Night journeys are always faster and with no delays. I checked my wristwatch when I got to the car park and it was 7pm. I did all the necessary registrations and payments and I joined the next car going to my destination.
There was a man sitting next to the driver’s seat already, so I simply hopped into the back seat and not too long after, a woman came around with a teenage girl and a male toddler.
They all joined me in the back side of the car, I greeted the woman but didn’t get a reply and the journey began.
She was looking so sad and heaving sighs as we continued the journey and her children didn’t even look any better as there were wounds and bruises on some parts of their bodies I could see.
Some long distance into the journey,we all didn’t say a word to one another. Then, the driver increased the volume of the car radio.
“What we have on our table tonight is this heartbreaking story of an innocent woman murdered in cold blood by her husband simply because she came in late from work” came the feminine voice of the radio presenter.
At this, the sighing woman in the car gave a very long hiss and said “Disgusting sons of the devil, Daniel wants me to wait till he kills me too, never!!”
I looked at her not understanding a thing.
“Madam please calm down alright, don’t let any man cause you a heart attack okay?. I have heard your sighs from here since we began this journey. Do you mind talking about it? ” the man sitting next to the driver asked.
“Are you not all the same??? I married him because he said he’s a pastor and knows God. He made me believe he would always love me and my children. But look what i got, he’s been abusing my daughter and beating my son at every slightest opportunity he gets. And he almost killed me today because I questioned him about his wrong acts.
Never again will any man deceive me. Never!!!”
In response to this, the man looked back and said; Madam, take it easy. My name is Mr Desmond and my wife works with the Human rights office. That man must answer to the law.They go about claiming godly, yet they are full of evil.”
He took out a small card from his pocket and stretched it out to her.
“Here’s my card, you can call me or come to my office when you are ready”. She took it reluctantly.
The driver spoke for the first time saying; “Pastor you say?, I put it to you, the day you get your hands and mind off religion or beliefs, is the day you begin to have peace”.
I felt a urge to preach to him there and then and tell him that true peace is found in Christ,but I ignored. I was too busy trying to think of the punishment that man deserves as I looked at the fragile innocent girl again.
Not only has he disgraced men but also given unbelievers a chance to speak bad of God.
Then I started questioning myself too.
What will happen to me when I get married? Can I ever turn out to be like him?
Will I be able to stay Faithful?
Can I ever fall into the sin of sexual immorality?
What will become of me when I have a family and begin the ministry the Lord has instructed me about?
Still in my confused state and meditating on what I just heard, I noticed our car slowing down to stop.
I looked up at the driver to know the reason and I saw three men with big guns.
“Jesus!!!” I shouted..
We were pulled out of the car in the middle of a place I didn’t know, everywhere was dark and the very few vehicles passing by us were on very high speeds.
We were made to kneel and one of the men said “We are not ready to waste time here, give us what you have and you might be able to save yourself”
Our driver looked at the man, laughed and said, “Why deceive us when we all know we are in for death?”
“Kpa kpa kpa!” was the sound and the driver fell dead. I bowed my head and closed my ears in fear…
“We are not here to waste time” another said in a voice that’s enough to paralyse an old woman.
Mr Desmond dropped all he had on him, his phones, wristwatch, suitcase and all..
As one of them pointed his gun to the only woman amongst us, i heard her say “You can have my daughter, but please don’t hurt my son and I”.
“Mummy, why do you hate me this much??? why??” the teenage girl said weakly and in tears…
The men laughed and said, you really don’t know the truth until one is at the point of death.
“Hey you!! Young Man! What do you have???
And with my voice trembling, I said “I have Jesus, I have Jesus”
The one who asked me couldn’t control his laughter, “what do I do with that!!!”
“Wait! bring him closer”, the biggest and obviously the highest of the three instructed.
He pulled me up to his face with my shirt, looked at me sternly and said “Will you deny your Jesus and keep your life or stick with him and die?!!!!
I could felt urine flowing down my thighs and soaking my trousers.
“Victor!, What’s this on the bed?
I jumped up at the sound of my brother’s voice, still shaking.
It was a dream..
A night Journey in a night’s journey.
END NOTES
Four important messages we will pick from this short story.
1. “He told me he is a pastor, and that’s why I married him”.
My dear singles out there, before we say yes to that brother/sister let us be sure that he/she is truly a Christian. Don’t believe what he/she is saying or has said but ensure you know what it really is.
Is he spiritual or just claiming spirituality?
Is she a true Christian or just covering immorality with long gowns and flowing skirt?
And the best way to know the true nature of a man and even the hidden parts, is by going to the one who knows all about all men, our Lord God Almighty and all-knowing.
2. “I felt a urge to preach to him there and then and tell him that true peace is found in Christ,but I ignored”
Many times we are prompted to share the Gospel but some reasons sometimes distract us from doing this, some other things discourage us and at the end we have lost an opportunity to win a soul.
No matter how hard it might seem, if there’s an instruction to share the Gospel, please do..Who knows? That day might be their last on Earth.
3.”Mummy, why do you hate me this much??? why??”
Many times, victims of abuse are treated as trash and not always wanted.
The heartbreak, physical pains and psychological trauma they undergo should not be multiplied by harsh reactions from friends and family.
We are to help them by showing them love and take away the pain by praying with them.
4. And the last line we will be talking about here is “Will you deny your Jesus and keep your life or stick with him and die?!”.
Many of us haven’t been in this exact situation but I tell you today brethren, we are faced with something similar everyday.
Each moment we are at the point of making a decision that has to do with either pleasing the flesh or starving it, it’s quite like it. When we have to either say Yes to Jesus and trust him all the way or keep the flesh alive and bear the consequences.
Whatever the case maybe, may we receive the Grace to choose right.
Amen.