PART 44
“NWALA: THE BITTERSWEET STORY”
©️ Opeyemi Akintunde.
As Inspired by the LIVING WORD.
Fifteen minutes later, Reuben was in the hospital with Hezekiah, I ran to hug Reuben like my life depended on it…
“I am sorry… forgive me” I kept saying to him as I hugged him, and right there unashamedly, Reuben was tearing up seriously…
“I know you don’t love me again, but please forgive me and be father to my son” I said. I knew I needed Reuben to pray for my son. His Spiritual cover had not been on Amos.
“I love you Beauty” He said it like he was saying it to convince himself. He hugged me tightly like a father hugging his prodigal child.
“Your son is my son. Amos is your son, so he is my son too” Reuben was saying it and was crying. Hezekiah who didn’t understand why his parents were crying joined in the tears session.
Amara & my mother rushed into the hospital. Reuben had called them on his way to the hospital.
Amara had taken Hezekiah from us and left the hospital. Reuben sat beside me and wrapped me in his embrace. I didn’t want that moment to end. I had missed it for close to two years.
My mother sat opposite us at the hospital reception looking at us, I could imagine all the things her mind was thinking. I saw a few times she wiped her tears.
After three hours of waiting to hear any news from the doctor, the senior medical Doctor walked up to us…
“Congratulations, he is now stable”
I heaved a sigh of relief.
I heard Reuben say faintly
“Thank you Jesus”
I looked up at him and mouthed
“Thank you”
Amos was fast asleep and I know I looked like a prisoner, so I wasn’t surprised when he said
“You should go home with mum for a bath, and please rest”
I was confused and taken aback.
“There won’t be anyone here with Amos”
“I will stay with him” I saw how he swallowed a lump in his throat
“You don’t have to, I will be fine” I said not wanting to put him on the spot
“Beauty, he… is my son, it’s for better for worse, when I married you, I married all of you, your past, your errors, your present, your future, your goodness, everything you are is who I married. I am sorry it has taken so long for my heart to accept that truth. I am sorry… I am sorry” He hugged me tightly again. I couldn’t help but wonder what happened in the three days I wasn’t at home.
My mother couldn’t help it; she sat into a chair sobbing. I knew I had caused her more pain than any of her children. I knew if not for any other reason, I needed to go home with her and apologize for all my ‘Nwala’ attitude that was turning my BEAUTY to ashes…
“Thank You” I said to him..
We were driving my car back to my parent’s house. Amara had brought her in her car earlier.
For the first few minutes of our drive, neither of us said anything to each other.
I knew it was only right for me to start up the conversation,
“ I am sorry Mum” I summoned up courage to say
“ For?”
“ For not Listening when I should have”
“ I am sure you thought I was just a domineering, covetous mother who wanted you to marry the son of our rich General overseer?”
I was silent because that was exactly what I thought.
“ No! Beauty, I am a mother who will always look for a good home for my children like Abraham told his servant to go find a wife for his son among his own people. I am only following Abraham’s footsteps. Beauty, don’t you know that the Partner you marry can determine where your name will be written in the book of history… Pull Over!” My Mother said
I pulled over and parked the vehicle under a street light.
“Nwala, there is a part of scripture that the Lord opened my eyes to see, and I want to share it with you today, so you can fully understand why I am so keen on my Children getting it right maritally. Do you have a Bible here?”
I nodded and pulled out my Bible from the Car safe.
“ Open to Mathew 1:16” My mother said
I read the verse;
“ And Jacob, the Father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the Mother of Jesus who is the called the Messiah”
I didn’t see what my mother wanted me to understand from there.
“I am sure you are wondering if there is any revelation or lesson from that history based verse. Stay with me Beauty. If you look through that scripture from verse One, it was listing the genealogy of Jesus Christ from Abraham to David and to Joseph the Father of Christ. Can I ask you this question?”
I nodded in response
“ Was Joseph the Biological father of Jesus Christ?”
“ Jesus didn’t have a biological father” I replied
“ So why then did Bible record Him as the Father? Let me supply the answer. There was the need for prophecy to be fulfilled: Jesus was to come from the lineage of Abraham and David, therefore, even if Mary was not the spouse of Joseph, Joseph would have still turned out the Father of Jesus Christ. Joseph was the one with the mantle of the messiah coming from his Lineage, according to the Mathew Gospel, Mary just happen to be favoured to be the virgin betrothed to him, Meaning if another Virgin was to be betrothed to Joseph, that Virgin would have been the Mother of Christ…”
“ Wow!” That blew my mind
“ I know other gospels may have linked Mary to the lineage of Abraham, but according to the Gospel of Mathew, Mary was not from the direct lineage of David, but Joseph her fiance.” My mother explained further.
“Hmm…deep!”
“Beauty, you see why I am passionate about my Children marrying rightly, I want my Children to marry spouses that are in tuned with God, and would key them into greatness. I also want spouses that will be men and women who love God. What does Bible say about Joseph; Verse nineteen refers to Joseph as a Just Man and a man who didn’t want to put Mary to Shame.
Beauty, a man who loves God is an asset, while a man who doesn’t love God is a Liability. A man who loves God will not want to put his woman to shame, I believe you can see how it has played out with Reuben… Answer this honest question, If Daniel was your husband and this twins challenge happened to you, what do you think would have happened to you?”
That was obviously a rhetorical question. Dear Reader, what do you think Daniel would have done if he was presently in Reuben’s shoes?
To be continued..
TO BE CONTINUED
