Sunday Sermon: Just His Grace

I have existed in this world for more than three decades. One thing I have learnt never to take for granted is the grace of God. His grace and mercy brought me this far and are capable to take me to and through my next phase of life. I have also learnt not to laugh at others when I see them not living up to expectation.

Now when I see a very fat woman or man, I know that sickness or rejection could have made that person fat. When I see a prostitute in a brothel, I now see a girl who could have been cruising around town in a good ride and living a good life if she was born into an influential home. I also see a girl who could have been abused severally by uncles and men in the society thereby leading her into prostitution.
I see a girl whose mother may be lying sick at home and she has to make money to save her life and knowing our society, the only way she can do that is sell her body for money since she could have come across those heartless men who will not give her the money without asking for her body. That I am a Christian (even when I know that it is more about the life of Christ in me) doesn’t mean I have to look down on a Muslim because a good number of us became Christians because we were born into Christian families.

I could have been born to a family in Saudi Arabia where all I know is Islam. As a Muslim, you could have been born into an Irish family where you know nothing about Islam. All I owe everyone is love and prayer.
As a mother of four who has been through the pain of domestic violence and divorce. I know what it means when a woman talks about abuse-physical or verbal. I know what it means to be stigmatized by the society, friends, colleagues and even church members and your own pastors who should know better. I know what it means to be abandoned to fate. I have known riches as well as poverty. I have been up there, knocked down and shattered, now I am close to being up there again.

Now, God has given me that man who makes sure I don’t remember my days of agony (I can only say,”thank You Jesus). I never imagined that in this life, there will be a man who wouldn’t want to see me frown, but God brought him. I have seen the grace and mercy of God who didn’t allow me to be broken to pieces forever. But because God saw me through it and brought me out sane and sound shouldn’t make me look down on that single mother out there looking for survival for her children.

That I don’t sleep around to make it doesn’t mean I have to speak and condemn that woman who sells her body to every man in town just feed her children. It takes the grace of God to watch your children cry in hunger without you going out there to do something nasty even if it means stealing. I can only do what I should do to make her quit that lifestyle and fix her eyes on God alone. If I have a good job to offer her, I should do it to save her the pain because I know she doesn’t enjoy giving her body to strangers. If I can help him start up a good business,I should do that.


The church has failed a lot of souls. The church, instead of building lives is now worried about building beautiful auditorium for my God who dwells more in our hearts. The church, instead of encouraging broken hearts, now help to shatter the remaining pieces. I remember a pastor’s wife chasing away a woman who sells Gala in front of the church after service. Do you expect such a woman to come close to the church if that is the way Christians behave?

The 21st century church has failed. Where is the brotherly love shared by the early church? Where is that thing that can make the world look at us and call us ‘Christians’? This is what the Lord has sent me into this world for. He took me through the wilderness, stayed with me in the wilderness, walked with me through the wilderness and brought me out safe and sound. He did this just because He wants me to be a voice for the voiceless women and children who are broken, shattered, and abandoned to die. Where has God, in His infinite mercy, brought you from?

You are now up there and wouldn’t want to relate with the downtrodden. You can no longer give them a simple hug which maybe all they need to smile again. You are now being worshipped as a little god. Make amends.
I don’t know where you have suddenly found yourself. I don’t know what name the world has given you. Like Dr. Myles Munroe said, maybe they have made you a second class citizen of the church because you are divorced, separated, or widowed. They stay far from you because you were once a prostitute or burglar. Forgive them; they wont understand the fire that God picked you out from, they wont understand because they have not been there. Forgive them because we now have more actors in church than Hollywood/Nollywood.

Let them laugh at you. Let them call you ‘old and never married’. Let them call you a divorced prostitute. Let them tag you that widow who killed her husband. The Potter wants to put back together the broken pieces of your life. It is never of he who runs, but of God who shows mercy. Never accept the name the world has given you. God has beautiful names for you- the apple of His eyes, a royal priesthood, a peculiar nation, God’s masterpiece. He has made you beautiful and that’s what you are. He picked me up and placed my feet on higher grounds; I am sure He wants to do that for you only if you will allow Him.

You are out of school because you cannot afford school fees. He has a reason for allowing you come into a nation with no good plan for her citizens. But I know you will smile again; don’t give up. If I am standing today and writing this to you, you will someday stand to inspire others only if you endure.


By Amara Blessing