The eventful life of a Lagos Banker (5)

Henry left that meeting in a state of euphoria. As he drove home, he reminisced on the events of that evening. The striking ambiance of the venue, the melodious music, the inspiring testimonies and the riveting message from the Pastor all played out with a touch of excellence. He however was still astounded by his actions. How in the world did he break out into uncontrollable tears, in full public glare? How come he couldn’t recollect walking that distance to the front of the hall? “Too many questions for a day”, he mused as he immersed himself in the captivating melody that had lingered with him from the event.

This was the second time he was having this kind of spiritual experience. The first was in his days in the University, when he had somehow ended up in a room with four guys who were born again. Their conversation had strayed to the story of one of their friends who was attacked by members of a secret cult. Chinedu had pulled out of the cult when he gave his life to Christ and his group would have none of that. They had cajoled him and tried to convince him that his encounter shouldn’t come in the way of their brotherhood. When all of that yielded no fruits, they hatched a plan and got one of their members to lure him out one night and he was brutally attacked and thrown down from a hill, close to their school. He was left for dead but somehow had managed to hold on to a tree stump till dawn. He eventually dragged himself to the road and got help to the hospital.

Henry knew Chinedu and had heard various conflicting versions of the story of his amazing survival. On his return to school, he had been marked “untouchable” as word about his invincibility had spread round the school. However the intimate details of his conversion, struggles and the courage to challenge such a deadly unit left Henry in awe. This wasn’t just some blind defiance. The young man, having being part of the group, knew too well their capabilities and yet he wasn’t careful for his life.

At that very moment of vulnerability, Henry had a rare attack of morality and felt as if he was the only one left out in this sinful world. If bad guys like Chinedu were getting saved, why would a more decent guy like him, stubbornly journey to hell, when he had an option? He yielded to their request and they prayed for him. Perhaps it was that same prayer that had haunted him all those years and despite all his decisions never to get himself into that kind of situation, here he was again… it was déjà vu.

This time around however, unlike his spirited efforts the last time, to evade those following him up, he was eager and open to learn. He spent the night immersed in the materials that he had been given at the event. As he leafed through the pages of the book, “Recreating your world”, he was astounded and at the same time captivated by the ideas propagated by the author. The comments on the creative abilities of man were as outlandish as they were audacious. Henry was nonetheless excited at the possibility that it was within his powers to bring his dreams to fruition. The following assertion of the author resonated with his spirit “A dream is a seed with enough life in it to cause it to come to pass, no matter what the circumstance may be…” [1]

That night he couldn’t sleep for excitement, he read deep into the night and encountered even more remarkable statements:

“It is so vital for us to know that we actually have a choice in life. You don’t have to stay with the status quo… you are either changing the circumstances of your life and your world or your world is changing you!… Creation is done in your spirit. As the Word is spoken, it transforms your imagination into reality… Make up your mind not to waste   your time. Don’t be a drifter in life. The future is here and it belongs to you. Whatever you want to do will work.” [2]

Even as he slept that night, he nursed the idea that he could nurture his dreams to reality. The following days were full of excitement for Henry as he saw life from an entirely different perspective. His insecurities were a thing of the past, he knew he could make a difference. This was not just by an uncertain hope, he had a deeper conviction.

Henry got his first miracle that same week. His sister; Ifeoma had been struck with a strange ailment. She had been rushed to a specialist hospital and after numerous tests, was diagnosed with a heart condition called pericarditis. It had been a great strain to the family as they watched their once vivacious daughter turn pale and wittle down in size. Their family had no history of heart ailments and they just couldn’t fathom the cause of the sickness. She had been on admission for over a month and her condition wasn’t getting any better.

Faith had welled up in Henry’s heart after the insights he received from the book and on waking up the day after the event, he knew what to do. He had called and prayed for her sister; he had imagined her sister hale and hearty and had gone ahead to create what he wanted. Sure enough, he received reports that things were improving but got a jolt when by the end of the week he was informed that his sister had been discharged. He was elated and glorified God for the awesome miracle and was amazed at the speed of the result.

Getting back to the office, the changes were apparent. Olu was the first to voice his observations when Henry didn’t join others in laughing at his lewd jokes. “This one Henry just dey bone, e be like say some girl don chance am” he quipped, in mockery of Henry’s unusual silence. Chuma just smiled and said, “Leave Henry, he is in a spiritual mode this morning”. Henry was quick to let them know that he was a new man and wouldn’t be a part of such a gathering.

Stella took him under her wings and ensured she provided answers to his numerous questions. She marveled at his faith and was inspired by the new vibe he was creating in the office.

Henry knew he could change his world and he decided to start from his present position.

1 Chris Oyakhilome, Recreating your world (3rd ed., Lagos: Loveworld Publications, 2000, 3rd ed., pp. 16.

2 Chris Oyakhilome, Recreating your world (3rd ed., Lagos: Loveworld Publications, 2000, 3rd ed., pp. 5-33.