s house. God answered his prayer by making him a bondservant in the house of his uncle – he had clothes to wear and food to eat. It took him twenty years to realize how wrong those prayers were when he was faced with the possibility of facing his brother; his prayers changed (Gen 32):
“And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitudeâ€. This time Jacob was praying according to purpose and God answered him with the challenge of wrestling with a man which he won and his name was changed from Jacob to Israel. Prayer is a conversation with God; it is important to pray what God tells you not the challenge you are facing.  The man in this text could be symbolic for the right challenge that would lead us to fulfilling purpose. When we pray right, we would be faced with the right challenge that would ensure our footsteps in the sands of time. The name Israel has become a country, a people and a culture hence the need to pray right according to our purpose.
My condolence on the death of a loved one no matter how old he may be the fact remains you will not be seeing him again,i am so sorry.
The write up is another 4 star rated.i thaink the reason we pray amiss is simply because we do not make ourself available for God to use,just like the story of the vessel unto honor,it is the vessel that is available,pure,clean etc that the master will make use of,will speak to and reveal himself to.
Some men of God will tell you that you can do more than they are doing if only you can make yourself available……ponder over this “how God annoint Jesus christ of Nazareth with Holyghost and with power”…….. God is still in the business of doing good
Where do I begin from?
@ Oga Deolu
Thank you for dropping by and encouraging me; I am not lost on the pains you are going through: May God grant you the fortitude to bear the loss.
@ Toyin
The football blogger; how you dey? thanx man!
@ Hauwa
Thanx so much; your Arabic is quite good.
@ Balogun Kayode
Thank you for the comment.
@ uzorwilly
Thank you for the comment.
@ The life of a Stranger
Thanx for dropping by; are u still a faculty staff @ Trento
@ Christian
Thank you very much!
@ Kingsley
Thanx for the comment
@ Sammo
Your clearification is good. Thanx
@ OluwaSeunti
Thanx for the comment
@ Biddy
What can I say, you are always good to me
@ D’ lecturer
Thanx for the comment
@ Ogu
Your clearification is great! Thanx
My brother, I just heard about your Dad’s passing away. I see you are taking it well, may God continue to grant you strength and grace to forge ahead.
In the year that King Uzzaih died, Isaiah saw the Lord. May his exit open your eyes to the visions of God and the pathways to your next assignment.
I commiserate with you on the death of your father. I pray God give you and the rest of your family the fortitude to bear the loss.
Life is to be lived to the fullest and I know he did his best by taking a look at the impact you are making in our generation. Please keep the flag flying and it’s my hope that one day, you will be able to say that you have surpassed his achievements. Shalom!
Inna Lillahi Wa inna ilayhi Raji’oon “May Allah give him an easy and pleasant journey and shower blessings on his grave”. Sorry for your loss.
dear dipo,
please accept my condolence on the death of your illustrious father, may God grant you and the entire family the fortitude to bear this great loss. Am quite impressed with all what you’ve written about prayer and appears you’re right.
balogun
pls take heart the good lord will help u to finish were ur daddy stop,remainbless
I don’t have the right words to say right now concerning your loss, but I know that our good Lord, our greatest comforter is right there with you. Concerning your post, how true it is we forget that by actually praying for the plan and purpose for God for our lives, our needs are also met. Because like the example you gave of Job, for His seed to be as numerous as the sands of earth, He will need to be established and be hedged in, because it is through Him that the seeds will come forth. How quickly we forget that when God chooses and even tells you He will bless you, it’s not the kind that could easily be measured.
How have you been?
Hello Dipo,
May your Dad’s soul rest in peace. The legacy he left behind will surely speak for him.
Talking about Praying right, God sees our heart each time we’re praying before he hears what we pray about. If the motive in our heart is not right, then our prayer will not be answered. It’s better to always pray in accordance with God’s will for our lives.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Christian
My condolence on the death of a loved one no matter how old he may be the fact remains you will not be seeing him again,i am so sorry.
The write up is another 4 star rated.i thaink the reason we pray amiss is simply because we do not make ourself available for God to use,just like the story of the vessel unto honor,it is the vessel that is available,pure,clean etc that the master will make use of,will speak to and reveal himself to.
Some men of God will tell you that you can do more than they are doing if only you can make yourself available……ponder over this “how God annoint Jesus christ of Nazareth with Holyghost and with power”…….. God is still in the business of doing good
Mr.Dipo,
Thanks for the piece.Please acept my condences on the demise of your dad.
The write up is insightful,the point raised is clear, that even though we pray focussing on immediate needs and challenges we should step up and ”look beyond ”our present circumstance but bigger things that hold our destinies.
My Mentor,
i just read about the death of your dad. May God grant you the grace to bear the temporary sepration and also be able to outshine his legacy.
My wife also send her condolence.
Let us know about the burial arrangement.
My mentor,my condolence! its well with you and your family, May God indeed be a father to you all. Thanks for this post..like Jesusfreak said, may God teach us how to pray, so we dont pray amiss, as a prayer myself..i have found out that its praying God’s words/promises that brings result..cos heaven and earth will pass away but not a single jot of His word ..so He is not moved by our tears etc but in our bringing forth our strong reasons according to His word. Thanks again for this timely word in due season…Men ought always to pray and not faint. Luke 18 – 1
HEAVY, PENETRATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Dipo, quite unlike me, I got the info that you lost your dad just ystday. Let me first share in your grief over the loss. Death is inevitable. It is a calling for alll mortal. Notwithstanding, no one feels excited loosing a loved one. Take heart. It requires a large heart and foresightedness to opt for a speaking engagement to mourning the dead.
The message is clear that most of us focus more on our immediate needs at the expense of our laong term goals and objectives. This has also affected our prayer life and need. We ask for fish rather than requesting to know how to catch fish; thereby making us perpetual servants/employees.
Recounting the story in Rich Dad Poor Dad, R.T. Kiyosaki noted that while one of his dads wanted him to study hard so that he could find a good company to work for, the other wanted him to study hard so that he could find a good company to buy; while one dad advised him to play safe with money, the other wanted him to learn to manage risks; while one dd struggled to save a few dollars, the other simply created investments; while one dad wanted him to write an impressive resume so he could find a good job, the other wanted him to write strong business and financial plans so he could create jobs.
May God direct our thoughts to pray alright. Amen.
@ all,
I need to really appreciate your comments from Ayobami, Adebayo Femi, Royal Prince, Deji, Otome, CFA and Royal Prince. I read them all…
However, I would like to respond to some comments:
@ Royal Prince
I truly see your point and I understand them but there are more than 5 billion people on this earth; how many of this people leave their footprint in the sands of time? A microscopic percent – this simply means that it is not easy to pray for the promise while challenges are creeping in front of you.
Tackling the challenges before you is important but neglecting the promise and focusing your prayers on them is what I am highlighting.
Sometimes, some challenges do not need solution but cooperation – Jesus on the cross was faced with the challenge of torture and death. He prayed that God should let this cup pass away from him but he realized the futility of the prayer and prayed that the will God should prevail. The same thing happened to Paul and God’s answer was “my grace is sufficient for you”.
My write-up points to the fact that all prayers would be answered but the prayer of promise is the right prayer.
I cannot do a whole exegesis of the bible but I can point out relevant point for a relevant message. The message here is not to avoid praying but to seek the promise of God for your life and pray accordingly.
My write-up addresses those that want to live beyond death. Those that want their seeds to be like the dust of the earth. If Jacob never changed his prayer, he would still be Jacob not Israel. Isaiah 9: 8 says the Lord sent a word to Jacob but it hath lighted upon Israel. The promise if fulfilled in Israel not Jacob.
Well, I hope you understand. Ciao
Man of God!
We need to prayer o. We need divine intervention to set our cold places on fire. We need to keep asking God to teach us to pray. There are so many things out there affecting us as human that only praying first will solve.
Condolence on the lose of your dad. I lost mine 4 years ago.
All da best
Dipo,
You have followed the footsteps of your Dad and the lives you have touched are too numerous to mention, May God grant you strength to push on.
Accept my condolences Sir!
Hmmm This is quite insightful. I like the interpretation of the Jacob’s prayer story. Nevertheless, i didn’t know that your father has passed. Sorry to hear that, i believe God will comfort the whole of your family. Thank God i know him and have the priviledge of saying hi to him. It is well. One more time good piece. I don’t know when you will be on skype again, there is something i want us to talk about.
Please accept my condolences
OMG! Whats really happening? Last time, it ws Deolu’ mum and this time, your dad. My heart and prayers are with you all. May God give u all the fortitude to bear this loss.
To this post, Well spoken but let me add here for clarity sake that it is not out of place for one to present his challenges to God in prayrs as advised in Phil4 among other scriptures.
I must confess though, that it takes some level of maturity to take ur eyes off ur immediate challenges and pray acording to purpose. But the truth is: most challenges are stepping stones to the fulfilment of our prupose. so as u pray about, seek to confront, and tackle them, u move toward the fulfilmnt of ur purpose.
What we should gaurd against is letting them get the better part of us. Do I have a witness out there?
Luv U!
You are too much…you have really and truly blessed me this morning. God Bless you too.
thanks so much!
Let me once again commiserate with you. God will give the entire family the fortitude to bear the great loss.
Nice post as usual and well, sometimes the reality is this. The height a man can reach is a condition of his thinking and wishes. Mediocrity is the order of the day due to the economic and social problems our country is facing.
But in the same country some people are taking charge and moving forward. Why can’t it be you. Thanks again for the post. Cheers!