FAITH THAT THRILLS

And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.—Acts: 10:42:

To an honest yet exceedingly wealthy man, it’s an offense just to doubt him honoring his own voluntary, solemn pledge of furnishing you with money for a bicycle. Firstly, he hasn’t been asked to pledge but he’s done it out of the abundance of his kind heart. Again, he’s not one to be associated with financial inadequacy; he has the bucks in plenty.

What more throbbing and insulting is it always to our loving and caring Almighty God when we doubt Him honoring His own promises for His children! Do we doubt that, “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it”? (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

And for this, I like the Word of God. It’s never a question of how compelling we are to share it; lest we forget this: in itself it is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

While serving as a teacher at one secondary school in Lilongwe in 2012 I was privileged to patron a student-Christian body. We met on Wednesdays. On one dazzling afternoon, we assembled, as usual. Just before that day’s minister was about to commence, a stranger stood by the entrance door.

So drunk he was, in a blue jean trousers and t-shirt, with opaque goggles, and earrings. He made himself forcefully knock, and waited for an answer. None had offered to treat him. The students, perplexed by his sight, saw to it just to leave him there, unattended to. I approved for the stranger’s coming in, and he did.

The stranger, in his evening twenties, waited for no particulars on him addressing (or narrating to?) the convened members. For a number of times he stood to interrupt the preacher that a question he had be heard. The preacher chose to wind up for the sake of him. And finally the floor was all his.

“I have a question for you all. I’ve always had it, and I want you to tell me,” started the stranger. “I’m an assistant truck driver. I travel to different countries like Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. I do all sorts of things like womanizing, drinking, smoking and what have you. But my question is one. What can stop me from doing all these? What can really stop me from all this? I demand your answer on this.” Having gone that far, he had his case rested.

All along in the course of this narration, he could stagger here and stop there, with alcohol written all over him.

To us the listeners, who were all instinctively made attentive, bringing him an answer so satisfactory wouldn’t be trouble-free. And, unlike others who normally ask and sit back to wait for a response, he remained up on his feet. A scary sight, for sure.

None proffered oneself to respond to the stranger. It appeared he had taken the people present by surprise, and therefore left them a bit puzzled. There was need for one to offer him a response.

I went up front, only believing in the power of the One who promised, for He’s ever faithful.

I hastened to acknowledge to the stranger that nothing, let alone no one, could change him, except Jesus Christ, the Lord of all. Then I had him told that we’d pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ the Savior for him to be changed.

What followed remains so ineffably Spirit-led.

A worship song was started. Praise hymns sang. Prayers made. The glory of God is surely not absent where showers of praise are earnestly offered to Him. Paul and Silas when once in shackles tasted this. (Acts 16:25-26)

With no single admonition the stranger was found in front, on his knees. His goggles were down on the floor, earrings removed, his hands raised, with rivers of tears flowing down his yielding face.

With one spirit the stranger was surrounded. We laid our hands on and prayed for the young man. He confessed and denounced his tainted past. And behold, all the drunkenness he had come with was all gone; he was now a sane man, free from staggering. He gave his life to Christ, the King of kings.

He snatched those earrings from his ears with deep regretting moans. He regretted his wasted past in ‘Egypt’. As he knelt and kept sobbing it was evident that he couldn’t believe that it was him. Neither could he understand the convicting power at work then. It was the Holy Spirit at work.

That’s what the saving power of God does amongst repentant hearts that trust in Him. Disciples’ faith ought to be unwavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (James 1:6)

It’s the unwavering faith in God in the unfailing name of His Son, Jesus Christ that works wonders in the lives of believers. Such is never limited to how lost one is, how fatal a disease has ever been, and how deep the ocean of difficulties is: it sees no boundaries of human incapability.