The Plantain hawker Week 44, 2016

When I was much younger I used to envy the okpa (locust-bean meal) and plantain hawkers that passed my street. In my view they were having fun; they were free to go to the whole length of Enugu shouting at the top of their voices and calling so much attention. My parents wouldn’t let us out of the house to roam like that, much as we would have loved to!

And so often times I and my siblings would carry things we imagined to be locust-bean meals and plantains on our heads and march round the compound near the fence and shouting, “Buy plantain!” or “Okpa di’oku” (hot locust bean meal). And then I grew up. I understood what it meant to hawk and I no longer envied them, but I pitied them. When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways 1Cor 13:11 (CEV). I understood that life was hard for them and they wouldn’t do that if they had a better choice. Research has it that street hawkers are significantly more victims of physical and sexual abuse in our environment than others.

Now the same goes for our walk with God. We all when we first believed saw the yoke of Christ as burdensome and difficult but Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” Mat 11:29, 30(ESV). As children in Christ, it is difficult to see the yoke of Christ as easy and so we envy the unbelievers. We want to have the freedom they have. To act in whatever way we choose and get away with it. How we need to realise the laws and restraints of God ensure our liberty! I have gained perfect freedom by following your teachings Ps 119:45(CEV)

But the joy is that we do not always remain babes in Christ but we grow into maturity. It is until then we begin to understand that they are lost – these unbelievers we once envied and thought they do anything and get away with it. That they wouldn’t act that way if they had encountered Christ and were shown The Way. How, then, can people call on someone they have not believed? And how can they believe in someone they have not heard about? And how can they hear without someone preaching? Rom 10:14(ISV) 

We are now moved with compassion for their lost souls and for this reason we would not be silent. We would preach Christ Jesus no matter what it looks like to others: for we cannot stop talking about what we've seen and heard Act 4:20(ISV). We will show them love. Knowledge changes everything!

Are you still envying those who are in bondage to sin or have you stopped that and started reaching out to save their souls? Or perhaps are you like the plantain hawker going about with your wares and shouting, a victim of this world and needing salvation? 

 Emmanuella is a student at UNEC

Visitation by dreams Week 43, 2016

It was in November 2013 I started having those dreams. I would see a man beckoning on me to follow him and when I got close he disappeared. I realised he was Prophet Isa: the one the Christians call Jesus Christ. When it happened the third time I was no longer myself but I had decided to follow him. I was a driver in Gombe state at that time and had studied up to a higher institution. My near relation living with me noticed something was happening to me and began asking me what was wrong. I told him about the dreams and he became alarmed. He warned me of the consequences of becoming a Christian; consequences I know only too well. The family members have the duty of killing such a one. When my father got to hear he sent for me and asked me about it. After I told him he asked me the consequence of becoming a Christian. I told him. He said it was good I knew the consequences. You will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time will come when those who kill you will think that by doing this they are serving God Jn 16:2(GNB).

A little later I saw he had gathered a family meeting and realised my life was in danger. The following morning I left for the park not knowing where to flee to. I saw a vehicle headed for Enugu that needed just two passengers and entered it. I had never been there before and knew no one there. When we arrived in the night I chose to stop by the polo park seeing there was a campus next to it. I felt I would get shelter there. I took shelter in the campus and sought to join a nearby church but they were suspicious of me and none of them took me in. When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they all were afraid of him because they wouldn't believe he was a disciple Act 9:26(ISV).  I spent a month eating unripe mangoes and staying on the campus. Eventually I got introduced to a pastor who agreed that I pack in with him. He was staying in one room. To my horror he would be visited by female members of his congregation and would sleep with them. I had to move out any night they came. Two sisters were involved without knowing they were sleeping with the same man. I was tempted to return to Islam. Eventually I left him and to cover up he accused me of stealing his money. In ... dangers of rivers, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from my own race, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers; 2Cor 11:26(EMTV). A bible passage kept popping up to me about that time encouraging me that we must pass through persecution, and I reconnected with the first church. They now told me they had been watching me as I kept coming for programs every month and were now convinced I was genuine. God has brought me to other Muslims like myself in Enugu who have turned to Christ. I now train as a missionary to reach Muslims and intend to return to Gombe with the gospel someday.  I will continue to rescue you from your people and from the gentiles to whom I am sending you Act 26:17(ISV). ‘Abdul’ works with Gospel Across Barriers

The dethroned king week 42, 2016

What a betrayal. Those who I trusted with my business have harmed me.

“Oh dear. What business is this?”

The health industry my dear.

“So what did they do to you?”

My leadership position has been eroded. All my subjects want independence from me. They no longer listen to my voice. Worse I now am afraid when I get into their hands; I feel they would use me for their own ends and not care if I lived or died. In fact the way some of them are going, I may soon be extinct and none of them would notice. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? So why is there no healing for my people? Jer 8:22(ESV) 

“This is what happens when you trust people. Perhaps you should have just done it all alone and not empowered others to help you.”

I really needed the help, and still need it. But I am naturally the king in the health industry. All the professionals rally around me and take their bearing from me. I certified them yet see how they treat me. It is terrible.

“What a pity doctor. What a pity. I have read of what they do to you and your kind. It’s unthinkable. Could that have been done outside here?”

Doctor? I am not a doctor. Can it be you don’t recognise me?

“Ewo! Who are you? I thought you said you are the king of the health industry...”

You see how complete the complete the coup is? Even you don’t know me.

“Sorry o. Are you the administrator, or the nurse...”

Look my friend: stop that. I am the patient; the reason for the health business. It was set up for me not for money or ego. My needs dictated their learning: doctors, nurses, administrators, and the like. Now I am a pawn in their quarrels- each claiming to love me, yet delighting in my helplessness and enforcing it whenever they embark on their industrial actions. Yet I am their fate, and they are me.

“You speak in riddles. You are a patient, they are health workers.”

No one goes to school to become a patient. Anyone can and will be a patient someday. Today I am a patient. Tomorrow they can be the patient and patient relation. What they do to me today, in a tomorrow they will reap it. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Gal 6:7(ISV) 

“Ah don’t curse them. It is unchristian. Bless them now.”

It is not a curse. It is the truth. The immutable law of the universe. How they treat me is how they treat their maker.

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me. Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me Mat 25:34, 36, 40 

Little acts of faithfulness matter Weekk 41, 2016

Ever been discouraged that what you have to offer God is little; so discouraged you actually think there’s no point offering it? Think again. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities Lk 19:17.  If even as little as a cup of cold water is given to the disciple a sure reward comes from God. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward Mt 10:42  Are you a new believer, in your eyes are you a weak believer? Do you have little strength? Hold on in faith. I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name Rev 3:8(KJV) .  Is your faith as little as a mustard seed? Use it and mountains shall move.

You may be poor, and what you have is little, give according to what you have. Do you remember the widow's mite? A poor widow came along and dropped in two little copper coins, worth about a penny. He called his disciples together and said to them, "I tell you that this poor widow put more in the offering box than all the others Mk12:42-43(GNB). It was very little yet was noticed by Jesus and larger than the offerings of the rich. The feeding of 5, 000 and 4, 000 needed little fishes. Andrew actually said “But what are they among so many?” Make sure you hand that little to Jesus.

Even if you are rich and what you have is little; give nonetheless. “Better to sow a little and reap a little than wait endlessly for when you have “enough” to give the fat offering.” I agree. Remember the Shunem woman’s word: Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither 2Kgs 4:10(KJV) 

The labourers in the vineyard in Mt20:6-7 had a little time left - an hour. Yet they gave that one hour even with no discussions about payment (see the modern translations) and got fully rewarded. Is there only an hour of life left for you; only a day of service?  Don’t despise it. Use it fully for Jesus. Little deeds of kindness matter. A pat on the back for a child’s effort, a little word like “Thank you very much”, a little smile, and a little eye contact are big in effect. Have you been praying for the nation, praying for the family? And... at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea... And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down 1Kgs18:44.  Little victories are important. Even those you are asking God to repent take little, little steps to Jesus. By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land Ex 23:30(KJV) 

 What little thing has God put into your heart today? Pray about it now.