The John 3:16 Band (The Story)

Ephesians 3: 17. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love 18. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. 19.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (NLT)

TESTING GROUND. Buses dashed past people at the bus stop. Shade had a probing, deep within her to talk to the young lady standing a few steps away from her.

‘Talk to her’ the voice said.

‘Ah! What if she snobs me or worse insults me? There are many people around and I’ll be singled out if she does any of the two’

Silence…

She knew it was God, she couldn’t confuse His voice for any other. It wasn’t unusual for Shade to be hearing from God. God always sent her on errands like this but this time it was different, it was someone she had never met.

‘Okay so what will I say to her?’

‘Tell her I love her’

‘What???’ Shade laughed out loud, heads turned and she quickly lowered her head. A minute later, her head was back up. She looked towards the direction of the lady and took a swift sweep of her. She wore a beautiful beaded sky blue blouse on a black knee length skirt and matching sky blue shoes. A blue-black wristwatch was seated on her left wrist and her right wrist bore a matching wristband. Shade peeped to read the inscription on the wristband; it was the name of a denomination, as suspected.

    ‘Oh God you can’t be serious’

Silence…

   ‘Okay I’ll go’

    She took a few steps towards the lady. ‘They had been waiting at the bus stop for a long time and a little chatter would not make any difference’ so she thought.

    ‘Hi my name is Shade’ Shade said

    ‘Yes can I help you?’

    ‘Yes actually…eeem I was standing there and I just want you to know that God loves yo-’

    She cut in before she could complete her sentence.

    ‘See Shade, I’m a Christian I attend--church as you can see, my band tells the story’. She raised her hand up so Shade could have a better look at the wristband. ‘I am indeed a chorister in my church I’m actually on my way to church for choir rehearsal. My church is not really far from here. Let me take this time to invite you to my church…’

    Shade was dumbfounded. ‘Really??’ she thought to herself ‘This chick didn’t even tell me her name but she is telling me her entire Christian history oh God please get me out of this’. Just then, a bike stopped right in front of her

    ‘Ikeja’ Shade said

    ‘Who dey go?’ The bike man asked

    ‘Just me’ she replied

    ‘One-if-ty’

    ‘Oga na hundred naira I get o’

    ‘Oya enter quick, quick’

    Shade climbed on the bike.

    ‘So Shade should I expect you at my church tomorrow??’

    ‘No o! It was nice meeting you. Goodbye.’ Shade said. Before the lady could say another word, Shade urged the bike man to move. Shade waved then looked on ahead.

    When she was sure she was far away from the lady she heaved a deep, long sigh of relief.

    ‘Ah ope o! This bike man was God sent. Ah an that babe wan kill me with talk on top ordinary God loves you’.

      She paused for a moment as she reflected on what she had just thought about. A question so deep and troubling dropped in her heart.

      Are the words ‘God loves you’ really ordinary words??.

      Dissatisfaction hovered over her heart on the thought. To dispel the uneasiness she hummed a Christian tune, but it had little effect.

    In a reflex action, she opened her mouth and spoke into the Bike Man’s ears ‘If I was to tell you that God loves you what would you say?’

    ‘As aw??’

    ‘As in if I tell you say God love you, wetin you go talk??’

    ‘Ohkay…Ehn I know say God love me na but if you dey say that kind thing na to person wey no dey go church, that na one way to make dem follow you go your church. No be like say everyone fit hear that word make them dey okay o! Ah you go first check the face of the person before you tell am that kind thing. If na me you for tell that thing, I for take am like that but for another person, like my younger brother, e fit slap you o! But you know, me just dey look you as my pikin you know sometimes mama Nkechi dey cook ogbono and I like egusi soup I no fit do am anything because I just dey pity am. Na so Nnamdi enter my pot take the only big meat wey dey there. Wetin I fit do am? I just they look as…’

    ‘Oh God what have I done to myself??’ She soliloquized. Shey I would have just kept my mouth shut.

    Shade had not intended to take a bike but she had to get away from the Christian-sister at the bus stop. There was nothing wrong with her, no body or mouth odour and she was extremely beautiful but it offended Shade that someone who was so involved in the whole church activity and from what she said should have been at it for such a long time still didn’t know the importance of having a full knowledge of God’s love. And I thought I had escaped…

    She heard a light chuckle.

    ‘God what was all that for?’

    ‘I just wanted to show you something’

    ‘I really did see something. Okay so what did You want me to see??’

    Silence…

TWO HOURS LATER 

    Mrs. Funmibi Oluwasegun, a full-time housewife who gave up a well paid job at the bank just to take care of her children was seated comfortably in her living room. She had formally applied for the position of ‘full-time mother’ and demanded that her children reward her by making very little noise while they were at home.

   ‘Just to make my work easier’ She usually said.

   Married to Mr. Oluwasegun for over twenty-five years, he couldn’t refuse the application letter she wrote for the post of ‘full-time house wife’ especially when it was that formal and enticing.

   Her resume read:

   ‘Married to the sweetest husband on the planet. I have given birth to two children and they are currently in Primary school. I spend my free time taking care of my children and reading books that would prepare me for their future as children, teenagers and even when they are married.’

    When she told him she would triple his meat for a month he jumped at the offer. He had no choice but to employ her. She knew the way to his heart, no doubt plus he loved beyond words and with the baby coming he knew she needed to take a break from office work but just for the time being, he should see her now, still in the position of ‘Full-time house wife’. There were rough times following her decision but she never regretted anything about her job, the good, the bad and the ugly.

    She was just recapping the whole experience when she heard a knock on the door.

    She briskly walked to the door. She had been expecting her friend, Mrs Sanmi, her prayer partner. Today was mid-week service and they had both agreed to meet thirty minutes to the beginning of service to pray for the service. ‘Maybe she decided to come early today so we could chat before prayers’ She thought to herself.

    ‘Please who’s there?’

    ‘Mum it’s me, Shade’

    She opened the door and let her into the house.

    ‘Good afternoon ma’ Shade bent respectfully to greet her mother.

    ‘Ba’wo ni Shade.’

    ‘I’m fine ma’

     She sensed sadness the moment Shade stepped into the house. She was prepared to go to church but she had to wait some minutes more to find out what was bugging her daughter besides Mrs Sanmi hadn’t come to pick her up yet.

    ‘Okay go to the dinning table, I’ll get your food for you’

    Shade was shocked. ‘Mum serving me lunch?? Today must be the day’.

    She sat and ate uncomfortably with her mother seated across her starring at her face all the while asking herself what her mum wanted from her.

    In ten minutes she was done with her meal. She went to the kitchen to wash the plates in the sink. Surprisingly, her mother was on her tail again and joined her in washing the plates.

     Serving her meal and helping with the dishes was not something her mother usually did. She had to thank her because she was indeed grateful and to enhance the chances that she would repeat this act of kindness, some other day, tomorrow if possible. She smiled and made her way to the sitting area in the living room.

    ‘Thank you ma’

    ‘For what, kini mo se??”

    ‘Ah an mummy for the food and for helping with the dishes’

    ‘Really??’ A mischievous grin appeared on her mother’s face ‘You mean I did all that?? Wow! I must be super mum then’

    Shade looked at her facial and body expressions and burst into uncontrollable laughter. Her mother was very funny and never seemed to miss the chance to tickle people’s fancy.

    ‘Mummy you are very funny’

    ‘I do what I can for my children’ She reached for her hand ‘Shade I know you are not happy, talk to your mother, tell me what is bothering you’

     Shade narrated her experience earlier in the day with the bike man and the Christian sister.

     Mrs. Oluwasegun shook her head ‘Such a pity. But from all you’ve said I don’t think there is anything that has happened to you that would make you so sad’

     ‘Mummy the thing is I asked myself if, you know, the words ‘God loves you’ are just ordinary words. I was so troubled so I asked the bike man what he would say if someone told him God loved him’

      ‘And he started talking about Mama Nkechi and Nnamdi that you don’t even know.’

      She giggled ‘Yes mum. He didn’t answer my question, in fact he made me feel worse than before.’

      ‘That is why you should always direct your questions to the right people. I can easily give you the answer but I want you to find it out by yourself’

     ‘Go to my library, you’ld see a hard covered book by Rhemz PKay’ Go through it and let me know what you discover.’

       ‘Okay ma’

TEN MINUTES LATER. Shade was lying on her bed, book in hand. This was the best time to read it, there was no one home and all the chores had been completed.

     She had seen her mother read it several times but she never seemed to understand why. Curious she opened the book…

“I don’t know why but it seems that most Christians have lost the ability to understand and embrace God’s Love. This book is a must read for all children of God. It talks about God’s Love and His importance. It also focuses on coaching Christians on the steps to take to fully embrace His Love”

                                                    Jessica Ibazebo

    

   Shade closed her eyes and lifted her face upwards. She had read the book reviews and the last one by Jessica Ibazebo really hit her in her face like a rock. This was what she had been searching for her entire Christian life. Eager to find out more she opened the book, flipped past the reviews, foreword and acknowledgement respectively and into the main menu.

PAGE 1-THE UNDEFINED BEING

“For God so loved (me) that He gave His only born son that (as long as I) believe in Him, (I) will not perish (in HELL) but have an everlasting life (and enjoyment with Him in HEAVEN)” John 3:16

It is such a tragedy that many Christians do not know how much they are loved by God. Throughout their Christianity experience they have never really felt the impact of God’s love. Is it God’s fault?? No!! They spend all their time mouthing instead of taking the extra effort to discover God’s awesome love.

Most times they are more concerned about the unimportant things so much that the neglect the most important thing, God’s unlimited and uncalculated love.

Fight all the demons in the world, without the knowledge of God’s love, it is impossible for any Christian to live a victorious life in this sin infested world.

The first step to take in having a knowledge of God’s love is to define God’s Love, we can’t defend what we cannot define.

DEFINITION: God’s Love is an Undefined Being.

EXPLANATION: His Love is undefined because it is so great that we don’t know for sure ‘…how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is’ Ephesians 3:18 NLT 

        His Love is a Being, ‘God’s unfailing love and faithfulness (to us) came through Jesus Christ’ John 1:17 NLT

 The first page we should be on as Christians is the page of The Undefined Being. This means we must know that Love is a person and His expression of Himself, cannot be contained, boxed up or specified.

Apart from being on the page of the Undefined Being we have to live our lives like the Undefined Being

Matthew 5:48 says, ‘But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.’

Let’s substitute perfect for loving ‘But you are to be loving, even as your father (God/ Jesus/ The Holy Spirit) in heaven  is loving”

       

      Shade suddenly got excited. She jumped up and lifted up her hands to heaven. She began to thank God for His awesome Love. She began to thank Jesus for being the embodiment of God’s Love.

   

       From the depths of her heart she sang out loud 

Your love is extravagant

Your friendship it is intimate

Spread wide in the arms of Christ is the love that covers sin,

No greater love have I ever known,
You consider me Your friend,

You’ve captured my heart

And then she spoke to Jesus, with all her heart she said:

    ‘Oh Lord I worship and praise Your holy name because You are God. I thank You for your amazing Love You’ve showered on me. I praise You because You sent Your son Jesus just so He could show me Love. I indeed do Love You not because I just Love You but because You loved me first. I ask Oh Jesus that You show me the true meaning of Your love. Help me to live out Your-’

     Shade jerked up. She stretched her neck towards the noise, when she identified the source she stealthily moved towards it.

     ‘Oh my God! She exclaimed. 

Love is the personality of Jesus Christ all He gives is love, love and more love. If you want this love or want to embrace this love more and more each day, PLEASE PRAY WITH ME

Lord I thank You for the unconditional Love You showered on me. I have taken Him for granted so many times but Lord I want to say that I’m very sorry.  I’m so thankful because everyday You still show me a brand new glimpse of  Your Love with the awesome things You do in my life. Oh Jesus please help me embrace and walk in Your love so I can help others see You through me. Thank You because I believe that you hear my heart. I have spoken to You in Jesus’ loving name. Amen.

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Jesus Loves You,

Rhemz PKay.