Widowhood is a mystery that could be understood only by God apart from those directly affected – the widows. Even the experiences in widowhood varied differently from one widow to another depending on so many factors. From our works among widows we can simply identify the following factors:-
· The age of the Widow at the time of the incident.
· The level of intimacy between the widows and their demised husbands.
· The social or economic status of the widow.
· The level of dependency of the widow on her demised husband while he was alive.
· The level of support and encouragement received by the particular widow after her husband’s death.
· The extent of liability or asset in the family at the demise of the husband.
· The recovery process to which a widow is exposed to.
Apart from the above, Traditional African Local Culture and Practices further added serious burden on widows at the demise of their husbands in the traditional African setting, such are subject to a lot of inhuman and cruel treatments. These include:
· Drinking the bath water of the dead husband’s corpse to prove wife’s innocence.
· Shaving of the head of the widow.
· Sleeping with the corpse as a symbolic last sexual act.
· Prohibition of bathing, talking, etc.
· Sleeping on bare floor and staying inside for some days or months.
In summing up the challenges faced by Widows in the African traditional culture, Pro. A. A. Ilemobade, (a former Vice-Chancellor Federal University of Technology, Akure) in a paper titled “Widow and our society” he delivered at the 2005 Joy Bearers Conference for Widows, noted that:
The Widow’s problems begin immediately the death of her husband is announced. The in-laws demand a list of the man’s property, holdings, investments, bank accounts etc. She is further required to take an oath as a proof that she has not concealed any relevant information on her husband’s wealth.
The Joy-bearers Care Organisation has been in the forefront within our Society to always stand behind such Widows at their critical times. Its efforts are paying of as States’ Government have enacted Laws prohibiting such inhuman treatment to widows.
2.0. GENERAL DISCUSSION
a. From your personal experience, mention incidences or situations that were the most critical at the time of the demise of your husband.
b. Were you above or below 50 years when your husband died? And what effect did it have in your life?
c. Mention two things you regretted of at the time of the death of your husband?
d. What were your major concerns or fear at the time of the demise of your husband?
e. Compare your level of happiness now to when the incident happened and tell some of the factors which assisted you to this recovery stage.
f. How are your children now compared to when your husband died?
g. Mention at least one event in your widowhood that you think could be considered as divine touch of mercy.
3.0. EXAMPLES OF WIDOWS WITH DIVINE TOUCH OF MERCY.
Available in the Bible and the present day experiences of Widowhood are common examples of widows with the Divine touch of Mercy. As we look at their examples, the conditions for obtaining such divine touch, we are encouraged to also share experiences in the situations of our life.
A. A wife of the Son of a Prophet – II Kings 4:1-7
A widow who was a wife to one of the sons of the prophets was left with nothing at the demise of her husband. To make things worse, her husband died and left serious debts behind for his wife. His creditors thereafter requested that their money be paid by the wife. Else, his two sons would be taken as bondmen. She could not in any way handle the situation and did not want her sons taking away.
B. Vs 1 Tell us two major step she took and compare to some of the steps widows often take today?
· She cried to Elisha the servant of God.
· She explained the situations properly to Elisha.
But today most widows would seat down at home, lock themselves and be weeping instead of seeking for solution.
b. Verses 2-5 Mention the instructions given to her by Elisha step by step and show if she followed those steps.
c. Verses 6. What do you think happened to her? There was a Divine Touch of God’s Mercy on the small oil that kept multiplying – it was a miracle.
d. Vs 7. She returned again to the man of God for further instructions. What does this teach you?
LESSONS LEARNT
a. Widows ought to address their problems to the right channel
b. We must never overlook or despise the small things we can do or the small business we can start that may likely change our life. V.3
c. We must not always do what just came to our mind, we should always seek for counsel. The widow had to come back to the man of God after the Divine Touch and asked for further steps she would take.
d. She obeyed and followed the instructions given to her by the prophet.
B. THE WIDOW OF NAIN LK. 7:11-17
After the healing of the Centurion’s Servant at Capernaum, Jesus made a journey of about 21 miles to Nain. As he was about entering the town, he met a crowd coming out to bury a young man. The large crowd that followed Jesus and the large crowd that followed the coffin of the young boy met at the gate of the city, Vs 11-12.
a. VS. 13-14. Tell us what brought about the divine touch here? Jesus had compassion on the widow.
b. VS. 14-15. The divine touch of mercy brought back the only son of the widow. Divine touch of mercy can bring miracle, favour to you when you least expected.
c. The widow least expected she would ever meet such an intervention in her life. Her husband must have died early and then people consoled her to take heart since this was an heir – a son she could look up to as her “husband.” Now all hope was lost when this young boy died. But with the divine touch of mercy her son was restored, her hope was restored. Can you imagine how happy she would have been? We pray that the divine touch of mercy will move you away from sorrow to joy.
4.0. CONCLUSION – God is a good God. Why was it that it was the exact time the procession and the coffin came to the gate that Jesus was also there? What of if the coffin and the procession had passed five or ten minutes earlier? They would not have met Jesus. Every divine touch we need, shall never pass us by in Jesus name. The divine touch of mercy will always be upon you and all that are yours in Jesus Name, Amen.