Lightning and Thunder

3

𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑

EPISODE 3 (AUSTIN'S POV)

The extra bright headlights startled him out of his thoughts. The blare of the trailer's honk rang in his ears. Austin quickly swerved the car's steering to clear it out of harm's way, breathing heavily.

"Thank you, Jesus," he muttered as he car engine died down, the monstrous vehicle that had almost crushed him slithering off with an echoing protest.

The reality that he could have died in a matter of seconds made him reconsider many things. His mind had been tangled in his worries about Nisha, his bride-to-be. The shocking news of her incurable illness wasn't something he had dreamed of in a thousand years.

After he came out of her apartment, he called his spiritual father's line and pleaded to come see him even though it was very late already.
Mr Iyua, the lead pastor of The Exalted Saviour Ministries, had been his spiritual head since his graduation from the school of ministry. The man had a large heart and, sensing the distress in his son's voice, had given him an audience.

Actually, Austin had been getting signals of some looming battle ahead. His dreams and prayers had been filled with a dreadful foreboding over the past couple of weeks. Had he known that the devil was all out to tamper with his union with the love of his life, he would have taken his prayers more seriously.

This near accident of his was no mere coincidence, he knew. Something sinister was brewing. Maybe it was fate's wicked claws toying with him.
Austin managed to gather himself together and drive carefully all the way to his destination.

Rev. Iyua was already waiting for him when he arrived. Together they took a walk through the vast garden of the man's house, under the canopy of stars.

"What bothers you, my son, that you sounded so distressed over the phone," Rev Iyua asked as he perused his ward under the silvery glow of the moon.

Austin gulped and fought against the tears that welled in his eyes.

"Well, Daddy, I'm just confused."

Rev Iyua's countenance grew serious. "About what?"

"Everything. It seems fate has decided to throw boulders at me and I'm tethering on the edge of death."

"Fate? Death? You have me in the dark here, son."

"I just got back from my fiancée's house-"

"Oh, Nisha. How is she doing? I was just about to ask if you've finalized the venue for the reception..."

"Daddy! There might be no reception, no wedding even, with the way things are going. Nisha is dying."

"What?" Rev Iyua looked dismayed.

"She has terminal breast cancer and she has decided to be admitted to the hospital starting tomorrow. Her hope has dwindled to zero and mine is shaking already."

"Hmmm... I see."

"That's not even the only strange thing. On my way to your place tonight, sir, I almost collided headlong with a huge trailer. I would have died. Seems like my life his just a puppet in fate's cruel hands."

Rev Iyua placed his hand on Austin's shoulder and

"We don't hinge our lives, our identity in God, on fate. We anchor it on our faith in God."

"What happens when it seems all the formula of faith you know fails you?" Austin asked.

"Oh, son, faith doesn't operate by formula. It operates by blindly trusting God to do what humanly seems impossible."

A moment of silence passed as Austin digested the profound truth he had just heard. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"Daddy, I will try. I can't promise it'll be a smooth ride, though."

Rev Iyua smiled.

"That's my son. About your wedding, it will happen in God's time. There's more to it than meets the eye and there's a whole battle coming up against you both because the enemy doesn't want God's glorious plan over your life to come to fulfilment."

Austin groaned.
"So what do we do?"

"You'll intercede. And claim back what God has given you by faith."

~~~

ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ:
Hello everyone. The premise of today's episode is faith versus fate. The one which decides our identity in Christ is our faith in God regardless of the hopelessness of the evidence surrounding us.
Just like Austin had a spiritual head he could run to in the time of his trial, it's very helpful to have someone, that God has prepared for you, who will guide you in your walk with God.
Tell me, do you ever feel like fate controls your life more than faith does?
Now is the perfect time to drop your declarations of faith over your life, over that circumstance as we step into a new week, proceeding into the final countdown days of this year.