Sunday 4th November 2018 Morning Prayer Devotion
Scripture Reading:- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Topic:- At Last He Missed It [2]
Text:- 1 Thessalonians 4:16
By now, my heart was heavy and I could not explain a certain fear that clinged to my heart. To remove all doubts, I approached one of our My brethen. He held his very wet handkerchief to his face as he tried to stop the infinitely-flowing tears. Then he heaved so deeply I thought I heard his lungs relax.
‘Bro Victor…’ sobs. ‘…we are lost. Rapture has happened. We are doomed for life.
Though I knew all along this would be the news, hearing it with my ears broke my heart. I mean I felt it in my heart.
My heart sank, ached and broke. I staggered and almost lost balance as I moved backwards, trying to hide from the weight of the news; trying to escape from the impending doom, the usher pronounced.
But he wasn’t done. The usher released all the pent up tears of anguish and pain he has bravely been holding back and cried with all his might.
All I could make out from his voice was ‘God, Please. God, Please’. He said it over and over again amidst sobs and
cries.
As if to really show he was really desperate, Bro Paul threw himself on the ground and prostrated full with his two hands clasped and his eyes looking to the heavens.
He begged God again and again, asking for mercy and pleading for another chance.
He cried and wept continously and when he couldn’t say anymore, he just lied there and
cried.
By now, I had managed to sit down on a bench placed behind the church as I looked around in unbelief. I didn’t shout or cry at first. I just sat there looking around with tears already blocking my visions. My nose became clogged with phlegm and my throat was dry.
With tears flowing down my cheek, I raised my hand to my mouth as I tried to hold myself from weeping. But it did no good.
I cried, cried and cried quietly, still with my hand holding back my mouth from releasing. my voice with the pain and regrets it held.
Many thoughts crossed my mind- the fire of hell, the great tribulation, the suffering that awaits and many others but only one stayed.
I realized I would be alone in the world now. My mom would be gone. My dad would be gone. All my sisters and brothers would be gone. While only I remained just because I found pleasure in sin.
The sudden loneliness this realization brought to my heart crushed it forever. I dropped my hands from my mouth and cried.
Oh! I cried like I never did. I wept and called out to God to forgive me but even I knew I was lost forever. Had I know! Had I know!’ The thought tortured me.
Liquids dropped from my nostrils and tears from my eyes, a heavy ache hammered at my chest as I cried again and asked to be forgiven of all my sins but even then I knew there is no respite for me. In the blur of my vision, I saw the Sister-Chorister still kneeling and recognized her voice as she sang that hymn of warning we always sang in our Church.
With her broken voice, sobs and tears between the words of the song, she added more pain to my already damned soul. The song had no melody this time, just sorrow.
I stopped my ears with my hands and refused to hear more but the lyrics taunted me still. I knew all my prayers were useless but I anguished and cried to God more loudly.
It was in the middle of this other round of hopeless tears and prayers that I laid my head on the table and slept for sorrow.
When I woke up, I was on my bed, back in my room. My pillow and cover-cloth were soaked in my
own tears. Though I wasn’t wearing any clothes, I was covered in sweat. I searched for my phone and glanced at the
clock. It was 4.22am.
I had barely slept for three hours. I realized It was all a dream but the relief that
filled my heart was swiftly replaced with a great fear.
I stood up from my bed and looked around but nothing seemed out of place. I saw my roommate still sleeping with earphones still plugged to his ears.
I looked outside and saw it was indeed darkest in the dawn. Having made sure I was still safe and not lost yet, I knelt beside my bed, used my pillow to cover my mouth and cried in desperate prayers.
I prayed to be saved before it is too late. I knelt that way, weeping and asking God for mercy until I slept off.
And indeed when I woke and looked at my time, it was 8:12am and I was late for church.
Prayer Point-
1. Oh Lord God, 1 will not missed Your 2 coming, in the name of Jesus Christ.
2. Oh Lord God, rain upon me, Your morning rain, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Happy Lord’s Day!
