Last night after they said their prayers I informed my kids about the current status of the coronavirus in Ghana. And then I asked them how they felt about it. Both admitted that they were scared. I further probed, ‘what do you do when you get scared?’ My son replied “I say Jesus save me”’.

When my daughter said ‘I pray or just ignore it’, I thought to myself, ah the apple does not fall far from the tree ampa!

Although it was time for our online prayer meeting, I decided to have a discussion on fear with them by reminding them of this story below.

It must have been a Saturday, about 5 or so years ago. I had just discovered a song by Christopher Tin called Baba Yetu. It is a classical and the entire song is The Lord’s Prayer in Swahili. It is easily one of the most beautiful songs I have heard and like usually do, I put it on repeat at work, home and everywhere basically. So on this particular day, I was in the kitchen playing it when my kids joined me. We sang along (although we did not know the words) as it kept repeating. My kids were leaning on the kitchen counter as I went about cooking. Directly above them was a hanging cabinet which had groceries on one side and crockery on another. On and on we kept singing along and I remember feeling so happy, the song truly is very beautiful or maybe I was just in a happy place.

Suddenly I said ‘It’s OK go and watch TV’. In hindsight, that is so not normal of me. What is even shocking is that they obeyed right away! I also left and went to the bathroom to check on the laundry or so. Within seconds I heard a loud bang. I quickly ran to the sitting room where I met the kids also wondering what it was. We ran to the kitchen and guess what, one side of the hanging cabinet had fallen onto the counter, the exact spot where my kids had been less than a minute ago! Jesus! We could not believe how narrowly they had escaped because it was a very heavy wood and the items in it were also heavy.

I do not even want to imagine what would have happened to my kids. But you see, I do not have to imagine because God saved us. I used this story to remind my kids that this same God is always with us. He never moves, He is constantly around us and will continue to protect us.

Later during our prayer meeting, we had a moment of silence when the woman of God said we should be quiet and listen to what God had for us. It was then that I recalled the story I had shared with my kids earlier and then I kept sensing these words in my spirit ‘He is the same God’ over and over again.

I became emotional as I remembered, the many times God had taken us out of danger. I knew then that He was telling me to keep calm because He was the same God then and is the same God now. I just read this quote from the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte (I cannot confirm if he indeed said these, but I believe these words are on point), ‘we have lost control, we have killed the epidemic physically and mentally. Can’t understand what more we can do, all solutions are exhausted on ground. Our only hope remains up in the sky. God rescue your people’

Dearest Reader, for some of us this is a confusing and difficult time filled with uncertainties. Nobody anywhere can tell us what to expect in Ghana or anywhere else. Some of us know our God and we are crying unto Him; please know this, He is the same God. Please remember the many times He has been with you through thick and thin. He is the same God. Some of us may not know our God, but the beauty about Him is you have access to Him too. Just talk to Him in your heart. Share your cares, burdens, frustrations and everything with Him and ask Him to take the will. I pray that His peace that surpasses all understanding will be your portion.

Fellow Ghanaians, as we go about praying and following the instructions we have all been given, I want to also encourage us all to look out for others around us who may be in need. Remember, our God is a kind and loving.

And when fear attempts to pop into your mind, remember; He is the same God!

--

Ama is Author (https://goo.gl/pv4Y7z ) and Founder of The Fabulous Woman Network