By a show of hands, how many people here know what a Male Driver Ant is? Any one? No one?Okay. Before you all rush to find the answer from your internet enabled devices( Yes devices,even a fridge is nowadays connected to the internet), lemme give you guys a hint.
A Male Driver Ant is what we commonly call the Sausage Fly. Does the word Sausage Fly ring a bell? Yes? Yeah, just as I had thought. It does. And how many knew that it was an ant? Ha-ha, the statistics aren’t as encouraging as I had thought. Haya basi,nimeacha kuuliza maswali(I have stopped asking questions).
But actually, I didn’t know that these insects were ants. Especially from the way some of them behave, I didn’t even think they had the capability of thinking things through let alone being an ant.
In my life, I’ve had a long history with this ‘Goliath Ants’. I am particularly fascinated by these insects because they always launch a kamikaze attack against my bulbs. Unfortunately,this fascination doesn’t last long. It mostly becomes irritating after a short while. And I result to either switching of the lights(they always come back) or I unleash my swatting skills.
Yesterday, there was this particular Sausage Fly that seemed not to agree to the treaty we had signed. He didn’t seem to get enough of the light from my UK Branded Fluorescent bulbs. He kept on flapping his wings on bulb its as if there was a ‘Wings Flapping Contest’ or something.
The scowl on my face didn’t seem to deter him from his operation;’Operation Irritate The Humans!’ And so, I took a newspaper and armed myself. I threatened to use my weapon but ‘Mr I’m Not Willing To Stop’ took my threat lightly.
Then, with the might that David used to fell Goliath, I swang my hand and hit him. He fell to his death.
With a grin on my face,I nestled among the cushions on my seat. I took the remote and shuffled through the channels, enjoying the peace and quiet. You see ladies and gentlemen, that day, I did become a teacher; I had taught him a lesson.
But after about ten minutes, I was stripped of my title of a teacher.He rose up and criss crossed the room. He moved slowly. Halfway hurt and halfway mocking me. The duel had just began.
I decided that I had burned enough calories for one day and I would just observe his movements. The Great Teacher does teach us patience and I was willing to put it into use. If he thought that his ‘rising up from the death’ would amaze me, he had another thing coming;shock.
He scaled up the wall with spider’s agility. But his acrobatics didn’t amuse me. It’s obvious that his skills were a complete rip off from Spider Man. This guy was indeed an avid watcher of Your Friendly Neighboorhood Spider-man.
He went on up to that part where the ceiling meets with wall. He stopped a little bit, maybe checking whether I was still looking. Its true, I was watching.I really wanted to see whether he could be able to stand upside down on the ceiling.
He stretched out his leg. I held my breath. Was he really serious that he was going to manage this amazing fete? Was he really going to defy gravity?
The answer is No! Ha-Ha. He fell down just like Humpty Dumpty. And all the King’s horses and all the King’s men thought that he was dead…
He was still alive and well.(Lucky Fella)
He went up the wall once more. The ceiling was his goal. But every time he reached that at that same same spot he had fallen, gravity showed him who was Boss.
Our little guy didn’t give up.This guy was as persistent as a Kenyan athlete.In fact, even as I went to sleep, he was still going up the wall and falling down. It was a rhythmic conquest. Every time he fell, he went up the wall more determined. I was amused.
Now, I’m not so sure whether our little guy reached his goal but he did teach us something. Persistence is key in any event in life.
It guarantees success. But does it work also in prayer?
Paul told the Thessalonians to “pray constantly,” 1st Thessalonians 5:17. As in praying without ceasing; 24/7 ;e’rday, all day.
Christ then went on to teach us about the Parable of the Unjust Judge. We may think that the parable only teaches us about Persistence in prayer. But it also teaches us about another character of God. He is just.
The parable tells us that we can’t nag God with our prayers. He doesn’t answer us because we are constantly on our knees asking about the same thing from January to December. But He answers our prayers cause He is Just.
My friend, we can’t bribe God with our prayers. The key to an answered prayer isn’t necessarily persistence. I’m 100% sure that if you constantly ask for something that isn’t honourable or something that totally you haven’t work for it,God won’t grant it to you.
But maybe, your prayer item might seem honourable enough. In fact, we might even be questioning ourselves,”why isn’t God answering our prayers. He said that he doesn’t sleep or slumber but why isn’t he answering our prayers?”
You are not alone. Also Paul had an issue. He prayed about it 3 times ( that’s persistence) but God’s response was different 2nd Cor 12:1-10. He didn’t remove the thorn but left it so as to bring glory to Himself. He taught him that “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2nd Cor 12:10.
My friends,persistence does not guarantee that we will get what we asked for. But persistence teaches us patience and that in the long end our prayers shall be answered according to His perfect will. Persistence will draw our hearts closer to God’s will. Persistence will make our relationship with God stronger. Constant prayer will grow our faith. (Luke 18:1-8)
That’s just how God Works.
I'mapasserby 
Nice piece on persistence bro. I’m really humbled, keep me in touch with later in blogs. I definitely love!
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I’ll definitely do that. All glory to our Lord 🙂
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I’ll surely do that 🙂 God Bless You
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Great work there Mr. Ngatia
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