THE lay reader’s voice came up now as she read the next two verses. It was the next verses of the same passage.
She went:
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created Him; male and female He created them.
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moved on the earth.”
Reverend Wadibe’s voice came up right then.
‘But what does it mean?’ he asked. ‘What does it mean that we are created in God’s image?
‘What does it mean that God made us male and female?’
There was silence as the question sounded rhetorical.
But then Phil Wadibe had an answer. So he went on to speak.
‘When God formed us out of mere dust, He crafted us to look exactly like Him.
‘He made man to be His likeness on earth. The representative of His reign here.
‘So when He made you as male, He was saying this to you:
‘“You are man in My image. Now be My nobleman here: Be My own man, My knight, and minister.
‘“Be My man, be My boy. Be My knight.”
‘Then, when He made you as female, He was saying this, too:
‘“You are woman in My likeness. So be My lady of honour. Be My woman of worth, My minister.
‘“Be My girl, My sparkling star. My light.”’
The lay evangelist took up a psalm and read it loud. It was the fifth through the seventh verse of Psalm LXXXII.
They do not know,
nor do they understand;
They walk about in darkness;
All the foundations
of the earth are unstable.
I said, “You are gods.
And all of you are the children
of the Most High.
But you shall die like men,
And fall like one of the princes.”
Wadibe couldn’t hold it now. His voice blared:
‘Oh how did we get here? To a place where we lose the glory! How did we end up losing the dreams of future?
‘Why did the prospects turn bleak when we grew? Just how did we get here, people?!’
‘The Bible says that we don’t know! So we stars roam about in darkness!
‘Again, scripture says that we don’t know! So we gods die like mere men!
‘Yes, they did not know they were gods! So Adam and Eve ate a poison to dreams. And this was so they can be like God!
‘They did not know Messiah was walking the earth, so the Israelites nailed the Saviour to the cross!
‘They did not know… and we don’t know also! So we all grow to lose the star that makes our future!
‘We lose destiny! Then a glorious future turns to nightmare!
‘How did we miss it? How did we not know?!’
Zadeque was touched by those words, those powerful words. So he turned the door lock and bolted his den open.
He peeped and saw the lights flood in. Then he wanted the brightness, wondering why he’d hated it.
The early-forty tottered into the living room. He sat in the same couch as Yalowe.
Then he listened as his eyes moistened. Yalowe simply gazed at him, surprised.
Reverend Wadibe’s reader chanted a new scripture.
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
The woman had read the Book of John X. 10. The passage bore the words of Jesus Christ.
Now Philip Wadibe cried out, ‘This part is the good news!’
He explained, ‘We all lose life and destiny because there are birds of prey that feed on star!
‘We lost destiny and future because we live around wormholes eating stars like a hungry beast!
‘Friends and people, hear me now! There is only one Man who laid down all so He can save us from losing all!
‘There is only one Man who left His glory and suffered, so He can be qualified to restore glory!
‘He is the God that lived like men so He can restore men to being gods!
‘He is the Lord who became a servant so He can knight slaves into nobles!
‘Now the Lord Jesus is the Bright and Morning Star! Turning nights to morning with stars like the sun!
‘So what do you answer to His call? What do you say when He wants you?’
The preacher closed with a reading by his lay minister. The woman evangelist read the Book of John I. 8 – 12.
That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.
Prince Zadeque was moved by those fiery words. He stood to his feet and turned over His life to God.
The evangelist prayed for the healing of those wounded by suffering. And the sick man felt touched by a miracle.
For that day, a shattered young man found his life again. And mercy was on the path to heal his brother.
Comments
Post a Comment