“Invitation To A Meeting!”

“Invitation To A Meeting!”(Is.1:18-20).
A colleague friend and brother recently created a Whatsapp group called “MaTali Ba.” (In father’s parlor).Tali Ba is a father’s sitting room. Apart from being a father’s sitting room, Tali Ba is a family conference hall, a place where family and relatives gather for matters of grave concerns pertaining to a typical African family.The Tali Ba is acsmaller version to the Durbar copied from lndia and imposed especially on West Africa by colonial masters.
A unique chatasterestic of the Tali Ba is that the father has the prerogative to convene meetings at short notice to address issues that suddenly crop up and havecnegative repercussions on the family. Such issues when not quickly and objectively addressed throughcfamily meetings may escalate to the level of disrupting family cohesion and disintegrating the family.
A distinctive mark of fatherhood/family head is being able to gather members together in the Tali Ba and resolve matters that crop up which may alienate some family members and at worst bring the family into chaotic disarray!
While family members may band themselves into groupscfor specific reasons, a wise father brings them together to deliberate in theTali Ba and come to a consensus that builds the family so that they cohere.
Any father who takes side with a faction of the family is not worth his salt!
Father’s don’t take sides; they discuss in the Tali Ba, where the father can give a ruling thatcisn’t biased.There’s nothing like “Weandthem”; and there’s nothing like “stay awaycfrom them!”
Who are the “we” and who are the”them?”
There is never a “they and them” in a family, because every family member is consanguinously a part of the family.
My friend, whatever is here should be a dim reflection of the original which is in heaven. We cannot play God in God’s name when in everyway we have blatantly violated his social commandments, of enhancing the ties that binds-love!As a nation and as the body of Christ we are guilty of structural sin, imposed upon us by leaders so as to safeguard their interests.When we add these structural sins to individualcsins,we become hypocrites offering multitudes of sacrifices and engaging in religious charades of fasting and prayers whichtheLORD ignores.
He ignores them because many have suffered and many are in penury as a result of our greed and wickedness!Nemesis never disappoints!
To you and I dear friend, it is never too late. Though God has been wronged, he is not angry forever. He is calling us to the Tali Ba for a family meeting. He says, “Come now, let us reason together, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool…”
But there is a condition: “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”
The LORD has spoken through this great invite! Make it a choice to be at the Tali Ba for this important meeting which is going to work for your good.
Prayer of the day and week: Holy Spirit convict us of our sins and bring us to repentance. Amen!
Welcome to a new working day and week! Have a blessed day and week! Peace be with
you!
Rev Babila Fochang.