"What saved me"(part 3)

 After dinner, we stayed in the parlor and talked about school life, we talked for over 3 hours, during that period, we talked about what the future would hold for each of us and he said something that never left me. 

"I might be perplexed on every side but never crushed". It sounded so strange but nice, I wondered if Shakespeare had a new book I never heard about. I asked him what he meant by that

"Oh, it's just a boast I make in Christ" he laughed

"Why and how do you do that?"

"I have the authority too, I make boasts in Christ Jesus.

"Wait, for what I was confused. "How would you boast in someone you are supposed to be afraid of, Kunle?"

"We are not supposed to be scared but be joyous always because God is not out to get us but has shown us his lavish grace"

"And how does he show his 'lavish grace?" I shot back

"His grace is lavish, chill, I'll show you but his primary way was sending his son to die for every one of us."

Even me? Before I could voice out my question, he had brought out a big book. Well, the bible looked as if he was ready to strike me with a bunch of words from it. Normally I would have changed the topic but now I felt restrained and not willing to.

He continued and read where he referred to as John 3:16 and Romans 5:8

"We see God's love in Him sending His son to die for our sins. Many people know that Jesus died but don't know the benefits and why.

"So why did he die?"

"He died so that we would be free from sin which brings guilt, and that he would break the barrier that restricts us from communicating with God, and also after our life on earth, we will spend eternity with God"

"But God doesn't communicate with me"

" That's because you haven't believed and accepted Him yet"

"So that's all it takes, it's that simple?"

"Yes it is, whosoever believes in Him, remember?"

" What if I sin?"

" The death of Jesus made sin lose power over us, sin isn't your master so with constant renewal of your mind and the help of the Holy Spirit you can overcome sin and know you are forgiven already"

"So even when I cursed him and blamed him for everything that happened in my family, he would still take me back?

" Yea he would, the devil will always try to destroy things around you and bring bad circumstances but God has overcome the world for us and no matter what happens He gives peace"

Wow, Kunle has struck me so deep, these were the same things Chidi always tried to tell me, but before he even got deep I always cut him off. I wish I had listened.

Kunle continued "So all you have to do is believe in your heart that He died for you to live forever in Him, and confess with your mouth that he is Lord, I guess you could do that when you get back to the room.

I'm so happy I finally got to share this with you, how come you never heard about it?"

I answered "nobody ever put it this way, they always focused on how I backslid, but my friend, Chidi always tried. I have never seen God in this light before"

"Well, he is the reason we are all celebrating"

"You mean easter?" I was a bit confused.

"Yes Easter! We celebrate His death and his resurrection, how he made death have no power over us, and how it guarantees us eternal life".

We both said our good nights, he was smiling so widely.

 I went back to my room and thought about all that Kunle said, I took the bible on the dresser and checked all the bible verses he wrote on a paper for me, so many verses which included; Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 8:38-39, 10:9-10, 1john 3:16, John 15:13, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 1:3-14, Acts 16:30-31, Titus 3:5.

They were all so much to read for me but I surprisingly had the strength to read them all. I never saw the gospel in this manner. It was like a veil was lifted off my face, all the things I had heard the Christians in my school say, began to make sense.

I began to pray about how I had learnt in primary school, I had already believed and so I confessed it, Romans 10:9-10 gave me much confidence to do so. And that was it. That was what saved me. 

Three years later, I'm seated in my local church which has helped me grow so much, I found my purpose, it was in knowing God and making Him known. Now in a meeting with the drama president. It was Easter season again and we had to give ideas on what play should be enacted and I had just the right idea.

 The End.