TERRIFIED

                                                  

We were in my sister's car (sister S) headed for a lady's day out. We, being my Mum, sister S, sister K, Nailah (the only female grandchild, then before Anaiah came raining on her parade) and myself. Everything seemed ok, breeze blowing, gist flowing and all until I realized that my precious one-year-old daughter was not in the car with us. I turned around frantically searching for her like any parent would upon such a horrid discovery.

I turned around and from the back, I saw a truck filled with men wearing black, a flag and in the front of the truck was my Nailah. The men looked like Boko Haram Terrorists and I was scared. She is just a year old I thought. What will these men do or want with a child so small? The bad images running through my mind were almost giving me a heart attack. Nailah looked so scared and lost in the car amidst those strange men, but who could blame her? I screamed and told sister S to turn the car around and follow the group into the building they were headed to.

We got into the compound and I came out searching for their car and my child. Not knowing what I would do if they tried to attack me, but I didn't care, in fact, I was not thinking that far. My mind was just on how to retrieve my child.  Only sister K seemed to be helping me search. We were checking rooms, knocking on doors and just about doing all we could, but Nailah wasn't there and I could not see the truck or the terrorist looking, men. I was at my wit's end when I saw their truck pop out of now where and head back to the main road.

Sister K and I quickly ran back into the car and asked sister S to chase the car. While in the car, I recall hearing sister S ranting about how I had just spoilt and scattered her plans. She had planned on going to the salon and getting her hair done, but here we were chasing a group of unknown men for my daughter. I was shocked, appalled and just sad, but I didn't have time to respond. My mind was focused on one thing only, getting my daughter back. While my sister spoke, I looked to my mom to see if she would intervene in the situation and perhaps scold sister S for passing such a comment but my mom was almost mute. She just sat in the car without saying a word. She didn't look upset about the situation nor disturbed. Only one person in that car seemed to sympathize with me and feel my pain, only sister K. She held me and was just trying to keep me calm. Chiding that we would find Nailah, She will be alright.

My heart was so heavy and I simply felt like dying that was when I woke up. So unlike my brother’s case which I shared (the longest 24 hours) mine was just a dream!! Good God, it was a dream!! My clothes were soaked despite the Air conditioning and my heart was racing. There beside me, was Nailah sleeping soundly. It was only a dream and boy was I glad that was all it was, a dream. God, then asked me ‘Were you scared Sarah'? Goodness, I was not only scared, but I was also terrified.

So why did God have to terrify me like that you wonder? Here is why:

About 10 years ago, I was looking out of my cousin's window and saw some Muslims saying their prayers as it was Ramadan. I said, “Oh God, see how these people are fasting so diligently (unlike half of your children) and yet, your word has told us that none shall come to the Father except through you.” God, then asked me,” Imagine what would happen if all Christians began to fast as soon as the Ramadan fast begins but this time, they are fasting that I may reveal myself to the Muslims and cause them to know and believe in me”? I said “God, I'm not ready for this, I've not finished praying for myself talk more of doing 30 days for someone else”, (shame on Sese). God didn't say anything after then.

About a year later, I was sharing this thought with a family friend who disciple's Muslim converts and he told me that ' this thing God asked you to do, some people are already doing it'. I felt so bad. I had refused to heed to instruction and God had told someone who would. Despite my remorse, I still didn't bring myself to doing it. I felt bad, but not bad enough to repent and heed to the instructions.

The year was 2017 now, I had just had a miscarriage (a lesson for another day) and the Ramadan fast was about to start. I felt the same urge again to join the fast and pray for my Muslim Family and friends as well as those I do not know. This time around, I told God I would do it. I may not stay till 6 pm but I will pray and fast for my family members, my friends and all who are unbelievers; not only Muslims because I know some Christians in my family who are Christians only by name and some who have backslidden.

I prayed for grace to run my 30 days Ramadan fast and pray for all those I know and those I don't know that God will reveal himself to them. I will do my part and let the Holy Spirit do his because all God needs is a willing heart and people to Intercede and stand in the gap. Sad to say though, that despite my zeal, I forgot and ate on the first day of the fast. I do not think that went well in the heavens because the following day being Sunday I had that scary dream.

The Lesson:

 God told me, the way I felt over my lost daughter, is the way He feels every day concerning His lost children (children lost to sin and unbelievers). He explained to me that my dream was just a representation of it. He wanted me to feel what it feels like to be a parent and your kids gets lost while some of the people closest to you and whom should have your best interest at heart, sit and do nothing about it. So let's look at the key players in my dream:

My mum: She represents the neutral children of God who are lukewarm about soul winning.

Sister S: she was distracted by her issues. In reality, She loves my daughter as though she were her very own, but in the dream, the cares of the world were more important to her than helping me retrieve my daughter. Perhaps, because it wasn't her child, she was not bothered, just the way so many of us are not bothered because we feel we are covered, our siblings are safe, we are not from the north nor have Muslims in our family and so we don't bother! There by forgetting that soul-winning is not a job for one person, it's a job for everyone.

Sister K: she felt my pain just like some of God's children who go about his business of soul-winning every day and seeking ways to redeem and restore the lost back to God. This is a place we all need to get to regardless of if the people are related to us or not.

Sese: I am like God the Father. God is seeking his lost children; He seeks reconciliation and will leave 99 to find any missing one (Mat 18:12). See what he says in 2nd Sam 14:14 " all of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him. Likewise, John 17:12b says ' I guarded them so that no one was lost except the one headed for destruction, as the scriptures foretold.

So ask yourself, ‘have I guarded the people around me well enough to prevent them from eternal damnation?’ I have heard that God does nothing unless men pray. So I encourage you to do something different this year and when the next Ramadan comes, you can fast and join the many others who are praying for the salvation of all men, not just family members and friends. Taking time to pray that God undeniably reveals himself to unbelievers worldwide.

Just in case you are wondering what I did after I woke up from that eye-opening dream, I can tell you this, I didn't miss a day of the fast after that and I took time to send a message to my friends and family (especially the Muslims) about the one way I knew they could be saved. I told them how much I truly love and care about them and shared what the bible tells us is our assurance of getting to heaven and asked them to share what convictions the Quran gives or says about salvation and the steps to obtain it.

I don't ever want to go to a party or have a great experience where the people I love and cherish would not be there. I want them all there with me. I do not know about you, but it would be great to have everyone in heaven with us and it doesn't hurt getting a blessing by the side because the book of Proverbs says ‘he who wins souls is wise' (Pro 11:30), so why not win a soul today?