After going into the sin of fornication, I was shocked. How could I? I had preached against it!
I had counselled young ones against it! But I did it! When my conscience wouldn’t let me rest, I went to my pastor’s house to tell his wife.
“Sister Debo! Ah, fornication? You? I am really disappointed. Ehn, you saw the red line and still entered it with your eyes wide open, ehn? You need divine purging my sister. Reflect on your sin and tell your God to forgive you. Just stay indoors for 21days please because of our teenage ladies. You know this kind of sin is so contagious. I am not judging you o but those blouses you usually wear sef are always too tight. That must be why you made the fervent brother sef to fall. Ah, sister Debo, and you know hell is real o!…” She continued.
I couldn’t walk pass the gate of their house that day. As each word she said rung in my ears, I fell to the floor in anguish and crawled under a wooden counter if that could be my shelter for the night while I cried deeply as if how much tears I produce would determine my dinner!
I shouldn’t have confessed! I only got killed the more!
TWO DAYS LATER…
There was a knock at my door and it was Sister Agnes, my convert and assistant in church.
“Mama, you weren’t in church…” She was asking when I turned to go to my kitchen briskly. Tears stung my eyes.
“Talk to me mama. Are you sick? Are you having menstrual pain? Is everything fine at home? Have you seen your final year results? Who is…” she kept on asking and when I couldn’t hold it anymore, I faced her, my jaws dancing against each other sadly.
“I am on discipline. I can’t come to church” I said and watched for her reaction. That was all that matter. If everyone including my covert felt I was filthy and ragged and unpresentable, then, what hope did I have again? None!
“Oh my!” She exclaimed and came close to me. She hugged me and started patting my back. The warmth that transferred from her body right into my cold, lifeless chest was thrilling. I burst out crying.
“I was careless. I went to Bro Francis’ place and all we could do was…ah…” I paused and resumed crying as it was too heavy and repulsive for my mouth to announce again.
“Ah! The devil is a bastard o! Ah! He is foolish o! He has failed o” She said, obviously speechless as she patted my back too.
“I was….” I was about saying when she pulled off me and held my hands
“The devil is on a rampage sis. No life in our church will claim that you have not been a blessing to him or her. The prayer points, the Sunday School, the Bible teaching, see how hot your passion for evangelism is my sister. The devil is not happy! He definitely would try to fight the ministry God has placed in your hands” She started in a shaky voice. Soon, tears had gathered in her eyes. I was shocked.
“You have condemned yourself enough dear sis but we would be fighting the wrong battle if we don’t know who the real enemy is” She said and stood up suddenly.
“Sis, repeat after. Rejoice not against me o mine enemy: when I fall, I shall rise! When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me” Micah 7:8. She said, sweating profusely. I stood up and repeated after her.
“God we thank You because Your Power to wash the unclean is still very much alive. We thank You because You are not interested in our falls, rather You care so much about how fast we rise after we have fallen…” she started praying and I couldn’t hold my tears.
Seeing how mature she had become spiritually beat me hands down!
When a good child of God confides in you and talks about deep things especially sins and addictions he/she was involved in, see, he/she had crucified, killed, beaten, accused, cried, condemned himself or herself before deciding to come to you.
When you open your mouth dear elder, deacon, pastor, Women Leader, G.O, church founder, to talk to such, speak L-O-V-E!
Jesus kept quiet as the pharisees recounted the tale of the adulteress. After just a statement, the condemners left and Jesus said in John 8:11 :
“Neither do I condemn thee…” Stop there!
Jesus definitely condemns sin, the adultery and the likes, He condemns them all but she, the woman, she wasn’t condemned! Its been paid in full!
A fall in our Christian journey is almost inevitable. Don’t despise the fall of a toddler, dear elderly Christian because when you become too old and lack strength, you might have to rely on the strength of that child. Galatians 6:1. Why not help the toddler get back to his/her feet. The child would remember your gesture of love forever!
You don’t because the arrow hit one of your comrades on the battlefield start shooting at such for being too careless. You won’t leave he/she behind and continue your own race, no! Instead, you pull him/her up, nurse the wounds, pray for him and continue running and fighting together again! – It could be your turn to be hit to a fall by the arrow!
Be watchful! Correct in love! Condemn the sin! Correct and pray for the weak Christians!
Written By: Lizzy Oyebola Oyekunle
Culled from Deeper Life Bible Church Singles Publication with little formatting and inclusion of befitting title.
