I brought the car to a halt in the available parking space adjacent to my office. After listening to Joel Osteen’s message that said “The Favor of God”, I took advantage of this free parking space provision as favor from God.
I had just locked the car door and hoped to hurry into the office when three hefty men in army uniform and long guns started running towards me. My heart was pounding frantically against my chest. I asked myself, what crime have I committed to warrant 3 men coming towards me? It would only take a slap from one of them to finish me, I thought.
I tried to ignore them and started walking away. One of them thundered, “Hey you! Hey you girl, will you stop there!”
I stopped in my tracks and turned to face them. The security guards around my office turned away, pretending that they did not know me. I was on my own.
“Why did you park here?” one of them shouted when they got up to me. “You just parked the car there and started walking away. Who gave you permission to park here?”
I did not reply immediately because fear had seized me. By the time the three men surrounded me, I knew I had to defend myself.
“I saw parking space here, near my office, so I parked,” I replied. I was shaking. So was my small voice.
“You are not permitted to park in this place," the man continued. "Oya, carry your car and go. This place is only for residents in this area!”
I smiled. My husband works for this organization that had the residential area.
“Even the wives of staff are not allowed to park here?” I asked.
“Wives of who?” Now his tone was less harsh.
“My husband works for the company…”
“What proof do you have?”
I said, “Go and check your directory for my husband.”
Then I called his name.
The other two men started moving back slowly.
“Madam, we are very sorry,” the chief attacker said. “You could have told us the first time that your husband works here. We are very sorry.”
I accepted their apologies and headed for my office. In my heart I said, if I did not respect my husband, from now on, I will respect him. Merely calling his name had given me freedom.
I liken this situation to when we pray, and we call the name of Jesus. This event reminded me of the name above every other name – Jesus Christ. I could imagine negative spirits fleeing at the mention of this sweet, powerful name. I could see circumstances taking a bow at the utterance of this awesome name. This is one name I should never take for granted.
Whatever you ask in the name of Jesus Christ, according to the will of God, consider it done, for Jesus Christ is the name above every name [Philippians 2:9-11].
I had just locked the car door and hoped to hurry into the office when three hefty men in army uniform and long guns started running towards me. My heart was pounding frantically against my chest. I asked myself, what crime have I committed to warrant 3 men coming towards me? It would only take a slap from one of them to finish me, I thought.
I tried to ignore them and started walking away. One of them thundered, “Hey you! Hey you girl, will you stop there!”
I stopped in my tracks and turned to face them. The security guards around my office turned away, pretending that they did not know me. I was on my own.
“Why did you park here?” one of them shouted when they got up to me. “You just parked the car there and started walking away. Who gave you permission to park here?”
I did not reply immediately because fear had seized me. By the time the three men surrounded me, I knew I had to defend myself.
“I saw parking space here, near my office, so I parked,” I replied. I was shaking. So was my small voice.
“You are not permitted to park in this place," the man continued. "Oya, carry your car and go. This place is only for residents in this area!”
I smiled. My husband works for this organization that had the residential area.
“Even the wives of staff are not allowed to park here?” I asked.
“Wives of who?” Now his tone was less harsh.
“My husband works for the company…”
“What proof do you have?”
I said, “Go and check your directory for my husband.”
Then I called his name.
The other two men started moving back slowly.
“Madam, we are very sorry,” the chief attacker said. “You could have told us the first time that your husband works here. We are very sorry.”
I accepted their apologies and headed for my office. In my heart I said, if I did not respect my husband, from now on, I will respect him. Merely calling his name had given me freedom.
I liken this situation to when we pray, and we call the name of Jesus. This event reminded me of the name above every other name – Jesus Christ. I could imagine negative spirits fleeing at the mention of this sweet, powerful name. I could see circumstances taking a bow at the utterance of this awesome name. This is one name I should never take for granted.
Whatever you ask in the name of Jesus Christ, according to the will of God, consider it done, for Jesus Christ is the name above every name [Philippians 2:9-11].
