Saturday 7th March 2020 Devotion
Scripture:- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28
Topic:- Give Thanks Always
Text:- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Years ago I visited a former classmate of mine in Lagos. She was so excited hearing that I was writing for Hints magazine.
One evening, she copied my phone number from my column on Thrills and Boom and called me. “Hey Japheth, how far?” she greeted. “Do you know who is speaking?” Of course I didn’t.
When she mentioned her name, I screamed. She was among the prettiest adolescents in my class in those days. I was not shocked when we heard that she had got married at seventeen. Her beauty was quite infectious. Her good manners and laughter too!
“Long time..” She laughed at the other end. “Yes o, I heard you are now with Hints. Someone bought a copy and gave me to read and I found your number in it.” “Yes,”
“Oh Japheth I am so happy for you o. I remember when you used to write on sheets of paper for us to read in school. So you carried this habit to this level. I am really happy and proud of you honestly.”
We talked for a longer period and she told me where she lived in Ajegunle. She explained how I could find her in the event that I happened to be around the place. “I will definitely find you,” I promised her.
From the way she sounded, it was quite obvious that she thought of me as one ‘big boy.’ Of course it had to be because at that time working with Hints came with so much reverence as every adult in those days loved to read the magazine.
Not long after that phone call, I found myself in Ajegunle to see an uncle of mine and as I made it back home, it pricked me to see my classmate. She was ecstatic when she heard I was around.
Quickly she gave me the description of her place on the phone and in no time I was there at her place. I had a picture of her in my head with the feeling that she must have grown into a mother bee; bigger in size and everything. But I was shocked at what I saw.
No, she was not big in size. She was not big in ‘everything’. She was poor and somewhat submissive to a fault. However, I was glad when I came and saw her busy attending to a few customers who came to buy food stuff from her.
And she was forever smiling even though time and the devil had robbed her of many things including a shade of her beauty. She was no longer the pretty adolescent that I used to know. She was lean and covered in rags.
I was not happy within me to see her the way I met her. She led me into the house where I found old and patched furniture with glaring stroke of poverty written all over them. The only thing that was warm about the reception I got there was her smiles. She was poor but it did not affect her mood.
She quickly removed some dirty laundry from a couch and made me to sit on it. “What can I offer you Japheth,” she said smiling. “Nothing,” I shook my head but she left and returned with a bottle of Fanta. “Please give me a few minutes.” She implored and disappeared.
And just as I was opening the soft drink, a boy of about four years old sauntered in carrying a very dirty sup in his hand. He looked like he had just been rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building. I knew he was one of my classmate’s children.
I was in a program on Saturday, while sitting, a guy walked in with his sister holding his hands. They walked passed me and sat in the front, after awhile the sister left maybe to get something or what, I don’t know. I don’t understand what came over me and I left my seat and went to sit with him. I never knew he was blind.
Immediately I sat close to him, he said Ola are you back? I smiled and said no this not Ola, I am a friend, can I keep you company before she returns? He said yes, he asked me my name and I told him.
While we were talking he made a statement that brought tears to my eyes. He said he wished he could see who is talking to him. A tear dropped from my eyes as I couldn’t hold back the tears.
I asked him how he became blind, he said he was blind from birth. He never saw what the world looks like he doesn’t know what his mom, dad and siblings look like, he said he wished God could give him back his sight and he went on and on. I had to excuse myself because I couldn’t hold back my tears.
After the program I went home and was crying, asking God to forgive me. l have been an ungrateful being. I always complain of the things He hasn’t done for me. After my encounter with that young man, I changed my prayer to Thanksgiving.
So many of us don’t know what God has done for us. That you can see is by His grace, you can walk is by His Mercy, you can do anything without any body coming to help you is by His love. If you don’t have anything to thank Him for, thank Him for your life and all parts of your body.
Prayer Point:- Oh Lord God, help to thank You always henceforth, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Have A Blessed Saturday!
