The Quenched Desire – Episode 2
The Quenched Desire – Episode 2
© Lewis Dampson
Was this going to be his last day on earth? He had so many people who were depending on him for survival. All he could do was to pray for a miracle.
His hands were slipping off the metal. When he almost thought his end had come, two of the workers entered the room he was in. They moved in to help him by fastening him to a belt. But, their action was late. Mr. Roberts lost his grip and descended. Fortunately for him, the belt that was fastened to him impeded his free fall, and we was stuck in midair. But, unfortunately, the reaction the belt provided was so rough that he broke his hip bone.
More workers came to the scene as they helped in the rescue. They managed to cut the rope that was fastened to his leg and rescued him. The medical team on site gave Mr. Roberts first aid treatment, but later realized they had limited resources to deal with Mr. Roberts’s injury. They called for an ambulance which came in an hour. The ambulance took Mr. Roberts to the hospital for proper treatment.
News reached Mrs. Roberts about what had happened to her husband. She at once left the house with her children to the hospital. When they got to the hospital, Mr. Roberts was in intensive care. He had suffered from a serious bone fracture in his hip, and the doctors feared he might never walk again. Mrs. Roberts wailed when the doctors broke the news to her. “Oh God! Why have you forsaken me? Why have you allowed the devil to hurt my husband so bad? Who will feed my children? I am a housewife with no job, and I have been told by the doctors not to work. Where am I going to get the income to cater for my children?” Mrs. Roberts lamented.
Two months later, Mr. Roberts was discharged from the hospital in a wheelchair. He was now crippled and couldn’t go to work. Within months, they had spent all the money they got from the company as compensation. Hunger and poverty were now the unwelcome, yet prevalent guests in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Roberts.
Due to the hardship the family faced, Charles with his other siblings were withdrawn from school. Their parent couldn’t pay their school fees anymore. He had to stay home and help take care of his father along with his sisters. His dreams of going to school was cut short.
The suffering became unbearable, and Charles who was the only male child had to work to feed his family. His mother took him to see the supervisor his father used to work with. She explained the situation to him and asked him to employ his son so that he could get money for the family. The supervisor’s nature was filled with the milk of human compassion as he employed young Charles in the construction company.
Thus, at age fourteen, Charles was working. His task was to take nails and other light-weight tools to the workers while they worked. The family blood of hard work was in his blood. He worked with diligence to the astonishment of everyone.
Charles had developed the habit of memorizing scriptures. He was always seen with his Bible even at his work place. He often hid his Bible in the uncompleted buildings and always read them when he was less busy. Charles also took his habit of giving out Scriptures on pieces of papers to his fellow workers. He would stand at the entrance and give out pieces of papers with scriptures written on them to the workers for their workday meditation. “What truth did you find in the text?” young Charles would often ask them when he saw them after work. As these hard-working men passed by the dust covered boy, they had no idea of how God would use him to change nations.
Charles differed from children of his age group. Because of the pressure on him to provide for his family, he never took part in sports, amusement or coarse joking. He worked at the construction site every day, then came home and walked a kilometer to church. He was seen at work or in church.
One evening, Charles came back home tired. To go to church that evening was becoming a challenge, but the earnest desire to seek God took control of him, and he went. He arrived at the church late and located a seat at the last row of the pew. Pastor Charles was preaching when he entered the room. Upon hearing the sermon for fifteen minutes, he came to know the topic Pastor Charles was treating. “We all find ourselves in everyday situations. We are pressed with the temptations and the desires of the flesh. We are constantly being prosecuted as Christians. But, in all these, I want you to ask yourself what Jesus would do? What would Jesus do if he was in your situation? Remember, he was in the flesh like us, but could find solutions to every problem he faced. What would Jesus do if he was facing your current circumstances? Would he cave in and give up?” these were the words Pastor Charles said as he walked up and down the aisle asking the congregation rhetorically.
Young Charles was moved by the message Pastor Charles preached that evening. After the service, he became obsessed and repeatedly asked himself, “What have I done for Jesus?” This made him more dedicated to the work of God. He wanted to do everything he thought possible for Jesus.
Charles’ obsession of giving his life to God became so intense that he read everything pertaining to Him. He divided his income into two and bought instruments, which he learnt how to play. Soon, Charles had mastered the piano. In fact, he excelled in anything he did because he always put his whole heart into it.
With more meditation on the word, Charles was able to teach himself how to read properly and how to write. He often wrote the revelations he received from his quiet time. Soon, Charles had become a prolific writer at age sixteen. He wrote poems about his love for God. He also wrote articles on what he deemed necessary. He shared them with his close friends. They were amazed to see the revelations Charles was writing. They couldn’t keep it to themselves and began to broadcast his poems and articles. Soon, Charles’ works were published in the local newspapers.
While others of his age group became interested in dating, Charles was more likely to be in church discussing Scripture with other men. Soon, the elders of the church gave him the responsibility of starting a weekly debate group for young men like himself.
Two weeks after his sixteenth birthday, Charles went to work very excited. He shared his Scriptures on pieces of papers to the workers and went happily about his work. He was called by the supervisor and quickly left whatever he was doing to attend to the call. When he got to the supervisor, he was handed a letter. “Oh, thank God! At last my promotion has come. I could get enough money for my family and to purchase more instruments,” Charles thought to himself as he excitedly opened the letter.
What do you think will be the content of the letter?
To be continued
