It all happened on sunday morning; it rained the
previous night.
I slept late on Saturday night and thus, woke up
late. My church service starts by 8am but when I
opened my eyes, it was exactly 8:12 am.
I sprang up from my matress, removing my
blapresses quickly as I can and didn't even
bother to bathe. Brushing my teeth within ten
seconds, I wore my already pressed clothes and
ran off to church.
My roommate was still sleeping but I didn't think
he planned going to church at all. So without
saying goodbye or waking him up, I left the
room.
When I stepped out, I saw some young students
of the fellowship who meet in front of my hostel.
They were just setting up in preparation for their
service. I think they start theirs around 9am.
The way the weather was, with the clouds dark
and heavy, everywhere looked gloom and quiet
but in my hurry, I took no time to observe. or
relish the remarkable atmosphere.
As I walked and ran on the tarred narrow road,
just some distance from my hostel, I saw two
girls sitting on a pavement and crying. They were
dressed for church but with the way they sat and
clinged to each other, weeping, I doubt if they
would still go to church that day.
Though many passers-by like me walked and
paused to stare at them, they were clearly
unconcerned. They cried uncontrollably that even
their shouts of pain made my heart flutter.
I thought about going to them and trying to
console them but I was late for service myself.
My conscience tortured me a great deal but
when I glanced at my wristwatch, it was already
8:32 am.
'I am late. I have to go'. I told myself as I
continued on my path.
Well, after few minutes, I made it to church
eventually.
Except for a guy I saw who rested his head
against a wall by the road, I didn't notice any
other strange thing till I got to church.
But when I entered the church, it was another
sight I beheld.
The backdrop of the altar and the designs of the
pulpit and walls of the venue were already set up
but I didn't. see the Pastor.
In fact, I didn't see any of the church leaders.
The church was scanty.
Except for two ushers and three choristers I saw,
most of the workers I knew were not present.
There were some members present though. But
every single person in the building was looking
lost. The brother beside me was even shedding
tears without crying.
I too was getting afraid.
And then all of a sudden, a lady cried out just
behind me.
It was so sudden and the sound was so laced
with pain and fear that I was afraid the worst
had happened.
This is when I dropped my Bible on a chair and
had a deliberate look of the whole church.
In the left corner of the front which was
designated as choir stand, three sisters placed
their heads on the table in front of them; shaking
their heads and body in that manner some people
do when praying silenEvent
Just behind them was yet another sister who sat
on the bare floor, with one of her shoes nowhere
near her. Even her scarf was hung around her
neck.
I recognized the sister.
She led choruses in the evening service we had
the. previous Thursday.
But now, the sweet voice I heard turned to a
painful mutter of incomprehensible words. She
held on to the corner of a table with her two
hands, and wept as she said things I didn't
understand.
At this point, I knew this could only mean one
thing but I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't
just bring myself to believing it.
I couldn't.
I was still pondering on what all these mean
when an older man sitting two chairs before me
stood up suddenly and shouted with a voice
crackled, broken and almost lost.
'Lord God! Please have mercy!'
By now, my heart was heavy and I could not
explain a certain fear that clinged to my heart.
To remove all doubts, I approached one of our
ushers so I can ask for explanations. I almost
stopped in my stride as I became afraid of what
his answer might bid for me.
I walked to the rear of the church and stood in
front of him but he didn't even take notice.
His eyes were opened, he was looking at me but
with his empty and hopeless gaze at
nothingness, I realized he was looking through
me.
I called at him and touched the shoulder of his
right hand before he blinked and looked at my
face.
'Please Bro Paul what is happening today? Is the
service elsewhere?' I asked with a voice fearful
and low.
The usher dropped his eyes from looking at me
and shook his head.
New tears began to streak through the corner of
his eyes and his lips shook as he tried to hold
himself from complete breakdown.
He raised his head again and returned his eyes,
with tears, to me.
He started to speak but lost his voice again.
'My brother...' He finally managed to say.
He held his very wet handkerchief to his face as
he tried to stop the infinitely-flowing tears.
Then he heaved so deeply I thought I heard his
lungs relax.
'Bro Victor...' He started again amidst silent
sobs.
'...we are lost. The Rapture has happened. We
are doomed for life.'
Though I knew all along this would be the news,
hearing it with my ears broke my heart. I mean I
felt it in my heart. My heart sank, ached and
broke.
I staggered and almost lost balance as I moved
backwards, trying to hide from the weight of the
news; trying to escape from the impending doom
the usher pronounced.
But he wasn't done.
The usher released all the pent up tears of
anguish and pain he has bravely been holding
back and cried with all his might.
All I could make out from his voice was 'God,
Please. God, Please'.
He said it over and over again amidst sobs and
cries.
As if to really show he was really desperate, Bro
Paul threw himself on the ground and prostrated
full with his two hands clasped and his eyes
looking to the heavens.
He begged God again and again, asking for
mercy and pleading for another chance.
He cried and wept continously and when he
couldn't say anymore, he just lied there and
cried.
By now, I had managed to sit down on a bench
placed behind the church as I looked around in
unbelief.
I didn't shout or cry at first. I just sat there
looking around with tears already blocking my
visions. My nose became clogged with phlegm
and my throat was dry.
With tears flowing down my cheek, I raised my
hand to my mouth as I tried to hold myself from
weeping.
But it did no good.
I cried, cried and cried quietly, still with my hand
holding back my mouth from releasing. my voice
with the pain and regrets it held.
Many thoughts crossed my mind- the fire of hell,
the great tribulation, the suffering that awaits
and many others but only one stayed.
I realized I would be alone in the world now.
My mom would be gone. My dad would be gone.
All my sisters and brothers would be gone. While
only I remained just because I found pleasure in
sin.
The sudden loneliness this realization brought to
my heart crushed it forever.
I dropped my hands from my mouth and cried.
Oh! I cried like I never did.
I wept and called out to God to forgive me but
even I knew I was lost forever.
'Had I know! Had I know!' The thought tortured
me.
Liquids dropped from my nostrils and tears from
my eyes, a heavy ache hammered at my chest
as I cried again and asked to be forgiven of all
my sins but even then I knew there is no respite
for me.
In the blur of my vision, I saw the sister-choriste
r still kneeling and recognized her voice as she
sang that hymn of warning we always sang in
our church.
With her broken voice, sobs and tears between
the words of the song, she added more pain to
my already damned soul.
'...oh! what a weeping and wailing
As the lost were told of their fate
They cried for the rocks and the mountains
They prayed but their prayer was too late...' She
sang on and on.
The song had no melody this time, just sorrow.
I stopped my ears with my hands and refused to
hear more but the lyrics taunted me still.
I knew all my prayers were useless but I
anguished and cried to God more loudly.
It was in the middle of this other round of
hopeless tears and prayers that I laid my head on
the table and slept for sorrow.
When I woke up, I was on my bed, back in my
room.
My pillow and cover-cloth were soaked in my
own tears. Though I wasn't wearing any clothes,
I was covered in sweat.
I searched for my phone and glanced at the
clock.
It was 4.22am.
I had barely slept for three hours.
I realized It was all a dream but the relief that
filled my heart was swiftly replaced with a great
fear.
I stood up from my bed and looked around but
nothing seemed out of place.
I saw my roommate still sleeping with earphones
still plugged to his ears.
I looked outside and saw it was indeed darkest in
the dawn.
Having made sure I was still safe and not lost
yet, I knelt beside my bed, used my pillow to
cover my mouth and cried in desperate prayers.
I prayed to be saved before it is too late. I knelt
that way, weeping and asking God for mercy until
I slept off.
And indeed when I woke and looked at my time,
it was 8:12am and I was late for church...
.
.
.
This story was written to give warning to all who
woke up today with breath still in their nostrils
and words still in their mouth.
Seek God while He may be found. Call upon him
while he still listens. Make your ways right with
God before it is too late and you are lost forever.
The pain I tried to write into this fiction is
negligible when compared to the pain that awaits
all those who miss the rapture- or die without
salvation.
You have a chance today. Take it. Repent and be
save