I am a chronic overpacker!

I am a chronic overpacker! For a weekend trip, best believe that I’m going to be packing a variety of shoes and a ton of clothes! I even come up with worst-case scenarios in my mind and convince myself that those things deserve to come with me. Scenarios like - what if I trip and fall and my heel breaks and then I end up needing other pairs of shoes? What if I fall into a mud puddle somewhere, I might need those extra clothes you know, who knows what could happen? You just never know… So, I justify my obsessive compulsive behaviour. However, the intermission Covid-19 brought to our world, drove me into becoming a minimalist. And No, I’m not talking about the documentary on Netflix.

            By minimalist, I'm talking about the overused adjective which simply means “essential” If this pandemic has taught me anything, I will say this, it has taught me to clearly define what is absolutely essential in my life. And what is this essential? you might ask, it is the mandate that Christ Jesus gave His disciples before His ascension
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19

Again, Jesus reiterates this to Simon Peter - one of the Apostles of Christ in John 21:15-16

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep..."

The heart of God for humanity has become even more vivid to me during this time. So get this, one out of every one, will die and we all get to decide in the here and now where we will spend our eternity. Now, this might not mean much to you because after all, you’re saved and you know that you won’t really die but will be together with God when you leave this earth. However for me, in this time, the brevity of human life has become more clear to me and the mandate of Christ much more pressing. At the risk of sounding morbid and depressing, I must say that this single most important issue has been my burden during this pandemic. Lest we forget, the writer of Ecclesiastes says this:

“It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart” - Ecclesiastes 7:2

Bearing this in mind, together with my friend, I have been praying, I have been praying for opportunities to minister the Good News of Christ to those who do not yet know the truth, those whom Jesus Himself spoke about  in John 10:16 as His “other sheep” In response to our prayers, God who is ever so merciful has been leading us to people and has equipped us with the tools to disciple and “feed His sheep” we’re growing each day in this; becoming bolder and stronger in this area. We have by no means reached perfection, sometimes we miss opportunities, other times we’re focused on our own problems rather than casting our cares on God. Nonetheless, by His grace alone we press on and we continue in what He has called and empowered us to do. Friend, there is no more time to waste. Now is the Time!
The need to share the truth of the Gospel has been my heart’s desire during this pandemic
“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” - Psalm 90:12

~ Odion Omoijiade ~