How God Answered My Question

I had series of questions I needed answers to as a kid. These questions arose from regular day concerns and teachings I heard in church and communication with friends.

First of these questions and the most important of all was the issue of “Jesus Dying for Me “. It didn’t make sense because at the time I heard of persons close to my family die and whilst in the hospital, I would pray that they survive, and they still end up dying. My question was “people die every day, why would anyone tell me that Jesus’s death was any different and that He died for me. It just didn’t make sense.

On this basis, I felt I had a point to make every time a discussion bothering on these lines came up. I started searching for answers and whenever I am in the midst of pastors or someone vast with the Bible, I find myself begging for answers.

I was only about 10 years old at this time, and we attended Catholic church as a family. I was enrolled in the catechism class and lectures held weekly with the catechist as our teacher. One day, the catechist mentioned that we shall be having the Parish Priest visit us and that he will be teaching and important lecture, he gave us the date and time for the visit, and I was excited.

I finally prepared my mind for an opportunity to speak to a priest, my thought was that they are next to God and if anyone could answer my questions, then it must be a Priest.

When the day came, I was excited. The catechist started his usual teaching, but my eyes was looking in all direction expecting the priest to take over. Before long, I saw the familiar face of our Parish Priest walking calmly in his white dress towards the side of the church where we use for our classes and I said to myself that this was my opportunity. The priest sat idly on the row of chairs next to ours; he waved with his usual smile as the catechist announced his arrival.

It was at this time I approached the Priest and told him I will like to see him after the lecture and he obliged. I then walked back to my seat. Before long, he was welcome to take the class, and I was blessed. After the class, he waited for me to come to him as he promised, and I had the opportunity of asking him all the questions that bothered me.

I asked him specifically about the relevance of Jesus’s death and how it affects me as a Christian. At first, he acted surprised; for my age, he was not expecting that kind of question. He calmly tried explaining, backing his words with scriptures and quoting lines from recitals but he could see that I was not getting the response I needed. At this time, a miracle happened.

He stopped talking, looked at me for a short while and instructed me to ask God myself. He asked me if I knew that God himself was there and is listening to our conversation and I said,

“Yes”.

Just confirming the word when it said wherever two or more are gathered in his name, that He is there in the midst of them. He said before I sleep, I should speak to the air same way I was speaking with him with the consciousness that I am speaking to God Himself and that He will answer me. He spoke with so much confidence like one that does the routine himself and got results. I trusted his word, bided him goodbye and headed for my home.

As instructed, before I went to bed, I asked my question, speaking in the manner I was instructed and believing that someone was there listening even though in physical sense I was alone. Sleep came quickly and a vision followed. I shall narrate what I saw in the following lines below.

I found myself in a situation, I was tied to the top of a huge heap of wood; my legs and hands were properly tied. It was a sacrifice, and I was the lamb. There were security personnel everywhere and onlookers from tall buildings nearby jostling for space to look from. I was helpless and even though it was a dream, it felt like if anything had happened to me in that dream, it will translate to a real-life reality. My way of saying it felt very real.

In the midst of the situation, a friend of mine, about my age and living in the same neighborhood started climbing up the wood stark with considerable speed, he climbed until he got to me where I was tied. I could not tell what he told the security that made them allow him to come to me, but he was allowed anyway.

He reached for the rope on my hands first and took it off then he proceeded to the rope tied to my legs and also took it off. I then stood up while he took my place in the same exact pose I initially was; I was free. So I ran as fast as I could down the heap, felt like I was given another chance at life.

As I hurried down, questions welled up in my head as I could not understand why someone whose life was free would come exchange his life for mine that was already ended. With this thought, I climbed back to him, I asked him why he would do a thing like that. ‘How can you exchange your life for mine that was already ended’.

At this time, he stood up, untied his wristwatch from his wrist and took his bag off his back and told me “Always wear these things in memory of me”. With these items, I hurried down and raced towards the tall building so I can watch at a height. But before I could reach the building, the flame had gone up, he had been sacrificed.

I woke up from that sleep with trembling, my legs shook vigorously, and my little head was consumed by the love shown to me by the sacrifice Jesus made on my behalf. This formed the basis for my belief today knowing that God is truly here with us and is ready to listen to our requests and give answers immediately.

No one could have explained the episode in the manner that God did. No matter what the world today says or does, just know that everything written in the good book is true. Fear the Lord with all your heart and He will show you his face when u seek him. God bless you.