Disappointing Prayer

Disappointing Prayer

I wondered what gave birth to this wide smile that has invaded her entire beautiful face. My mind really wanted to wander, but I had to cage it and focus on the cause of the smile rather than the charming smile.

The last expression I saw from her face was that of a very bewildered and disappointed person. I could even say that she was angry. Here she is, in front of my desk in less than 24 hours smiling from east to west. Did her cheeks increase over night?

'Please, I want to know your God'. The statement excited me completely because I now understand why she was smiling. It means the prayer was answered and as much as I wasn't surprised, I was very grateful to God for showing up even after a disappointing prayer.

I could remember how she sat in front of my desk a day before and waited for me to finish my day's work before we moved to a restaurant where she insisted that she buy the drink. She bought two bottles of cold Mirinda, but she was too busy talking that she didn't have time to drink her own.

She explained how her parents agreed to marry her off to the son of an influential man in the church. Her Dad was adamant that she would marry this son who had expressed interest in her, but she wasn't willing to marry him.

'Today is Thursday and they are planning introduction on Saturday. I have tried all I could; I argued, fought, screamed and cried, but nothing changed. Even family and friends couldn't help'.

'I can't imagine my parents planning this kind of a thing in the 21st century and why are you sipping Mirinda in an unconcerned manner when I am sharing a big burden in my heart with you?'

I had to stop the drink for a while so that I would please her. It must have really been a pain for her, I thought. Then I asked, 'have you prayed?'. She replied with a gesture similar to someone that just played a penalty kick to throw-in- 'uncountable times, she replied'.

'Okay, let make it uncountable times plus one'. I stretched my hands towards her for her to hold, but she protested that we are in a public place where prayer would be a disturbance to others. 'You worry to much! Grab my hands and close your eyes'

'Good afternoon Jesus, ohh, there is no afternoon there, but we are actually around 5pm here. It's been about an hour since we spoke. What's going on in heaven? I believe everything is just as planned and sincerely, I cannot really wait to see all that goes on over there. Lord, I am in a restaurant with my friend from work and she bought a cold bottle of Mirinda for me. I am really enjoying it.

And Lord, she is really worried about the plans of her parents. She doesn't want to marry the son of that influential man in their church. She is really troubled and she wouldn't even drink her own Mirinda. The introduction is scheduled for Saturday. Please, cancel the whole plan so that my friend can be happy again. I would soon resume our discussion as soon as we leave the restaurant, amen'.

Then I opened my eyes and I saw her mouth opened so widely that could take a cherry. She shouted, 'what kind of a disappointing prayer is this?' Are you a child? Telling God about Mirinda. I was confused as she walked out of the restaurant very furiously. I sat back wondering why she behaved like that. I sat back feeling like an Arsenal fan. Anyway, I finished the two Mirinda drinks which I eventually had to pay for.

Now, she wants to know about my God. But I asked, 'tell me what happened first'. 'Well, God answered your disappointing prayer, she replied'.

Lanre'Olaniyi