On my mind...
Was just another Sunday or so it seemed. As teenagers we sat in the teenage/children section of the Church hall for a combined service with the youths and adults. For obvious reasons this section of the Church is not as serene and concentrated as the others. The ushers and teachers need to do some extra work.
Alas our dear Pastor mounted the podium to give the sermon for the day. Such a blessed teacher of God's word, a lover of hymns and one who has a huge heart for young people, amongst other glorious qualities of his. His name Nathan Madeyi.
I don't remember being necessarily interested in things like sermons, but as this very sermon wore on, I became glued to it. It seemed God was talking to me directly, conviction of sins and an intense desire for a new life with Christ Jesus welled up in me.
By the time he was done and extended an invitation to anyone who wishes the enthrone Jesus as their Lord and personal saviour, I was totally convinced I had to respond to the call. My heart longed for a new life, a life called eternal, the life every man born of a woman ought to subscribe to.
So here was the Pastor inviting people to come to the altar. I was totally convinced this was God inviting me, but suddenly two things began to discourage me–
I sat around my friends, they will scoff at me if I arose to walk forward. They will say, why is ths fellow trying to be so serious, in a service that is even an adult service(because that'show we usually see these combined servces).
Our section of the Church was at the extreme end of the Church, facing the altar. How will I begin to walk all the way to the altar? I felt quite timid.
Notwithstanding,the pull in my heart to to come to Jesus won't let me go and overpowered those thoughts above and I stood up and moved out for THE BEST DECISION I have ever made in my whole life.
IT WAS JUNE 12 in the nineties and my dear Pastor, now Bishop Nathan Madeyi led me in prayer to put on Christ and put off the old man. Jesus was born in me! Instantly, a certain peace became domiciled in my heart. ALAS IT WAS NOT JUST ANOTHER SUNDAY!
My blue New Testatement Bible gifted to me in school quickly began to swell. By the way those in Nigeria will remember the Gideon's Bible group that gave free Bible's to everyone they can. That's how I got that Bible.
Somebody still wondering why the swelling? I mean, I was regularly reading it like as if my life depending on it(indeed now I know my life did depend on it). I just daily felt ab urgent to read it and sane urge pushed me to preach to people regularly too. I must just always preach, not because I planned to, it was more like an impulsive action. Now I understand it to mean that the Holy Spirit was the one moving me.
I remember JUNE 12 and I thank Jesus for the salvation of my soul.
Please join me and rejoice to high heavens AND PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRAY FOR ME.
Thanks.
Remain rapturable.