HomeTHE DAY I CONQUERED THE COCKROACHKofo's BlogTHE DAY I CONQUERED THE COCKROACH

THE DAY I CONQUERED THE COCKROACH

I was a very young Christian when this occurred. No, not by biological age but by spiritual age. I was still feeling the waters to discover the kind of spiritual discipline that would work for me. Journaling was working perfectly for me at that time. Till today I don’t even know if it’s the right term for what I did then. But it involved noting things down during my quiet time in the mornings. As you can imagine, this required that I got out of bed, sat down on a desk, and write down in my own words, what struck me most about what I was reading on a big diary I had at the time. Who knows? Maybe God had been preparing me since then for what I am now doing on my website!! Nice feeling, even though I stopped ‘journaling’ a long time ago.

Whatever the case may be, I’ll never forget the day I conquered the cockroach! So far as I am concerned, God not only taught me a very great lesson through that experience, but it was also my first experience of having a good laugh with God. Do I sound presumptuous? I hope not, because it is not my last time of doing so. In fact it was merely the first of many similarly delightful experiences.

Maybe I’ll share others in this blog. Maybe not. But one thing I can assure you of is that it’s always fills me with a the special warmth, similar to the one that I imagine an infant experiences when his mother picks it up, positions his face close to hers, shakes him gently while making funny faces, and speaking baby language at him to make him laugh. From my experience, that never fails to elicit a cheerful gurgle of laughter from the baby. Yes, I always feel like that baby whenever it occurs between me and my heavenly Father. And I guess that’s why I never forget whenever it occurs. I hope and pray I never get familiar with the experience.

So I woke up this morning and remained in bed with my eyes closed. This lasted for a long time… and then a longer time… and a longest time. This was not normal for me. I was supposed to have gotten up by now to prepare for my morning devotion, which meant that I needed to get up from bed. While my mind knew exactly what I needed and should be doing, my body was not cooperating. I guess this is a proverbial case of the spirit being willing but the flesh being weak. But then again, I am not so sure that the spirit was willing. So I remained exactly where I was debating the unusual problem of why I had no desire to get up from exactly where I was on the bed.

I really cannot say how long I stayed prone in this position when a movement flitted across what must have been my closed eyes!! Well then, I just had to open my eye to confirm whether it was for real! On doing so, I certainly must have heard a buzz of wings too because my eyes somehow followed the sound of the buzz. And guess what alighted in my view?!!! A cockroach!!!

I can’t quite remember where I first saw this cockroach but I suspect it was right beside me on the bed!! A cockroach on my bed!! Unheard of!! I hate cockroaches with a passion and no wise cockroach would dare hang around in my presence! And here was one right beside me on the bed!! Its fate was sealed. The death knell had sounded for that cockroach. It had to die! And immediately!

By now of course, I was no longer lethargic but had become very alert and tense, even if probably still in my prone position. You don’t want to move too much or too suddenly when you want to give a cockroach (or any other arachnida for that matter) a surprise blow. As I glowered sneakily at the annoying insect, preparing to deal the death blow, it strode majestically to the flow and amazingly in a position where it could be easily seen and intercepted! I cannot fathom the type of agility that suddenly propelled me, but all I know is that Splash! One half of my flip-flop landed on the poor creature and it was dead in one blow!! Then I heard it!

‘Aha! the Cockroach Slayer has arisen and conquered!’ I was startled by the words… because it immediately struck me that I was on my feet! How on earth did I get from a prone, lazy position to being on my feet and feeling so energized?? I started giggling, laughing to and at myself… And I could hear my Father laughing right along!! He was tickling me and making me laugh while teaching me my first lesson for the day!

You think I am exaggerating? Come on now, be honest. Have you ever been able to kill a cockroach, or any insect for that matter, in one fell swoop? Well I cannot recall ever being able to do that in my life! I usually had to pursue them to catch up with them before I could close in for the kill. This was a first for me. And so far as I am concerned, it only occurred because my Father saw I was running late for our morning fellowship, and wanted me up and doing. I have no doubt in my mind that the Great Strategist sent the perfect bait to get me where He wanted me to be! Something like a mother pulling off the cover from a lazy child who refused to get up and start getting ready for school!

However, in this case, had my Father pulled the cover away from me, I would have fainted away from shock. So He did it in a way that only He could do it. He sent a cockroach which He knew I hated around me, to give me a push that would get me up. And get up I did! To conquer the cockroach!

Having learnt this first lesson in self-discipline by conquering the cockroach, I sauntered like a true Cockroach Conqueror, awake, alert and still giggling, toward the desk where my Bible and diary awaited. I was now ready to hear what my Father had to tell me, and take note… this time penning down in ink, my thoughts about God’s word in my big blue hardcover annual diary. I can’t remember which organization gave me that diary, but I have never forgotten it. I occasionally wonder what became of it. I am not sure it is still in my possession.

Suffice it to say that never before or since then did I ever see any other cockroach in that room! You can think what you like. You can say what you will. All I know is that I know Who orchestrated that experience. And though it was most unwelcome at the beginning, it ended quite happily! Occasionally, at the sight of a cockroach, I would remember that day and it still makes me smile till today! Who knows better than my Father in Heaven what to do, when to do it, and how to do it!

Indeed, all things work together for the good of those who love Him and called according to His Purposes. Take heart, beloved, He is working it out all the time, even in the small things!!  There is none like Him!  O taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the person that trusts in Him.

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