Made - Episode 17

 

Why do bad things happen to good people?

That was the topic of the pamphlet. Tommorow i was going to see David and if he was a man of his word i did not want to be left behind.

This things i have spoken to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will find tribulation; but be of good cheer, i have overcomed the world . John 16: 39

I thought about the verse for a while then went ln with reading the pamphlet .  After the verse was a story about the writer of the song 'what a friend we have in Jesus.' The whole story behind the song of how he had lost two of his fiances in a span of time and despite those reoccuring tragedies had managed to write such a beautiful piece. It had touched people's livesand changed them for a better course. I sort of identified with this guy but i knew his hurt must have been deeper than mine could ever be. The loss of a loved one was not an easy cross to bear but his composition was a masterpiece of something i really wished to experience and say confidently.

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and grieves to bear,

What a privilege to carry,

Everything to God in prayer. 

Oh what peace we often forfeit,

Oh what needless pain we bare,

All because we do not carry,

Everything to God in prayer.

I read through the piece and it felt like i was seeing it for the first time in my whole life. I remembered my cousin Patrick and how my favourite aunt Suzzy had been distraught on loosing her only child who had been battling sickle cell anaemia for 11 years _ pretty much his whole life

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. She had been a woman of greatfaith_ that was the impression she created on me. Why then would a good God choose to let those faithful to him to suffer as the case of aunt Suzzy and Patrick.

One of the reasons cited in this particular writing was that through such things the genuineness of one's faith was to be tested.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may be grieved bu various trials. That the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than Gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire may be found to praise , honour and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1st Peter 1:6

Another reason cited was that there was alot of spiritual oppression from the spiritual world and it went hand in hand with the first point. The writer said Christians who underwent such test were either made strong or turned to run far from the faith. In such case lines are drawn. What is of God is called unto him and what is not remains in darkness. The commentator finished by saying that most Christians failed to see the bigger picture on the other side of eternity. Though we might loose everything in this life we have an entire eternity to look foward to which is eternal in every essense. Though we may now undergo various things in life and such include various losses such as loss of loved ones we have one thing better ahead.

He who find his life will loose it, but he who looses his life for my sake will find it. Mathew 10:39

I closed the pamphlet and put it on my bedside locker. I switched the light of then slowly drifted to sleep

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"Do you believe in heaven _ let me rephrase why do you believe in heaven?"

David paused on his tracks his hands still in the pocket of his brown denim jeans.

"Why do i believe in heaven _well one of the reasons i believe in heaven is because He says it is there."

Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God believe in me also. In my Father's house there are many mansions, if it were not so i would have told you. Mathew 14: 1-3

We stood facing each other now. David was a really handsome and attractive man but that was not the most attractive quality on him. His smile, the contents of his brain sandwiched in the words of the Holy book swept me off my feet literally. I barely knew him but i was sure i would contentedly spend a whole day listening to him talking.

After reading the pamphlet true to his words he had shown up at the cyber. We started talking about a little bit of that citing relevant applications.  The conversation had grown so interesting. I locked up early so that we could continue with the discussion. Also being a Sunday not many people came to the cyber cafe.

"So basically you are saying i should trust Jesus words_ this maybe a little stretch bit why should i trust him?"

He looked at me and smiled. 

"I will answer you and dont worry as far as bieng stretched you are not the only one who makes such analogies.  God cannot lie, it is against his nature."

If we are faithless He remains faithful because he cannot deny himself. 2nd Timothy 2:13

"I see your point there David but what of hell? If God really loved us so much to send His only son to die for sin. Why would He sendsinners s to hell?"

"Before i answer your question _ i would like you to answer this one. If God was not being  serious about the issue of hell then why in the whole world would he send His only Son, second person in the holy trinity to die for our sin?"

I went over the question in my head realising how wrong and mis informed my previous question was.

"To answer your question... God is a God of love even though we cannot substitute His name God for love."

"Why is that?" I asked still not get the whole point of the answer he was giving.

"It is because apart from love He has other attributes such as justice. This translate to the fact that He will punish sin which has corrupted the soul of mankind. "

"But we are tempted by the devil. It is not our fault that we sin."

"Mmmmh _ not really , we are to be blamed just as satan is _ something called the gift of choice the bible says in  James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, 'i am tempted by God,'  God cannot be tempted by evil neither does he tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires. Then when desire has conceived  it gives birth to sin and sin when its full grown brings forth death."

"Meaning."

"Meaning we have a freedom of choice. Though we are tempted by the devil we as Christians are able to overcome. "

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man, but God who is faithful will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation  He will make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

I nodded to everyword of the verse. I crossed my arms against my chest. We continued to walk. I was consumed in thoughts thinking of all David had to say. I felt thirsty, thirsty for more but at the same time scared of the reality that layed on the other side of this conversation. A supreme being  up there who had a plan and a will for my life. One who i had tactfully choose to avoid to save my concience. A conscience now fulky awake kicking me in every corner, every side of my life. I exhaled loudly making David to look at me. A tear left the corner of my eyes. I wiped it off with my index finger then reached for a handkerchief from my purse. I came to an abrupt stop, my hands visibly shaking.

"Let's sit over there," David said. I looked over. There was an unfinished building. I meekily followed. David who had already started crossing the road. We both found a cormfortable place to sit on.

"You say you believe in heaven because he says so right?"

"Yea right." David responded 

"So what is the second reason why you believe in heaven?"

He did not respond immidiately. 

"Did you take history in high school?"

I nodded.

"Imagine six million Jews dying because of one man _ Adolf Hitler. They were dying horrible deaths at the concentration camps. I got to believe there is a place where perfect justice concerning such horrendous acts will get executed and a place where people will get relief from such pain."

He looked at my now watery eyes. He had stepped on my landline cable.

"You mean to say that despite the fact that i will be heartbroken in this place and i will also loose important people in my life. There is a place i will get actual relief from all this without the remembrance of it all?"

He nodded then a blanket of silence fell between us. I put my knees together then pulled them to a level i could rest my head on. My heart was silently beating in awe of the prospect of heaven and what a soothing balm it would be to its subjects. I cleared my throught to break the silence.

"What makes you sure He is the trues God or is it that you believe we are serving the same God?"

"No i don't believe we are serving the same God."

"Why is that?"

"If God is God, He cannot bring such confusion to his worshippers. What i mean to say is that God cannot give different doctrines and laws to different people and cause all that confusion."

"Inasmuch as your answers  make sense.

Read " Imagine Mountains " by the same author ( DORSILA ANYANGO )

.  Why does your God appear above every other gods?"

"Because like He said i can prove Him."

"Prove Him.... how?'

"Through His word. I can check everything in the Bible. I can look up the prophesies in our history that came to pass and all that is passing in revelation right now."

I heard all he was saying but the prophecy part caught me the most.

"Prophecies like which?"

"The statue made of gold, iron, bronze and clay in the book of Daniel. They symbolised the kingdoms that were to follow the Babylonian empire which were Mefo-Persia, Greecian empire and Rome."

"So they are recorded history still in the Bible too."

He nodded again with a satisfied smile on his face.

"The part that convinces me the most is His continual presence in my life ."

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Hello readers. Tough reading today. To all who are saved through the blood of Jesus i hope you were strengthened. To all who are not you are invited anytime because its free. To our brothers and sisters from other faiths i hope you understood more about the Christian faith. Thank you all for reading. Next episode loading and its hot.

Bye for now.