Wondering where to go from there, the future looked bleak. On a fateful Monday evening after lectures, my friend and I retired to our hall of residence. We noticed something unusual: the campus was eerily quiet, devoid of its usual hustle and bustle. Had the rapture taken place? I wondered.
My friend chimed in, “There’s a new fellowship on campus that everyone, even the elites, are flocking to.”
“Really?” I exclaimed. On impulse, I said, “Let’s go there and see what’s happening!”
Like Moses before the burning bush, saying to himself, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” I entered the packed auditorium to an electrifying worship session. The atmosphere was charged with music, hearts overflowing with joy and adoration as everyone worshiped and danced before the Being I didn’t yet know.
I saw young and vibrant schoolmates who had found something new, something beyond their wealthy backgrounds. The electrifying atmosphere swept me away. I loved it. I wanted to know the source of this joy.
Enraptured
Enraptured by everything happening in the auditorium, I watched as the preacher took the stage and began to proclaim the goodness, mercy, and forgiveness of the Most High. He preached on how Messiah, the Lord Jesus, admonished us to come to Him and lay our heavy burdens and yokes at His feet. To lay at His feet the yoke of unforgiveness we harbor for those who have hurt us—friends, family, and even ‘enemies’.
I was consumed by the compassion in his message. My life flashed before my eyes. I can let go! I can forgive him! I said to myself. With tears of hurt rolling down my cheeks, I saw myself deep inside my heart walking towards the One who looked like the Son of Man (Jesus). Maybe I just imagined it. I laid down and said, “Lord Jesus, take all the hurt away from my heart. I forgive him. Forgive me, Lord. Cleanse me from my sin. I accept You today to carry my burden for me.”
Before I could finish my innermost conversation, the preacher’s voice drew me out. “Come to the Lord!” he cried. “Accept Him into your heart! If you want Him now, stand up on your feet and accept Him!”
Great light shone in my heart. I was in the dark, in the valley of death, in the mirage of eternal damnation. Sobbing and crying, I accepted a New Life as a payment for my misery. The darkness vanished. Light engulfed me. What has happened? My course mate was right beside me. He couldn’t understand what was going on with me. He exclaimed, “I’m happy for you!” Whatever that meant, I cared less. I found a new Life and I was ready to cherish it.
I knew from that day forward that something beyond human comprehension had occurred to me.
That was many years ago.
For many of us, I’m sure we can all remember how we came to the Lord in those days. It was phenomenal. We sensed the Lord’s hand touching us, drawing us to Him. He did.
In Nigeria, we can refer to the 1990s as the great revival of Christianity. The Lord brought a multitude of people into His kingdom. We all saw it. It was massive.
Like Andrew calling Peter to come and see the Messiah, many called their friends to come and see the revival sweeping the land. Many met the Lord. The Lord’s power swept through the land, bringing in the low and the mighty, the poor and the rich, the learned and the unlearned. The Lord was and is no respecter of people. He called the poor and the rich.
He gave gifts to many. Many as pastors, evangelists, teachers, apostles, and prophets. With His gifts, His Spirit empowered many to function. The power of God was mighty and remains so to this day. His goodness washed over us all. And it’s still sweeping through us.
Lifetime friendships were formed. Great joy filled people’s hearts.
30 years had passed, and the Lord reminded me of a title of one of the messages preached in those days: Remember Lot’s wife. I can’t remember everything in the message but the title is still relevant to us today.
Lot’s wife
The Lord Jesus was not physically on earth in the days of Abraham and Lot. But He echoed that profound statement in Luke 17:32, “Remember Lot’s wife.”
Let’s talk a little bit about Abraham. He was known as the father of faith. He believed in God against all odds. He was a man who walked with God, and his fear was upon his neighbors because of His God. He prospered so much that he became extremely wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold (Genesis 13:2).
Despite his wealth and connections, he never departed from the Lord. Though there were no ten commandments in his day, he kept his heart and faith in God. The world in which he lived was very corrupt and immoral as our days, to the extent that a king was plotting to commit immorality with his wife, Sarah. But God stopped him short in his evil ways.
Abraham loved God. The Lord’s fear stayed in his face until he died of old age. But at the same time, there was Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Lot grew up with Abraham. He must have seen Abraham’s devotion to the Lord of heavens and earth. He must have seen Abraham’s faith in God and his commitment to the invisible God.
A time came that Lot and his household had to separate from Abraham due to strife between his herdsmen and Abraham’s. He did, and he made his way towards Sodom and Gomorrah.
Years later, the city became so engulfed in immorality that it faced judgment.
The interesting thing was that Lot never partook of the sins of the land. His assailants, when angels of the Lord appeared to warn him of imminent judgment on the city, made a profound statement about him in Genesis 19:9.
“And they said (to Lot), “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door.” Genesis 19:9.
Fast forward: God pulled Lot and his family out of the city before it went up in flames. But the sad event took place when Lot’s wife looked back, as the angel of the Lord told them to flee and not look back. Genesis 19:17.
However, Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt! What a sad story!
About 400 years later, the Lord Jesus arrived at the scene of life to redeem mankind before God. In one of His teachings. In Luke 17:20–21, the Pharisees asked him,
“When the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21.
The Lord Jesus continued, as recorded in Luke 17:28–30,
28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”
And in verse 32 of Luke 17, the Lord Jesus said, “Remember Lot’s wife.”
He was telling us about His coming back, and He warned us to remember Lot’s wife’s incident. How she didn’t make it to the next phase of life. How she got judged for her disobedience.
Where are you?
To many of us that started many years ago, as far as the revival days in the 90s, or even in recent times, my question for you is: Where are you in the Lord? How has it been with you? Are you still keeping the Lord before your eyes? Or has life’s hustle and bustle reduced the intensity? Are you still on fire for God, or for the things of the world?
Where are you? I know you may say it is difficult (humanly speaking) to keep up the tempo. I feel you. But nothing is impossible with God. It is time to go back to your old love. It is time to remember how you used to burn for God. When it’s only His desire that can satisfy your heart.
You had desired to settle in life, and now you are. You had desired to be prominent; now you are. You had desired to be what you wanted, and now you are. What about His desire? What about His love for you? What about that thing He called you into thirty years ago? Or even recently. What about His work? What about those things He asked you to give up many years ago? The lifestyle and the friendship that draw you away from Him. You won’t be alone in this.
Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, made a u-turn in his life at some point. He wasn’t with Jesus at the beginning. He knew so much about Jesus that he sensed it’s time for him to make up with His Maker and the Lord Jesus. He had become so rich in an unjust way. But the Lord Jesus never judges anyone. Even now, He won’t judge you. But He will show you so much love to bring you back to Him.
In Luke 19: 4-9
“Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” 8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Zacchaues met the Lord. He repented of his sins. He received the free gift of salvation. This demonstrated the amazing love of Christ for us. No matter where we are in life, we can come back to Him. We can always ask Him to restore us.
No matter how bad things have gone, He still restores people. You may say, You don’t understand. Things have really turned bad. Where do I start? Never say never, as the saying goes.
Hebrews 10:39 (Christian Standard Bible version) says, “But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved.”
That’s who you are. You are not one of those who draw back and are destroyed. You should not be like Lot’s wife. You are to learn from her mistake and never perish. The Lord Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.
That is God’s kind of life. The life that never dies. Even if we die physically here on earth, our spirit and soul will live forever with Him. His life keeps us alive eternally.
Zacchaues desired to meet the Lord in his heart. He was determined to make a change in his lifestyle. He determined. He went to the Lord. The Lord Jesus heard him out and restored him.
The depth of His love is unfathomable! Oh, you can’t determine the depth or breadth of His love. Like Paul, you can pray to yourself Ephesians 3:17–19.
“that Christ may dwell in my hearts through faith; that I, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that I may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Pray it with all sincerity to yourself. Don’t look at the sins and how unworthy you may be to approach Him now. Look unto Jesus. Tell Him:
Father, In Jesus’ name, I come to you. I’m sorry for everything I have done. I know I have walked away from you many times. I know I have abandoned the purpose for a while. I know I have done things that I’m not proud of before. But I know there is love in You. I desire to transform into the person you envision for me. I ask that you forgive me and restore me to Your plan and purpose. Strengthen me to stand and begin to learn, to study Your words, and to pray to You again. Give me strength to reject the lifestyle that you reject and keep me holy like You. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!
Glory be to God! I will advise you to read more by clicking any of the links below on knowing the Father and building yourself in God:
He revealed Himself
Didn’t end there
You are not doomed
Do you believe God
No One Like You
Are You Alive Series?
Dead the Noise
Not Transactional
Forget Not
Who Do You Worship
Love Not
Or click here to read more inspiring posts.
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