“In Defence Of The Faith!”

“In Defense Of The Faith!”
Dear friend, all through the week our reflections have centred around God’s divine call and human response. Where were you when God called you? What were you doing when he called you?
As for me, as a young man, after spending fruitless time in some of our townships I returned home to settle and not go anywhere anymore. I was doing my carpentry work and operating a cafeteria. One morning Ni Isaac Kwati, my elderly cousin woke me up and asked me to follow him. He took me to Elder Miriam Ntscho and told her, “I want you to see how my cousin can become a pastor.” Na Elder wondered how a village illiterate Elder could help me become a pastor. All the same, she asked me to meet her the following morning. When I went to her she took me to her pastor, Rev John Dim. That is how my call to become a pastor came about. This was in 1987. But that was just a call to become a pastor. My call to speak for the LORD (call it conversion) came about the same time. One evening as I gazed upon the fading sun, I had an eerie feeling and a voice said, “Do not be afraid! You will speak for me, and I will be with you.” And so to this day, while in the service of my Lord Jesus Christ, I am not scared in the face of danger.
The three persons mentioned above are of blessed memory. May their souls rest in peace. My cousin was a pagan when God called him to call me. I became a pastor in 1992. Despite all my coaxing for him to be baptized, he was adamant. But when the right time came, he called for me to leave Buea where I was now Synod Clerk to come and baptize him. And I did; so he died a Christian. Hallelujah!
There is no fixed pattern to a divine call, and it comes in ways we cannot foresee. Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress when he was called(Judg. 6:11ff). Moses was called when he was tending cattle at a mountainside. The fishermen were called when they were in their boats, either preparing for fishing or returning from fishing. Nathanael was called when he was sitting under a tree. The list is long.
Today Paul refreshes us about his call as he recounted the story in defense of his life before king Agrippa. He was zealous in defending Judaism by persecuting the first Christians. On his way to Damascus for such a mission, he was arrested by the Lord Jesus Christ.
From a persecutor of the Lord Jesus Christ, he became an advocate for the Lord Jesus Christ ready to die for him. And he did; after long imprisonment!
God calls to assign. When he calls, he protects until the assignment is completed. Those who are called need not have any fear. The challenges are enormous and the dangers are eminent, but the Lord protects those he has assigned.
Dear friend, say what you like, and believe what you want, but I, like some others are modern day Pauls. And we are sent with this one assignment: to open your eyes, turn you from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that you may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith. Take it or leave it; the choice is yours!
Weekend prayer: Holy Spirit help me to stand firm in defense of the faith until the assignment is accomplished. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.