If you claim to be too busy to live for and serve God like the early church because of how your city is, remember that Jesus did not die for only the early church. He died and rose for all men everywhere in every age until He returns. There is no special Holy Spirit in Acts of the Apostles. It is the same God, the same faith, the same baptism, the same commission, the same gospel.

Don’t be deceived, Rome was far busier and more secular than New York or Tokyo or Lagos. There were no phones or airplanes or even air conditioners then. It was probably harder to be a Christian. It will always be hard to be a Christian; hard for the flesh and hard in this world. The distractions may be more today, but the argument may be made that it is easier today than it has ever been to serve God. You have a Bible on your phone! Wow! People died to get copies of these things to us.

And know this: in this same Abuja, this same London, this same Boston, this same Montreal, this same Johannesburg – you have Acts of the Apostles believers and churches. People like you- business people, educated people, busy people who are living for the King and ready to die for Him; who pray like their hearts will break, who give like there is no tomorrow, who fast like a bride on her wedding morning- with great joy, who cast our demons, who speak with new tongues, who love nothing in this world though they have so much, and who fear no one though they serve and work with many people; whose eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; right here in this 21st century.

Drop the excuses therefore; Jesus is available for the taking. He is here for as many as will receive Him. The Bread of Life. The Word of God. The Prince of Peace. The Redeemer. The Saviour. The Author of salvation and the Perfecter of all those who come to God by Him. He is here calling for you to be with Him – the One who will remain long after this world has been judged and has passed away; to know Him and live for the eternal gain during your extremely short period on this terrestrial plane.

Many great cities have come and gone. Babel. Egypt. Assyria. Babylon. Athens. Rome. But He is forever. To see the ultimate will deliver you from the burden of the immediate. He is beckoning on you to lift up your eyes from the distractions of Lagos that you may behold the glories of the everlasting Logos.

Ebele UzoPeters