Uche Izuora

South Sudan and the danger of a single story

When I watched and listened to
Chimamanda Adichie‘s presentation (see below), on The Danger of a single story (thanks to
Butch Maltby’s FB post of it two days ago), I thought of Sudan; its peoples,
potentials, the possibilities and of course, the false perspectives largely
generated and fueled by media hype based on both imaginary and real problems of
the now divided Country. Sudan is awash with single stories.

I connected with Chimamanda’s views
immediately on two fronts. First as a Nigerian that makes frequent trips
outside my country and then, as a missionary working cross culturally in a
Nation like South Sudan that’s recovering from the ruins of war. The lessons
from her presentation go beyond the scope of this blog. You may not finish
reading this article but PLEASE listen to Chimamanda’s powerful presentation to
the end.

Most times when people hear I’m a
missionary in Sudan, their immediate reaction is that of shock followed by pity
and they ask-

“Why Sudan?” A question that needs
the tale of many short stories to fully address.

“Oh how’s it there?” (Beautiful, rich and rewarding)

“Are they still
fighting?” (No!)

“Do they understand English?” (Some do…)

“I hear there’s hunger
there.” (In a few places…)

“How’s Darfur?” (It’s
far from my location… I don’t know.”)

“I hear there are killings,
rapes, abductions, genocide and all manner of diseases.” (Yes, just like at home…)

The questions can be as many,
amusing as well as annoying sometimes.

As my ministry enters a new phase
which involves mobilizing young disciples from other Nations to come
alongside me as we engage the harvest in other Nations, the lessons from this
scripture is very instructive.

“Now there was no
iron-worker in all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, For fear the
Hebrews make themselves swords or spears: But all the Israelites had to go to
the Philistines to get their ploughs and blades and axes and hooks made
sharp;” (1Sam 13:19-20)

I’ll be aiming at helping young
people locate their purpose in God’s global agenda while on the trips, deal
with broken parts of their past or present life experiences and guide them as
they find platforms to sharpen their gifts and skills outside their comfort
zones. Chimamanda’s presentation no doubt gives insight for constructive
imagination in cross cultural missions.

Learning of and knowing a people
first hand can never be compared to reading about them, watching them on TV or
hearing stories about them. Though a two or three weeks visit may not give one
the opportunity to fully harness the depths of a people’s culture to make a lasting
impact, but any willing and teachable heart can learn valuable lessons if preconceived
ideas are first laced with grace.

Most news from Sudan over the years
has been bad news and that’s the challenge highlighted by this great rendition.
Bad news is always the news. How will a foreigner know that it’s not
always as bad as the media portrays it or not reported as terrible as it really
is?

Seeing that journalists can’t
always access some places with untold stories of unimaginable pain and poverty
or of great innovation in rural settlements and the triumph of good over evil
occurring in the remotest of places, we make do with whatever we hear or see as
the truth; told by another whose prejudice may unwittingly poison our
perception. A personal trip will always help more than harm, all things considered.

As a disciple of Jesus with the
knowledge of a single story of here or there, you may need to enrich your
perspective with a planned cross cultural trip when you can afford it. Your
life may be radically changed forever. You owe yourself that favor… that adventure.

If you are interested, I recommend
South Sudan to you. Why?

You’ll be contributing towards the
building of the youngest Nation on earth today with Christ kingdom rule as the major goal.

Armed with firsthand information on
this Nation’s immense needs now, you’ll be able to pray with insight, give
purposefully and partner more productively with other ministries.

Why not come alongside us and pay a
visit to South Sudan. Chances are that you’ll be delivered from the danger
of a single story. Enjoy Chimamanda’s presentation.

Dreaming with the dreamers

It’s a joy and a privilege to hang out often, with people whose passion for Jesus is infectious enough to force positive changes. I see in these people a hope that’s healthy and assuring. I see in them, the fulfillment of great dreams that have crystallized into kingdom visions. I see dreamers daring to live and die for something worthy of their Master, Jesus Christ.

Sight is more of what lies bare before us; Vision is what we see lying ahead with the eyes of the spirit but what about dreams? Dreams seem to thrive in the shadows of our hopes and depending on their scope, may only be harnessed by faith when they move from mere ideas to burning irresistible expectations that cannot be achieved without God’s involvement.

What stirs your passion or makes you cry? This question if answered sincerely, could lead you into the crevices of your dream world, that place where you are most alive.

Without sight, our imaginative skills may be sharpened as our sense of smell, touch; earring, and taste could be boosted significantly. But without the ability to dream and dream big, chances are that we’ll eventually lie on our deathbeds wondering what could have been, had we done this or that. Many are stuck at this dreadful spot now, mulling over a past that could have been different if they obeyed that inner voice.

Seth Barnes and a team of dreamers just launched another ministry- Kingdom Dreams. They insist that “We’re dreamers. Just like Edison and Einstein. Just like Madame Curie and MLK. Just like you. We’re frustrated and inspired. We dream of making the world a better place, and of transforming culture. All because of a beating in our hearts that says, “There’s more.” We’re compelled to act. To not only dream but to bring dreams to life...”

A vision is a preferred future, more like the ultimate goal of a dream. It demands change and sometimes, radical ones. It calls for movement, which could be in any direction from top to bottom or bottom-up, depending on Abba’s purpose as He plots every step with care and love. Either way, great dreams like visions, require someone to champion that desired cause. In every generation, God waits for that one man or woman, whose deliberate act of faith will make the invisible God not only visible but also tangible.

Most of us live our whole lives without having an adventure to call our own. What is life without the pursuit of a dream, when there’s One who can outdo our wildest imaginations? Ephesians 3:20

Mubarak returned to his people in the Nuba Mountains after receiving Jesus as Savior. He had a dream.

Now, Kuku in the clip [HERE] is nursing great dreams for Kingdom exploits amongst his vastly Muslim people also in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. His is a journey of tenacious determination and sacrifice fueled by a lively faith. There are many others like him, seeking direction and clarity for their call.

It’s because of disciples like these that our Kingdom dreams for Sudan will outlive us. Why not join us!

Thinking through First Corinthians Thirteen

Much
talk about love this week as Valentine’s Day seemed to have once again forced
some people to think and act in certain “strange” ways. I couldn’t but pause to
wonder, on what First Corinthians Thirteen means to someone in my line of
work, having understood that sacrificial love is not based on a feeling, but a
determined act of the will, a joyful resolve to put the welfare of others above my own.

But
this type of love does not come naturally to humans. We are incapable of producing such love. So, if we are to love as God loves, that
love can only come from its true Source. Is this the same love which “has been
poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us?” (Romans 5:5)

I
ask, because I’m thinking though 1Cor 13… that if I’m able to speak fluently the language of
the people I’m praying to reach with the gospel and even integrate thoroughly
into their culture, but have no love, the impact of my speech and mannerism
are no more for Christ than that of a businessman who comes to exploit the
people.

I
may have the gift of contextualizing God’s word when I deliver it to my
hearers, I may have all knowledge about their customs, I may have the faith needed to
combat witchcraft, raise the dead, heal diseases but if I have no love, I am
nothing.

I
may give everything I have to poor orphans, to hungry widows and homeless
no-bodies, I may even give my life for them, but if I have no love, this does
no good.

Love
is (and not limited to) …restraining
myself long enough till they take advantage of me, thinking in their thought
patterns and dreaming their dreams, caring enough to understand their world
view, listening to their questions, feeling their burdens, respecting them, identifying
with them in their need and belonging to
them.

Love
is eternal.

Cultures pass away. Dynamic equivalents will change because cultures change. Patterns of worship and church administration will need revision from age to
age. Languages will be altered over time. Institutions will be replaced… when men feel they’ve outlived their purpose.

Since
I’m imperfect, I can only study how to express the gospel cross-culturally, trying to free it from my cultural prejudice. I am able to do this only in a
limited way, but I pray that the Holy Spirit will use my life to show Christ to
those within the scope of my vision and mission.

Meanwhile these remain… Identification, Contextualization and Love, BUT THE
GREATEST OF THESE IS STILL LOVE.

Why I lied?

Have you ever listened to someone speak so confidently
or humorously or even seriously, telling what you know to be a lie? Most of us
have, right? Have you done same sometime ago or even recently? Someone has and
another somewhere near you will yet dare before you finish reading this.

Enjoy this illustration first.

One day, while a woodcutter was cutting a branch of a
tree above a river, his axe fell into the river. When he began crying, God
appeared and asked him, “Why are you crying?” The woodcutter told Him
that he had dropped his axe into water. God went down into the water and
reappeared with a golden axe. “Is this your axe?”, God asked. The
woodcutter said “No”. God again went down and came up with a silver
axe. “Is this your axe?”, God asked. The wood cutter said
“No”. God went down again and came up with an iron axe. “Is this
your axe?”, God asked. The wood cutter said “Yes”. God was
pleased with the man’s honesty and gave him all the three axes. The woodcutter
went home happily.

One day while he was walking with his wife along the river, his wife fell into
the river. When he began crying, God appeared and asked him, “Why are you
crying?” “My wife has fallen into water.” God went down into the
water and came up with Jennifer Lopez. “Is this your wife?”, God
asked. “Yes!!!”, he said. God was furious, “YOOOOOU LIAAAAAR!!!
Now I am going to curse you…” The woodcutter quickly said, “Forgive
me My Lord for there is a misunderstanding. If I say “No” to Jennifer
Lopez, you will come up with Catherine Zeta Jones or Madonna. If I also say
“No” to her, you will finally come up with my wife and I will say
“Yes”. Then you will give all the three to me. My life is already very complicated as it is. So that’s why I had to say
“Yes”…

The above is a joke as you well know. But the next is
not. I came away with some important lessons in this my encounter with the police.

Every driver hates a traffic jam. In Lagos, road users
do incredible things on the highway to evade the regular traffic madness.

It was one of those insane days as traffic was
approaching standstill point very quickly and to avoid spending my entire day
behind a steering wheel, I made an illegal left turn into a One Way lane to cut
off the traffic. (This was those days when offenders like me would first be taken to a Psychiatric hospital for checkup before a heavy fine is administered to correct the insanity.)

Immediately, five police men sprang out from hiding
like lions and blocked me. One got into the front seat but before he could say
a word, I smiled, put my hand on his lap and said to him, “Dog no dey chop dog…”
meaning Dogs don’t eat dogs.

The message was clear. He understood it. “You be dog,
you be dog!!??” (Are you a dog) He asked, meaning it literally and looking very
disappointed. As he quietly exited the car, one of his colleagues asked him,
“Who e be?” (That’s, who was I?) “Na
officer” (An Officer) replied the one that checked me out. They all backed down
and I drove away.

What did I do there? I associated myself with those
cops by using their code and got away with it. My reaction to their poise that
day could have won an Oscar. It felt good, and that was the problem.

The feeling should have been that of remorse leading
to repentance because I lied. But no; I felt I’d got me an antidote to police
harassment and couldn’t wait to use it again and again and again… setting
myself up for destruction.

Most people stop or should I say pause when they get
caught. Others stop if God encounters them profoundly. If you wait until you
are caught, your remorse may confuse you because you may wonder if you are
remorseful for breaking God’s law and putting Jesus to shame publicly or just
regretting being caught. But why wait to find out how awkward this feels like, when you could just repent now?

Why did I take that wrong turn? Fear! I
feared that my day was about to end in a traffic mess and that’s not how I
planned it. I must be smart and fix this else, I’ll be a failure.

Then I was caught and I lied. Why did I lie? Fear! I
was afraid of the consequence of my crime.

But my problem
was more than these fears. The fears were just symptoms. The real malady was unbelief,
which is a heart condition. The fear of punishment, of rejection, failure and
shame all stem from a heart charged with doubt.

My lie revealed a lack of trust in God. I couldn’t
believe that He was still in control of that bad traffic situation and can
bring out some good from the experience.

Each lie is traceable to a fear which resides in a
heart that’s struggling to have faith in God.

The truth about lies is that we never tell them in error. Examine yourself. When was the
last time you lied? Why did you lie? Did you repent or did you savor the taste
of a false victory and wished for another opportunity?

Seth Barnes said something about Four kinds of
lairs. I enjoyed the comments more than the blog itself.

5 Lessons from that funeral

As they hauled the casket off the
ambulance, I asked someone to show us a close relative of the dead man. His
brother was pointed out to us and we asked him if we could pray for the dead
man to rise again. I was in company of two younger disciples in Yei, South Sudan.

The elderly man looked at us with
shock written all over his face, waved us towards the casket and
said, “Go ahead, pray.”

Unknown to us, there was a
presiding Priest who was paying close attention to our discussion with the dead
man’s brother. As we approached the casket, which was now being opened for the
relatives’ final viewing and rites, the Priest, armed with a bottle of “holy
water” and a prayer book, raised his hand and said in the local dialect, “We’ve come here to bury
this dead man and not for a prayer meeting. There will be no praying here until we
have finished burying the dead man.”

Annoyed more than surprised, the two young
disciples looked at me and when I said nothing, they wanted to challenge the
Priest. I stopped them.

“Let’s mourn with the family.”

As the lid of the casket was being
nailed back by this Priest and his assistants, each strike was with such ferocity that I wondered
if he personally wanted the man dead or just making a point to us that this is
a finished case.

Burial over, we shared precious
moments with the widow and her two daughters present and headed out.

“What did you learn from
this encounter?” I asked the two guys as we walked home.

“Remember we prayed that God should
grant us opportunity to raise the dead, now it seems we missed our chance.” One said,
still very upset. Guess he felt it was my fault.

Lesson One: God never gives us all we ask for when we ask for it. In fact,
sometimes we don’t understand what we are asking Him. Were we prepared to
engage heaven that evening until the dead man was raised? In retrospect, I don’t think so. I read the
story of Pastor Rago from Mozambique- [Does
God still raise the dead], and that of two African believers- [Has
anyone died today?] and noticed that it could take hours and even days of
praying over a dead body before life returns. But we should be prepared for such moments and look forward to
them.

Lesson Two: The sin of unbelief cripples great faith. Jesus prayed (God prayed
to God) but couldn’t do many mighty works amongst His own people. In fact, their
unbelief shocked Him. (Mk 6:5-6) It was no different here. We met with
religious opposition and had to let the dead bury their dead.

Still wrestling with the
anger and I guess also some measure of humiliation he thought was meted to us there,
the other disciple said, “If we had raised our voice there to tell the people
we wanted to pray for the dead man to rise, they would not refuse; we could have preached first and prayed in the end. I’m sure that man will rise up.”

Lesson Three: Love never insists on its own way and in the absence of their faith, their consent is important. Jesus
often asked, “What do you wish I do for you…” They made it clear we were not
welcomed there. Should we have insisted? Someone said, “I’d rather be a righteous
scoundrel than a religious bigot…” What do you think?

Lesson Four: Take advantage of every scenario for a discipleship tutorial, either
for yourself or for those with you. Jesus always had a lesson to teach with
each encounter. He marveled some people and some others marveled Him as well. Each time, His disciples went away better prepared for their own encounter.

Lesson Five: Not everyone at a funeral may want the deceased brought back to life. But what could God be aiming at with each case? A
huge stone was used to seal-off the tomb where the Lord Jesus was laid. But His
resurrection not only gives impetus to our message, it is The Message!

Jesus therefore commands
us to, “Bring health to the sick. Raise
the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated
generously, so live generously. (Matt 10:8 The Message & my emph)

May
He find you and I doing these.

How Ed our son got saved

As my wife and I drove home in
the early hours of the first day of this New Year from a memorable Watch Night Service at Four
Square Gospel Church Asokoro in Abuja; our sweet chit-chat majored on two
topics that caught our fancy at that moment; aging and our sons.

We both spot gray hairs and they
overtly draw attention to our ages which we joke about a lot. But we amused
ourselves for longer on that drive with the fact that both boys will become
teenagers this decade. We laughed with some measured enthusiasm though,
imagining our life together with the boys in their teens.

Someone said “Mothers of
teenagers know why animals eat their young because raising teenagers in this
age is one of the toughest duties ever.” It’s a full time job for two
people (Mom and Dad) with daily assistance from Jesus; without whom, success is
not guaranteed. Sadly, we have many singles and married sincerely struggling
alone.

“Lord Jesus, may our children
love and serve you more than we ever dared or dreamt may they see enough of
You in us to desire You for themselves” had been our prayers for them even
before they were born.

So, my dear wife called me last
week while I was away in Jos, learning lessons on parenting among others and
said, “Guess what Darl?!”

“What?”

“Ed just gave his life to
Jesus!”

“What happened, how did it
happen?”

The excitement in her voice and my
attempt to visualize the scenario forced tears of joy down my eyes as I
listened to her tell what happened.

While Ed and his younger brother Othniel
were watching cartoons on TV, Mom asked them to change the channel because the
night before, Othniel had a nightmare which she related to the horror cartoons
the children were being exposed to on TV. As Ed flipped through the channels Mom asked him
to stop at TBN.

The movie Escape from
Hell was showing on TBN and it was nearing the end. It was at the point Eric, the star actor, learned the truth about life after death. This part of
the movie touched Ed so much he asked Mom, “Does it mean that if someone
is good they may still go to hell?”

“Yes, unless you are born
again, you’ll not enter the Kingdom of God. Our good deeds are not good enough
for God. Only Jesus’ goodness is good enough for God. That’s why God wants
everyone to receive Jesus and be saved from Hell fire.”

To her surprise, Ed began to cry
and she promptly expounded scriptures to him explaining the meaning of
salvation by faith and grace, as against good works. She ended by
asking, “Do you want to give your life to Jesus now?”

“Yes Mommy.” And they
prayed.

He’ll be 10 in May and that excites
him greatly. But he has no idea how this one decision excites us and has
changed the dynamics of our home and his life. A journey has begun for our son,
one that’s undoubtedly the greatest for all humans.

Isn’t he too young for this? Does he understand what he did? No one can fully understand what they’re doing or why they’ve done it, when surrendering to Jesus. Those who change their minds afterward also don’t understand what they’ve done. As for Ed, he has started well and with
dedicated discipleship, focus and God’s mercies, we’ll all make the finish line with joy.

Please don’t be fooled into
thinking your children are saved because they follow you to church, recite
scriptures and perform some roles on special church programs. Be sure their
words and their life are as neatly set as yours is in Christ.

It can be complicated for them
and calamitous for us if our lives fail to communicate the love and life of the
Savior we claim to follow. The best thing we can give our children is not just
the knowledge of the love of God, but the opportunity to see that love in
action with our lifestyle.

Please pray for that moment
of decision for your children, work towards it and look forward to it. May we or someone that
could help, never miss that moment when it arrives. If you’ve already missed the opportunity to celebrate the salvation of your children before they left home, I sympathize with you. May Abba meet them among the living on His terms in time to come.

Maintaining your best friend

Most of you reading this piece may have someone you
consider close enough to introduce them publicly as “My best friend”.

If your best friend is your spouse, you are certainly
more fortunate than many married couples, if not most. Some couples are welded together
by force or forces, instead of by
love. It’s a tragic reality they’ll live with, until death rescues one from the
other or Jesus returns to claim His Bride and end all marriages.

If you should
ever consider divorce as an option, please think deeply and let your thirst be
quenched at the wellsprings of grace and mercy. “Oh blessed are ye when ya spouse is ya best pally. Ya’ll joyfully reap what ya’ve sown.” Some people have their pets as their “best” friend. They may have seen “hell” in the hands of humans. So I wish them well.

Many pleasant and painful events overlap in time within
friendships such that the fellows freely use best, to qualify their relationship. But some have experienced tragic
twists in what was once a “perfect” mix that suddenly left a broken heart seeking
succor or even vengeance. For them, the onetime best is now the worst and the
way back to the “good old days” is shut forever. But is anything too hard for
God?

Facebook has helped some people discover long lost
friends and start new relationships. I connected with one yesterday. However,
best friends go beyond Facebook. Thank God for the arrival of cell phones but
best friends need more than text messages and phone calls to maintain true fellowship.
These are useful tools but it’s amazing to me that in this communication crazy age,
there are more lonely people and little authentic communication amongst so
called friends.

Join me to
consider five non-negotiable qualities that foster friendships gleaned from studying what David and Jonathan shared, as told in the scriptures from 1Samuel chapters 18 –
20.

“By the time David had finished
reporting to Saul, Jonathan was deeply impressed with David–an immediate bond
was forged between them. He became totally committed to David. From that point
on he would be David’s number-one advocate and friend.” “Jonathan repeated his pledge of
love and friendship for David. He loved David more than his own soul!” (1Sam 18:1, 20:17)

Loyalty makes a best friend stay in
your corner when you feel cornered, crushed, conquered and almost consumed by life’s
challenges. Your error or folly may have messed you up but best friends see
beyond the mess and see God’s mercy and His comforting message. Jonathan foresaw
the Kingdom under David’s control, though it seemed impossible at that time to
actualize but he stuck to his shepherd boy friend.

There’s no authentic sacrifice without deliberate suffering. Best friends consciously
sacrifice precious things to sustain their treasured relationship. One never
feels s/he’s the “host” and the other is a leech. Give and take may not be
50-50 as this CANNOT be appropriately measured; because what we give or get is
not the bases of the relationship.

Love, the unconditional kind must be the
cornerstone. Jonathan visited David in the wilderness when he was hiding from
King Saul. He sacrificed his honor, pleasure, time, safety and right hand seat at the
king’s table for his best friend. Hebrews 13:16 says “Make
sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common
good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of
worship–a different kind of “sacrifice”–that take place in kitchen
and workplace and on the streets.” (The Message) Now if the “others” here refers to everybody around you, how much more a best friend?

Secrets, whether good or bad bind
relationships. The moment friends share information they agree should remain
hidden from others, it yokes them. When that secret(s) seeps out, trust is
broken and the relationship cracks. Best friends share healthy
secrets. Jesus told His three closest friends not to tell anyone what they saw
on that mount of transfiguration and Jonathan knew where to find David when the
entire armies of his father King Saul sort to kill David. Who holds your
secrets? Are they your best friends? God said, “I will not hide from Abraham that which I’m about to do” Gen 18:17. I ponder over one question more than
others on this issue of secrets among friends.

Best friends are sincere
to each other. People are looking for places of refuge, private corners
where they could be themselves with someone that will not only honestly tell
them the truth about what they see or feel but also one that critics them in
love. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are
lavish and deceitful.” (Pro 27:6) Unfortunately, some
people (especially leaders) surround themselves with people that never challenge
them with the truth or correct their wrongs. Like my friend Butch Maltby said,
“Many people who
invite truth resist it when it comes.” Our humility is tested by how well we take correction.

Our humanness and flaws will test our friendships. But
best friends stay consistent and
weather the storms that accompany the choices they make based on their
different perspectives to individual life issues. As they grow, they come to
learn that love suffers long, is truly kind and never fails.

This article is already too long,
so humility, covenant and time
are issues I’ve chosen to feature later.

If your best friend does not know Jesus in a personal
way, reverence Him within the context of your regular fellowship and uphold
these five key virtues; what you are sharing is drying up and soon, someone
will move on.

The Moslem that Christians prefer

I’m in Jos today, connecting with my mentor and seeking Abba’s direction on various life issues. This city is currently on high alert as religious, political and ethnically motivated violence has claimed many lives in the past few weeks. If this uneasy calm persists, a State of Jos could become another adage for uncertainty or alertness of mind and spirit in Nigeria. This city has seen war and most dwellers seem to have unconsciously acquired a war-time mentality.

Islam seems to be experiencing a revival in many parts of the world. Many Moslem youth now take pride in professing their faith with their implicit dress codes and public declarations. This is unsettling their non-Moslem neighbors who consciously or unconsciously define Moslems as terrorists.

What kind of Moslem will you be comfortable with as a Christian? Is he one that doesn’t pray five times daily? One that never questions the truth you proclaim as a follower of Jesus (Prophet Issa)? Is it one that does not feel non-Moslems are infidels? Is he one that publicly condemns the use of arms as legitimate tools for religious expression? One that feels it’s wrong and evil to marry a 13yr old girl? One that believes suicide bombers will go to hell fire? One that feels it’s okay for their children to attend your Sunday school services? One that willingly attends church services and house fellowships because they feel it’s a gathering of good neighbors?

Such Moslems, if they exist, will most certainly be well liked by their Christian neighbors. He’s not a threat to their comfort and peace in any way. But, is he really a Moslem by the standards set out in the Qur’an? I think not.

Hate and intolerance for non conformists to the Islamic faith are necessary ingredients for the advancement of the teachings of Prophet Mohammed. History has shown this to be true. We are currently witnessing an upsurge in violence against Christians in Moslem dominated regions the world over. Should we as Christians be surprised? Certainly not! We have the unique privilege of prophecy that warns us to expect these.

The Lord Jesus Christ was opposed at His home in Nazareth, along the way in Samaria and was finally killed in Jerusalem. He promised His followers to expect similar treatment. Eventually, their persistence prevailed as the gospel spread from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria unto the then Gentile world.

By His life, Jesus revealed how His radically new Kingdom order is effectuated through redemptive suffering love, supremely revealed in His crucifixion and eventual resurrection. What a cosmic harmony— Jesus’ life and the total commitment to love, even one’s enemies! But one cannot live that way without suffering. This is the issue. Are we willing to suffer on account of the cross of Christ in the hands of people who reject the Lordship of Christ? Should there be a limit to how much or how long we can endure?

The irony here is that Christians residing in Islamic strongholds or religious flashpoints tend to be more fervent and devoted, as they are constantly purged and prepared by persecution.

It is this singular fact that excites me the most. Apostle Paul’s recalls their experience in this comment, “We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally–not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead! ” 2Cor 1:9 The Message

Living for Christ’s fame and glory amongst radical Moslems or peoples of other faith is like waiting on death row. Our faith in God is sharpened in such a challenging environment if we wait long enough for Him to turn things around. Could this be what God is working at?

Why do some months and years seem faster?

What makes some days, months or
years seem to run faster than others?
How do you rate 2010 or even last December, speed-wise?

I think the answer lies with one
word- passion.

See how these 4 stages of life help
to explain this.

1.
Doing what you do.

You are stuck with that work but it pays the bills and gives you
a sense of worth. You loath it and desperately wish for an immediate change but
you are stuck there. You finally get another job and soon realize
it’s no different from the last. You are merry-go-rounding, it feels like hell
and the days and weeks that make years seem to stand still. So, at the turn of each
year, there’s nothing significant to show for it.

2.
Doing what you love.

Your life passion connects with this work and you are loving it. But
there’s a big problem; God is absent here and you know it. This is just as
pitiful because you soon realize (if you are sincere) that though it seems life is
good and you are making it, God is far
away. That’s a very scary scenario. Your days and weeks run like crazy and unlike
many, you love Mondays but where is God is the mix? The danger lies in denial, in
deception, in taking God’s perspective for guaranteed, hoping He’ll change His mind
and switch to yours. All may look great now but you are maintaining momentum at your own peril. The night is nearer with each hasty step forward.

3.
Doing what God loves.

Arriving here can take a life time
for many Christians but if or should I say, when you finally get to doing what
God loves, whether you are liking
it or
not, you sooner or later understand the essence of your existence, if you
persevere. But before you move from here to the last stage which is
doing what God loves and you love, you could (for a long time) struggle
with letting God be sovereign by always making your “blessing” and
“profit” of paramount concern, as you do His will. This
creates a tension within that slows down the clock of life. How? People
with a deep obsession for a “successful” outlook in life often have a
pendulum relationship experience
with God and also with people around them.Yes God makes us lay down in
green pastures but the green pasture is not the major thing. Our response to His making within the process is the ultimate thing.

4.
Doing what God loves and you love.

This is the life you and I are
meant to live. Finally, our understanding of Abba’s big picture dawns and
our vision and mission go into a higher new gear, we are totally consumed by
heaven’s hopes and joys. Our days and weeks fly past bearing testimonies of
Kingdom exploits where we spilled blood and sweat. We know what and who we live for. This path has potholes and many things around
us could threaten our drive and passion, but like Uncle Tim Olonade would say, “…men in the nevertheless of God are unstoppable…”

At stages 1, 2 and 3 above, life
could be a drag and very boring for various reasons. We all have limitations; some
constraints we think are unchangeable, that fuel our fears and keep us trapped; issues ranging from
our work which we may hate but can’t quit, habits so ingrained that they seem to define us, to senseless
relationships we treasure that shouldn’t even exist in the first place. All these slow down our days and weeks when
we continue enduring them without the guts to bail out.

It’s a New Year and the usuals for this season are up for consideration;
New Year resolutions, New declarations, New proposals, vision casting with “New Year Names”, budgeting, extended
times of fasting and prayer, etc. These are all good; however, the speed and
splendor of our days, weeks or years depend largely on the magnitude of the passion and actions flowing from our understanding of
what we are made for relative to our present life pursuits. If God’s relentless pursuit among
men does not FILL (I didn’t say fit into) the picture you are painting, you are totally colourless.

Life speeds away towards fulfillment
of divine destiny when we find something greater than our life to live or die
for. This is far more than just being busy with our life’s many concerns which could also make our seasons pass swiftly.

Have you found your place in Abba’s agenda? You have another New Year before you. What must change before you really set sail with the Grand Commander of the Universe?

Just imagining…

This great poem by Rudyard
Kipling was posted here by Seth Barnes recently
and it stuck to me. My adaptation of it on a day like this keeps me imagining what life would be like…

If I can keep my head when all around me
Are losing theirs and blaming it on me;

If I can trust myself when friends and family doubt me,
And I still make allowance for their doubting too;

If I can wait and not be tired of waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, don’t write or talk too wisely;

If I can dream – and not make dreams my master;
If I can think – and not make thoughts my aim;
If I can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;

If I can bear to hear the truth I’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things I gave my life to, broken;
And still I choose to stoop and build them up again with worn-out tools;

If I can force my heart and nerve and sinew
To serve my turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in me
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

If I can talk with crowds and keep my virtue,
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt me;
If all men matter to me, but none too much;

If I can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run –
Then the earth and everything in it would be mine,
What’s more, I’ll be a man and not a child!

If you read the original Poem, you’d notice I omitted this piece:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;

Not just because I don’t know
how to play Pitch-and-toss, but simply because this is hard to imagine let
alone experience. I missed my flight to Abuja last week and I’m still mourning
the fact that I had to buy a brand new ticket at such an exorbitant price to continue my journey.

It’s my birthday today and I’m
wishing these great virtues for me as I move into 2011.

Why not join me?!