Come Boldly

 

Grace had no idea the meeting would last this long, but it was indeed necessary. After the rehearsal, it was important that they stayed behind to know where they stood as far as plans for the concert was concerned. They had taxed themselves financially and almost everyone had fulfilled their commitment already, 'Thank God'. Only few were left, she must hurry up and pay hers too because it wouldn't speak well for one of the major planners to be among the defaulters. 

She was really broke at this time though, but it's no problem, she would ask her mum as soon as she got home. Mummy should have no issues with giving it to her.

She checked her wristwatch, 10:35pm! Christ! it was this late? and the place was quite far from home, 

'Oh God, I'm in trouble, Mummy will so scold me today ehn, she pardoned me the other day, how will I convince her that it's not on purpose now🤦🏽‍♀️' 

She mumbled as she started packing up her things, she didn't intend to offend her Mummy, but she knew the woman would already be offended. Unlike some of her friends who complained about how their parents restrained them and they couldn't go out as they wished, Grace's parents allowed their children the freedom to go out, as long as they were duly informed about their destination, but there was a boundary to it, it was like an unspoken rule. "Nobody comes home later than 9pm, unless the family is out together", everybody knew that rule, and Grace had always been the one to break the rule whenever it was broken, it was never on purpose though, but now she was late again, even later than she was the last time. She could only prepare herself for her Mummy's imminent wrath. 

She quickly checked her phone as she increased her brisk steps to the main road where she'd get a bike, her Mummy would have probably called,

 "Five missed calls! ah ah, what gan, why has she called this much? Doesn't she know where I went? She should know that I can only be late with reason now, mtchew" she hissed as she hailed a bike, she quickly described her address and climbed on.

As the bike moved, she continued her silent rant

"Na wa, when I did not go to club, she should even be happy I'm busy doing God's work, what about some children who will spend nights at clubs/parties and their parents could do nothing about it? Sometimes, Mummy will just be overdoing things and annoying somebody in the process...' She continued her silent rant as she approached the house. 

With as much sobriety as she could muster, she opened the door, whispering a quick prayer to herself 'God please, don't let the talk be too much.' 

As expected her Mum was waiting for her, her stance was as if to say, 'ehn hẹn, lemme hear the excuse you've prepared today.'

"Why are you just coming?" 

It was a question, but you would've thought she didn't ask a question because Mummy certainly didn't allow a response. Just as Grace opened her mouth to present her case, she was interrupted by her Mum, 

"Don't give me any silly excuse, don't even try to defend yourself right now, you want to turn it to a habit ehn. Everytime you go out, you come back so late, and I won't even take such...."

Mum was still talking when Grace rudely interrupted, she was vexed. 

"Which everytime? Ehn? Which everytime do I go out and come back late? Because you've started o, even the times I came back late, were they on purpose? That's how you make me feel bad everytime, sheybi it's some children that will go out and not even inform their parents, ehn, I'm not even clubbing and partying o and you won't let me rest, what of the children that will sleep at clubs sef, you're not grateful to God that it's a Christian meeting I'm getting late at. Mtchew...."

To say Mummy was stunned, is to say the least, her mouth hung open, her face was different shades of surprised. Grace saw that look but she ignored it. 

"Please o, be 'freeing' me in this house"

She ended her rant as she entered her room and banged the door, only to look up and see her older cousin, Tosin, on the bed staring at her, 

"Good evening" she greeted humbly, she was already ashamed of the exchange with her Mum and she knew her cousin must have heard everything, 

 "If you're asked to clap for yourself now, for what you just did...how proud will you be to do it? Because in my opinion, you did quite an amazing job of insulting your mum this night. You deserve an applause, infact on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd definitely give you a 10." 

Grace smiled at the sarcasm, she wasn't surprised, she knew her cousin would want to talk about it but she just wasn't in the mood,

  "Ahn...see Tosin, leave that matter o, Mummy too should be cutting us some slack joh." She adamantly replied, not letting her remorse show, she was proud like that. 

"Okay o, how's prep for the concert going?" Tosin conceded, much to Grace's delight, now that was a topic she would willingly talk about.

 "It's going well o, the rehearsals are going great and thank God, even the budget is coming up..." Her voice faded as she remembered. 

"Oh my God! I was going to ask Mummy for some money o, so I can fulfill my own financial commitment, I'm very broke right now.... tsk tsk tsk....and tomorrow's the deadline." Her excitement had waned as she sat down dejected, 

"Chai, how will I ask her now?"

Cousin Tosin only looked at her, smiled and replied, 

"You are on your own o."

Who will help Grace now? How will she go BOLDLY to ask Mummy for the money now?

Heb.4.16 - Let us therefore COME BOLDLY unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

'Come with boldness', the reason why Grace is now not bold to go and meet her Mum for money is obvious. It's the same reason why we're sometimes not bold to go before God because we've soured the relationship where it should be strong and have spoilt it by our wrong actions.

How can you, if you've disrespected your father, then come to ask for something with boldness? 

A lot of us do this. We do things we know God hates, and sometimes don't even show remorse about them. And we expect to still be as free to go before God?

Now, it's not Grace's Mum that has stopped her from COMING BOLDLY o, but Grace's knowledge of the fact that she offended her Mum will not let her. 

What's the solution to Grace's Dilemma? - She would show that she's sorry, meet her Mum and ask for forgiveness first, she'll definitely be forgiven and then she can COME BOLDLY.

I'm sure now you know what to do, if you are at the position of uncertainty with God.

1John.1.9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Meet Him with sincere apology and you'd be good.