Sunday 11 June 2017

Encounter with the police Week 24, 2017



I am uncomfortable with the police, any police at all, because of the experiences I have had with them. I frequently pray against disturbance when embarking on a journey. I ask for deliverance from accidents, breakdowns and unreasonable wicked men (in and out of uniform). But over ten years ago we had an encounter that changed my perception. We were returning from Gboko to Enugu on a Saturday evening when our red Datsun bluebird stopped us on the road. I managed to park the car off the road and we prayed for mercy. We were around Ugbokolo and the road was lonely. So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help Heb 4:16(CEV). A police vehicle approached us from the opposite side and one of them inquired why we had stopped. Upon hearing our plight and seeing it was an electrical problem they offered to take my wife into town to find an electrician while I waited. Police!
Whilst they were gone I waited by the car and after a while a trailer driver stopped by to find out what the matter was. I told him and he inspected the car. There were other trailers coming behind him (they appeared to be in a convoy). Having identified the alternator rod that was faulty he checked with the other drivers and as God arranged it, found the right rod and proceeded to replace it. Before he finished the police returned with my wife – and an electrician bearing a charged battery! Not only had they taken her to town, when she was to get the electrician they offered to pay her motorcycle fare. Police – Nigerian police! Having assisted her locate an electrician they reasoned darkness would soon fall and took her in their vehicle back to our car, along with the electrician.
When in the vehicle they were singing in another language, my wife inquired of its meaning. Having told her she asked if they were Christians, born again Christians, and they smiled. “We are disciples” she was told. Their leader was in charge of the bomb squad in Enugu. My wife joyfully let them know we were also born again. They exhorted us to hold firm to Jesus, not to waste the love of Christ which made God move strangers to help us on such a lonely road, and left on their way. The trailer man refused to collect any payment on completing the repairs and left. We took back the electrician after our car started, dropped him off at Ugbokolo, paid him and drove to Enugu without further incident. A light shines in the darkness for the upright, for the one who is gracious, compassionate, and justPs 112:4(ISV).
In the course of time this saint of a policeman had need to come to UNTH for some investigations regarding his blood sugar and met with my wife again. He was a real flesh and blood human being and not an angelic visitor! Having completed his course and run his race he has since gone home to his reward at the feet of Jesus.
But what is God's reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace Rom 11:4-5(ESV).

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