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| [Image by Stephen Ip] |
I am in the section of the garden where we like to talk, just me and him, like old times. I watch him walk towards me. Every step he takes is gentle but powerful in a mysterious way. As he proceeds, everything else in the garden becomes blurry, and my gaze is focused only on him.
He sits down beside me on the love seat.
"It's been a long time since we've done this, Ada," he says.
"I know, Dami. How have you been?"
"Been busy at the office lately."
"Well, it's good for you to have a break today, then."
"You can say that again." We both laugh loudly.
I want it to be a casual conversation, but every time we meet the casual becomes purposeful. Somehow, he's always been the one to bring it out of me since we were kids. There's never been a casual conversation between us. Never.
"There are some personal issues I'm dealing with right now," I blurt out.
He takes one good look at me, then he throws one leg over the other in a thoughtless manner, just like him.
"Spill, then. It's no good if it stays locked up inside."
"It's about my family."
"What about them?"
"I need to break out."
"What do you mean?"
"I feel like all my dreams, visions, and desires have been locked up within the scope of my family."
"Like your decisions have been shaped by them?"
"Exactly."
"I know that."
I pause. Did he just tell me that he knows?
"Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"Because you weren't ready yet."
"Ready for what?"
"For fearlessness."
He takes my right hand in his left.
"There comes a time in our lives when we realize that the whole world is right in front us. And we also begin to see the truth for ourselves, and it looks different from how we've always seen it. Only then can we step up and begin to make independent decisions. Your time is now."
As he says these words, tears fall down my face...and I know, I just know that he's right. My time is now. I know the truth and I can break out on my own.
* * * * *
It's true that we're all born into a specific kind of family, with specific religions and detailed ways of living. But there'll come a time in our lives when we'll begin to see the truth for ourselves and we have to stand up to make a choice.
For some of you, today might be that day. The day when you've suddenly come of age and you want to start making the right choices. For some of you, today might be the day when you'll accept Christ as your savior, knowing that He chose to die for you to bring you back to the Father. Right here on this page, there might be many other decisions you have to make. It could be something you know you need to do. Or to start. Make this decision today, don't wait another second. The fact that you were born into a specific kind of family has nothing to do with your knowledge of the truth. If you know the truth, let the truth set you free.
"Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15 | I pray you make the right choice today. Have a great week.
