Shalom

Chapter Three

"Praise ye the Lord!" Pastor Frederick's voice blew out of the speakers.

"Hallelujah!" The congregation chorused.

"I am happy." Pastor Frederick's face was lit up with a bright smile.

The congregation chuckled.

"I believe that you have been blessed by today's sermon that was rendered by one of our pastors; Pastor John. A round of applause for him, please."

The congregation applauded him while he was bowing his head and smiling sheepishly.

"That is okay." Pastor Frederick said and the clap subsided.

"I was blessed by the sermon." He turned to Pastor John, "May the Lord continue to bless you, sir."

"Amen." Pastor John responded.

"Alright. Next to the testimony session. Testimony time..."

"Overcomers' time." The congregation chorused.

"The testifiers should come forward, please." He said.

The testifiers obeyed, pastor Frederick's daughter included.

Frederick was surprised to see his daughter, although he didn't show it. He was surprised because she had never come out to church to do anything before. Shalom saw her father and gave him a reassuring smile.

The first testifier held on to a mic and shared his testimony of how God saved him from a fatal accident. The church gave God praise on hearing it. The second testifier shared her testimony of how her elder sister got married to a God-fearing man and gave birth to a bouncing baby boy last week.

They kept on sharing what God had done for them till it got to Sharon's turn.

"Good afternoon everyone." She said to the mic.

"Good afternoon to you." The church responded.

"How are you all doing?" Shalom smiled while asking the question.

The congregation laughed. She was meant to share her testimony and not ask about their welfare.

"I have not done this before in my life but I just have to do it because if I don't, I will be ungrateful to God." She began.

Hmmms were heard amid the congregation.

"I am here to thank God and appreciate Him for saving my soul from hell. I thank Him for making me know Him beyond religion. Although, I am a pastor's daughter all that I was doing before He saved me was mere religion. I was attending weekly meetings and Sunday services just to fulfill all righteousness. But thanks to God the pretense is over now. Everyone here that is under the sound of my voice, please, I am begging you in the name of God that ensure you are saved, don't just assume because assumption is costly. Yes, it is costly. Kindly, sing this song along with me."

She led a song by GUC and the church stood up to worship God for the salvation of Shalom's soul.

Fredrick was in complete awe of how God could save his daughter's life from sin, the devil, and hell. He worshipped God in tongues silently while the song was still on.

They sang the song for like 5 minutes. Pastor Frederick took over and prayed for the testifiers that God should make their testimonies permanent in His name.

The testifiers went back to their seats including Shalom's dad while the announcement session was taken over by another pastor.

A few minutes later, the service was brought to an end. Everyone dispersed and went to their different homes.

***

"Shalom, my dear..." Pastor Frederick said over dinner later in the evening.

"Dad." Shalom paused her meal. She took a look at her father waiting for him to continue his discussion.

Her father saw that and smiled.

"Dad, what is it? Why are you smiling?" She quizzed.

"It's nothing serious, darling." Her mother chipped in. "I guess it is because of your testimony in church today." She added in between mouthfuls.

"Oh! That?"

"Yes, that." Her father responded. He paused, puffed out a breath of air, and continued, "I was utterly in awe when you came out to share your testimony in front of the congregation in the church today. You didn't tell me that you have accepted the gift of salvation.

Shalom sighed. "I am sorry Dad. I thought you would know about it."

"How?" The husband and wife asked simultaneously with a look of surprise and confusion plastered on their faces.

"I thought the Holy Spirit would have revealed it to you." She said.

Pastor Fredrick and his wife gaped.

Shalom continued. "You know the Bible says that the Holy Spirit will reveal the deep mysteries of the kingdom to us."

"And is this a mystery?" Samuel, who had been quiet since the discussion started spoke up.

"I am sorry, dear. You just quoted the wrong scripture." Mrs. Eunice said and laughed.

"Exactly." The husband joined his wife.

"Really?"

"Yes," Samuel said.

"Okay, okay, okay. I agree and accept." Sharon said and gave a mock surrender.

"Shalom..." Her father began on a more serious note.

"Yes, Dad," Shalom responded.

"I want you to know that heaven rejoices over a soul that is won into God's kingdom and at the same time, the devil and his cohorts are not happy. They are furious because they have lost a soul in their kingdom. The Bible says in the book of 1 Peter 5/8 'Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour. So that is why you must guard yourself and your heart. It is good for you to accept God's gift of salvation but you should maintain and sustain it. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. That's what the Bible says." He explained.

"Hmmm," Shalom nodded to her dad's words thoughtfully. According to her, those words were timely.

"Thank you, dad." She appreciated him.

"Thanks, Dad." Samuel did the same. His father's words must have touched him to his bones too.

"You're welcome, children." Pastor Frederick replied.

"May the Lord continue to uphold us." Mrs. Eunice prayed.

"Amen." The rest chorused.

All of a sudden, Shalom stood up abruptly and sprinted to the kitchen.

Before her parents and her brother could say, Jack Robinson, Shalom appeared in the dining room with a bottle of chilled fruit wine and four glass cups.

"What are these for?" Her mother quizzed.

"My salvation experience calls for celebration." She replied in excitement.

"Oh! That's true." Her father said, smiling.

"Congratulations to you once again." They chorused.

"Thank you." She replied, her face lit up with smiles.

To be continued.