Dear Diary, its about God — my Flatmate

May 31, 2024

Today, I finally finished reading the book of Isaiah. What a journey! Now, I’m looking forward to diving into Jeremiah, the prophet known for his lamentations. If these two were around today, I imagine Isaiah would be the eternal optimist, while Jeremiah would be the dramatic one, always seeing the glass half empty or even empty.

The last sixteen chapters of Isaiah were a rollercoaster of emotions and revelations. One passage, Isaiah 54:4, really stood out to me: “Do not be afraid; you will not be disgraced again; you will not be humiliated.” This got me thinking about how these divine promises might play out in a modern context. Therefore, here’s a fragment of my imagination, putting God at the centre of my life as my flatmate.

God – My Flatmate

As a third-year student, I, Olu, often find myself buried under a mountain of research papers and books. My laptop screen is always open with tabs to academic articles that even I cannot keep up with anymore. The pressure of writing my thesis and meeting deadlines is overwhelming. Sometimes, I wonder what the fuss is all about. I mean, why am I so stressed, for God’s sake? The most painful part is that this shouldn’t even be stressful to start with. Nevertheless, my days are filled with stress and worry, but my nights are a little brighter thanks to my unique flatmate—God. His presence in my flat brings comfort and peace.

Yes, I, Olu, an average girl with average problems, have the extraordinary luck (or misfortune, depending on the day) of having God as my flatmate. Yes, the actual Almighty.

This morning, I woke up really early, like I hadn’t really slept at all, dreading the day ahead. So, I shuffled into the kitchen at 3 a.m. and found God. “Morning, God,” I muttered, rubbing my eyes.

“Good morning, Olu!” God replied cheerfully, with the kind of enthusiasm only an eternal being could muster at 3 a.m. If it were one of my other flatmates, I would have glared and said, “What the heck is making you beam today?” But it is God, so it’s okay. In all His glory, God was making breakfast. The heavenly aroma of divine Ewa Agoyin filled the room.

God said with a smile that could light up the darkest day, “I made you midnight breakfast. Don’t worry, I used olive oil today.” Again? I looked at the heavenly spread on the table: Ewa Agoyin ati Agege bread to’tu wa ni pomo ati dodo. “Wow, thanks, God. You know, you don’t have to do this every day at 3 a.m.”

God chuckled. “Nonsense. It’s my pleasure.”

God smiled, radiating an aura that made the room feel like a beautiful Nigerian summer day. “It’s no trouble at all. By the way, you look worried.”

I replied with a sigh, “I don’t know if I can do this. This paper is just… too much.”

He was swift to say, “Remember, ‘Do not be afraid; you will not be disgraced ever again, you will not be humiliated’ (Isaiah 54:4); you’ve got this!”

I groaned. “You and Isaiah. Honestly, sometimes I think you’re more of a motivational speaker than the Almighty.”

“I do try to keep things uplifting,” He said, gazing at me intently as I dipped some Agege bread into the Ewa and scooped into my mouth. Sighing, I said, “I wish I had your confidence.”

God put down the spatula He was using to fry the new set of plantains and turned, His expression gentle. “‘My ways are higher than your ways, Olu’ (Isaiah 55:9). Trust me, I’ve got a good feeling about this.”

I took a deep breath. “Alright, I’ll try to have faith.”

As I was finishing the Ewa on my plate, I got lost, staring at nothing with fresh anxiety through the roof. I said, “But what if I mess up? What if my thesis is not good enough?”

God smiled gently. This time, He sat beside me, His voice soothing and reassuring. “You are not alone in this journey because ‘My love for you will never end’ (Isaiah 54:10). Remember, ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’ (Isaiah 55:9). Trust in Me. I’m here to help you through this. Have faith in the bigger picture.”

“Bigger picture! Eh, God! It’s just so hard to see beyond the immediate stress,” I said, taking a deep breath, trying to let His words sink in.

God nodded, “I understand your struggle. ‘Don’t think that the Lord is too weak to save you or too deaf to hear your call for help’ (Isaiah 59:1). I’ve got your back. I repeat, you’ve got this, Olu. Just take it one step at a time.”

Feeling a flicker of hope with a stomach filled with ewa, dodo ati Agege bread, I said, “Okay o, I’ll try to keep that in mind.”

“Speaking of which, did you notice that new growth in your plant that I just added to your flower pot?”

With my eyes widened, I said, “You mean the one you almost killed abi? Oh no! I can’t keep up with the astronomical reproduction of these plants. You really do not like family planning at all.”

God burst out laughing. “You silly child! A little divine intervention never hurts, so I only touched the succulent,” God said with a wink. “Just try not to kill another one.”

Back to my laptop, you would think I wouldn’t be immediately overwhelmed. As I sat to continue my paper, before the devil could creep in with more doubts, God was there with His affirmation scripts, gently throwing in those powerful reminders, ‘I myself will give you prosperity (Isaiah 54:13)’. “You’re going to do great things, Olu. Just keep going.” I laughed nervously, following with, “It’s easy for you to say. You’re omniscient. Okay, okay. I’ll trust in your higher thoughts.”

As I continued to work, I began to encounter numerous setbacks. My WiFi was not working, my eyes had begun to shake, and my brain started with its buzz—all to just make me quit. Each time, God was there to offer comfort and wisdom. He said, “Who are these gods that make you afraid so that you tell me lies and forget me completely? (Isaiah 57:11). Focus on what truly matters, Olu. Remember your purpose and passion.”

I took another deep breath, feeling a bit more confident. “Alright, here goes nothing.”

Finally, it’s 7 a.m., and I have completed my paper for submission. I am nervous but also filled with a newfound sense of confidence. Before I pressed send, I turned to God, who was watching with a proud smile over my shoulder to confirm if the paper was good to go. He said, “‘You will be called by a new name’ (Isaiah 62:2). Ononorianoriafo, submit it. From today, you are no longer just a student; you are God’s scholar.”

Tears of relief filled my eyes as I said while I hugged God, “I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you, God.”

God hugged me right back, saying, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. I created the whole universe (Isaiah 66:1-2a), so I’m always here for you. Now, let’s celebrate your hard work and faith. But first, you need to sleep before you become impatiently cranky. I know you very well.”

As I tried to get back to bed, God called out, “When you wake up to face the day, don’t forget to shine, Olu! Shine like the sun; my glory is shining on you” (Isaiah 60:1).

The End

Back in reality, as I finished the book of Isaiah, I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of God as the ultimate supportive flatmate. May imagination not finish me. However, with such a powerful presence, even the mundane becomes divine, and every moment is filled with love and encouragement. If nothing else, this exploration of Isaiah has left me with a renewed sense of faith—and a new appreciation for succulents.

Now, onto Jeremiah. Let’s see what lamentations await!

Until next time,

God’s new Flatmate,

Did you read “Do not be afraid” From the Chief Braggist? You can read it here http://oluwatoyosiabikoye.com/do-not-be-afraid/