LOVE REDEFINED: A short story

'Remi, Jesus said he has been trying to reach out to you but you never gave him a chance.' Tomi started

'The love he professes is too good to be true and free with nothing attached. I think he’s a fraud.'

'He isn’t Remi. I have tasted his love too and I can testify.'

'Oh wow. That answers my questions. He’s been sleeping with you. This is what I have been telling you. Love is sex. Nothing else than that.'

She laughed. 'He isn’t that kind of man. His love is pure and void of any form of impurity.'

'How am I supposed to believe that love is not sex? That’s the only way I feel love. I need to reach out to David. If I had him here, I won’t be listening to all this. It’s being long we made out. I miss our unique styles.'
'That’s not the definition of love Remi.'
'I don’t know what’s wrong with Dave. He’s not been picking my calls. No replies to my text.'
“It time you...'

'Spare me, please.'

.........
'Hey, Remi' Tomi paused. “Have you been crying?'

'Dave said he’s not interested in me anymore. He said I am not his type anymore. That I am a second hand.'
She said amidst sobs. 'I'm not sure there’s anyone that’s going to love me the way he did. He gave me sex. We had all kinds of fun. Absolutely no one. Can you at least help me plead with him to take me back?'

Please support!🙏

'I can’t and I won’t. I told you from the start this guy was far from the definition of genuine love. Babe, you deserve the truest and purest kind of love. The kind that Jesus gives.'

It's hard to believe, Tomi. It’s hard. I wish I could, but it doesn’t seem to make sense that love will come at a free cost to me without doing a thing. It doesn’t add up.' Remi said.

'Can I at least read a verse of the scripture to you?' Tomi asked

“Maybe” she replied uninterested

'I want to read from John 3:16 the message version.' she said, not minding her disposition.
“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.”
John 3:16‭-‬18 MSG

'Okay?'

'Do you have a Bible?'

'There’s one mum used before she died. I’m not sure I can find it, anyway. Why asking?' she replied

'Do you mind using mine? I want you to read through this passage. Can you do that for me?'

'I can’t promise.' she said

'Just try.'

'Okay. Are you staying overnight?'

'No. I didn’t plan for that.'

'Please'

'Hmm. Okay. Let me inform my parents about it.'

'Thank you.'

2:00 am

'Why did you turn off the music?' Remi asked.

'I didn’t want you to be disturbed' Tomi replied

'I wasn’t in any way. Please keep it on. It helped me sleep soundly.'
'Oh. Alright.'

'What’s the title?'

'Reckless Love.'

'Reckless... “she paused.” please just keep it on.'

8:00 am

'I'm off babe'

'Thank you for staying overnight,” she said smiling.'
'Anything for you. Please try to study that verse.'

'Maybe.'

9:00 am

'Hey mum.'

'Welcome love. How’s your friend?' Mrs. Awolowo asked.

'She’s fine, I think. But she needs our prayers. I would like us to intercede for her. I believe God has started his work on her heart. And he would definitely complete it. I need us to pray that God will help her to yield and change her understanding of what love means and also heal her heart.'

'All right. Let me finish up in the kitchen. I would join you. Get your Dad to join us too.'
........


'Could Tomi be right? But it looks too perfect to be true. That a man would love me with all. What’s there to love about me? It wouldn’t hurt to try anyway and if it’s fake, it wouldn’t be the first heartbreak. I’m used to it already.'

Save yourself the stress. He won’t have anything to do with you. With the numbers of abortions, you have done. Sex is the solution. Once you have the sex you would be fine

'But I can still try.'

'Jesus, Tomi says you are real and you love me. Could you at least say something to show you really do? We could work something out. She says love is beyond sex. Can you talk about that too?' She paused, waiting to hear a voice. Are you there'

He won’t listen to you. I told you.

'I tried anyway,' she said as she covered herself with the duvet. It wasn’t long before she slept.

Remi the voice called
“Who are you?”

Your lover.
“My lover? Are you Jesus?” She asked

Yes, I am. Come over

'Can you at least allow me to change into something better so I can look acceptable and presentable?'

Come as you are.

'No. I need to look more acceptable. I need to change from this rag.'

My love, come as you are. I want to give you rest. I want to walk with you.  She moved close to him and he drew her into his arms.

Take my hands and let me walk this journey with you. She held his hands and broke into tears as he led her out of the darkroom she was in.
She felt his peace, calm, and overwhelming love. He covered her. His love is surreal. All her questions and doubts cleared.

Remi jerked up from her sleep. It was a dream all along. Except that.

Everything that happened in the dream was real. She still felt the same way she felt after he took hold of her hands and wrapped his arm around. Secured, loved, and whole.

She reached for Tomi’s Bible as she read the portion of the Bible Tomi asked her to read.

'Yes. He’s the one. Jesus. He loves me.' The song. The words from the scriptures. She screamed. 'Jesus is real. He loves me. Oh Jesus you are real. I believe you.'

It’s logical to say that when a man loses one out of his 100 sheep, he might not bother cause he still has a whole 99. But God would leave the 99 to find you.

We must also never allow our experiences to shape our ideas of what love looks like and also not settle for a kind of love that’s below God’s standard. God is the best definition of what love is and looks like.
You haven’t accepted his love for you?
Are you ready to receive it?
Say this

Dear Lord,
I am a sinner in need of your help. I ask today you take away this old life from me and give me yours. Write my name in your holy book. Please hold my hands as I walk through life and never let me go. I place my faith in you and I believe in your love for me.
Thank you, lord.
Amen!
Congratulations!



If you are new here, welcome. Do well to check out my previous posts.