No Vacancy

  

I crawled to my bed sad, dejected and very weak with almost no strength in me any more. I tried striking a deal with my heart but to no avail. My bunk mate, James, was still out in the fields, possibly at mami market with friends buying a thing or two whilst charging his mobile phone (he does not take alcohol). The noxious noise from the next dormitory did not help matters. But I was not paying attention to their football argument.  No I was not! I was on my bed with my eyes soaked in tears, my heart yawning for comfort and my head thinking through the day to see what wrong I've done to warrant such treatment.

Just then James came into the dorm and in his usual friendly style he announced his presence "I don come o!"

I did not respond. I just wanted to close my eyes and wake on the sound of the horn that summons us to the field my 5.am everyday.

"Oboy you don sleep so early" asked James again when he got no response from me.

"The guy just dey silent since the time him enter here o. E be like say one babe don shatter him heart" retorted Frank, just opposite my bunk.

No. No lady broke my heart. It was just the second week into the NYSC camp and that was not even on my agenda. But what was troubling me was worse. It was between me, God, and the choir director at the centre of it all.

"No o! my guy no even get time for that one sef. Na fellowship him go dey come from so. E be like say him tire today" said James, putting a defence in for me.

The choir director during the evening service of that day had wanted me not to touch the sound system (mixer, sound regulator, mic etc). His action implied it. Instead, he asked some other person (a camper too) to handle and regulate the system. That was not the first time such resistance has been put against my zeal to work with the organising team but that day's action broke my heart.

I did one thing that I'll never forget till I pass on from this world. I cried like a baby. I cried and begged God for a place in his sanctuary because I saw all what was happening as the hand of God. I never wanted to hold anything on the state choir director. I was careful not to. I begged God to find me worthy to work for him. Because that's what gives me joy!

To cut it short, everything changed like a miracle the next day. The Lord gave me a place in his sanctuary.

Later in the year at the Family House at the local government I was posted to, one night I enquired of the Lord the reason why there was 'No Vacancy' for me then? Why such resistance was against me and I had to beg for a place. I received an answer in my spirit the next day. I had neglected the Lord's vineyard during my university days. I was occupied by school work, giving excuses of various kind. Never interested in how the departmental fellowship programmes were organised even as I was the organising secretary and when I had the time which is convenient for me I then saw the need for service unto the Lord? For me, the answer was a 'NO' from God!

What excuse are you giving to God today? Now that you've been commissioned for the great work of reconciling men unto God, what are you doing about it? Or are you finding a convenient time to do the work of shrinking hell by winning souls? Beware! Because when you think you're ready, there may be NO VACANCY!