AT ONCE

I have thought about this for a while. Every once in a while, it sorta strolls past the streets of my mind and then I casually move on, but today I must write about it.

I was wondering how a person, busy with the work of his hands, would hear someone call out to him and he would abandon all to follow at once.

I mean, not tomorrow, or the day after consulting family and friends but at once.

“And He said to them, “ Come after Me [as disciples – letting Me be your Guide], follow me and I will make you fishers of men! At once, they left their nets and became his disciples [sided with His party and followed Him].” MATTHEW 4:19-20

Okay, I have no issue with the fact that they followed o. I mean, you reading this might have followed as well.

My issue is following “at once”; connoting an immediate action.

How do you dump your net immediately and follow a man that says “I will make you fishers of men?”

Don’t you think you need to first dissect his intent. What does he mean by fishers of men. What if you don’t even want to be fishers of men?

How did they not at least take one day off, turn and toss through the night, then rush off the next morning to Aunty Bisi’s House?

Then as usual, Aunty Bisi would give a shocked sigh when she opens the door to see him. She’d ask him to come in and offer a seat whilst sensing that all is not well at all. She would urge him to tell her why his eyes look red from worry.

And that is when he would lean in his chair, grateful that she was always willing to listen. Then, he’d take a deep breath and start talking.

He would not go straight to the point. I mean, he would eventually mention that he needed her thoughts, on whether it was wise to leave his father, the boat, the new babe…to go and be a fisher of men. He would tell her that, but only after blabbing about many unrelated things.

And he knows deep in his heart that the words that would come from her mouth would not offer any form of direction, just hesitation, yet he stands to leave and wonders why he feels even more confused now.

To follow or to stay put.

“And going on further from there He noticed two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and He called them. At once, they left the boat and their father, and joined Jesus as disciples [sided with his party and followed him].” MATTHEW 4:21-22

Hands on head, my chest.

How do you step out of a comfortable boat with food and no complications at all, into something bigger than you could have ever imagined in just one moment?-

–A question, a flier, a poster, a conversation, one prayer-

A building, people, man on podium, sweating and sharing a message you do not fully comprehend yet your heart beats in unison to his tempo, and somehow you believe. 

This moment.
Eyes closed, heads bowed, and you hear the words…come after me and I will make you fishers of men.

You do not understand, but something in your heart tells you to not waste time, to not wait till tomorrow or the next, or ask Aunty Bisi what she thinks.

So like them, at once, you stand up from your comfortable seat, squeeze your way out and follow the sound of the man’s voice.

The air does not change, your stomach does not shrink, no stars appear in the sky, so how would you have known that it was the beginning of an extra ordinary life?

Sometimes we do not know these things…at once😘.

Ps: Thanks for reading this far love. My name is Victory Osas and I think about a lot of things- God, love, stories and you 🤗-. In one moment in 2013, I made the decision to give my life to Christ- that is, a decision to believe in Christ and commit the rest of my life to Him. It means I believe that Jesus died for my sins and so I am forgiven and I have eternal life with Him, rather than eternal death.

In this moment, I would like to encourage you to give your life to Christ- basically a call to receive forgiveness for your sins and eternal life- not tomorrow but now, in this moment by saying this prayer:

” Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life. I know that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking. By faith I gratefully receive your gift of salvation. I am ready to trust you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth. I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day. Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life. I believe your words are true. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior. Amen.”

Send a mail to victoryosarumwense2@gmail.com if you said this prayer. Let’s have a conversation. Have a beautiful week🥰🤗.