In Search Of....

I currently work as an apprentice at a hair salon and trust me, it hasn't been easy. In fact, I'm at a point where I will NOT allow anyone to look down on hairdressers or think their work isn't important.

As an apprentice, my work isn't limited to watching intently as my boss works and trying to duplicate her work later on a doll head. Whenever there's a customer, we both stand for hours braiding or styling her hair. I'm also in charge of cleaning the shop at the beginning and end of the day, keeping watch when she isn't around, and running errands. These errands could range from buying food to delivering messages to collecting hair equipment.

Just the other day, I was told to give 600 naira to a young man in the neighbouring shop for some work he had done. Of course, this was no problem for me. But then, on getting to the shop purse, I couldn't find the money. There were 500 and 1000 naira notes, but what we were supposed to pay was 600 naira. There was no way to make it work. We searched and searched and asked and asked around for 100 naira (to add to the 500 naira) but, for some reason, no one had. Paying 1000 and collecting change wasn't an option. This reminded me of Jesus leaving the 99 secured sheep in search of the 1 lost one, the way I left many 500 and 1000 naira notes in search of a 100 naira one. At face value, it seems weird and unwise but that doesn't change its truth. How you feel about it doesn't change the fact that it happened and that it's real. Eyewitnesses who recorded the epic event of Christ's resurrection and historical evidence stand as solid proof. We therefore have assurance of the reality of the saving power of God's unchanging and unfailing love. •“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.”- John 3:16 (AMP) Unfortunately, so many people joke around with the subject of eternity. I've seen a lot of posts on social media centred along the lines of “Hell is where the fun is”, “All the interesting people are down there, heaven will be too boring”, “Stop trying to preach to me. I don't care if what I'm doing will get me in hell, at least we can have a huge crazy party there”, and so on. I thought about this and wondered why it is so. Well, apart from the fact that the devil is tirelessly working to desensitize people from the gravity of hell(Genesis 3:1-5; Matthew 25:41), I'm so sure that that 100 naira note didn't know how precious and important it was to me at that moment. Even in the midst of ‘greater’ amounts, all I wanted was the 100 naira. Any other amount was pretty much useless to me at that point. Similarly, even if you think there are enough or much better people already in God's family, please remember that you're extremely important to God. Your soul isn't any less precious than that of the famous pastor that's always on TV. You know the best part about the parable of the lost sheep (Matthew 18:11-14; Luke 15:3-7)? The shepherd eventually found the sheep and brought it home. So, whether you've been in the fold before or not, this is God finding you once again. Oh, how wonderful! Would you like to surrender yourself to be brought home right now?

Then, say the following prayer: "Dear Jesus, Thank You for being the good Shepherd. Thank You for finding me in my lost and destitute state. Thank You for dying for my sins on the cross so that I can live. I know now how precious I am to You and I confess that I have strayed. I am sorry for rejecting Your gift up till now. I am sorry for living in sin. I am sorry for wandering far away from Your truth and love. Today, I accept You as my Saviour and Lord and ask You to come into my heart, and dwell there. As I live to please You daily, mould me into the me of Your dreams- the me that actually makes sense. Thank You, Lord. Amen." If you said this prayer, congratulations!!!

Please send me an email at stationarymissionary@gmail.com or a DM on Instagram @stationarymissionary. I'd love to connect and pray with you! Have a lovely week ahead fam :)