(Ephesians 6:6, Romans 6:15-23)

Born within the walls of our nation, nobody told us that our nation was not what it used to be. But over years we have been used to its affairs. All we knew was how things were done here, where we are, we eat only what we are given, feed on the available, so used to an atmosphere that we almost forgot we were ever given birth to ⸺ thinking ourselves nothing more than the slaves we have been. The whip came down over my sweaty back, a back bent as bow from the tilling over years as cursed from the very tongues of the creator; …cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat the herb of the field…. On the stroke of the whip, my limbs shook, my head throbbed and I fell to the hard rocky ground. My vision was blur as it has always been, for there was a time I could see clearly.

“Today’s stroke seemed different” I said to myself, more fierce, more piercing ⸺ then it dawned on me we had a visitor. I could not see his face, but it was as if he wore a robe, apparel so royal that it reflects. I smiled and at the same time was sad, he is the man we have all heard his story, generations after generations, his story was handed to us. A man who comes to buy slaves at a price, a fixed price non-negotiable yet so great a price none could reject. Not even the demands of our masters’ law. The price satisfied every demands of the law of our land. He has always come and goes, buying slaves upon slaves yet it had never gotten to my turn. Yes that is the reason I was sad, happy he was around, sad he may not get to buy me.

I looked away, more like a consolation for my wearying heart. Then he said to the keeper of the slaves “bring me that one” involuntarily I looked up and like a flash of lightning, the whip landed on my broken back, it broke over my body and I doubled over with a blinding pain, bits of rock stuck to my sweaty black skin. Why I was such a target of torture, none could say. Being dragged to his feet, he said “I’d take him”.

In sacks of gold and silver he paid the price for me and said faintly to my deafening ears “you are no longer a slave to sin”.

* * *

Bought with a price

Such not of gold or silver

Nor was it a game of dice

God became man hither

Led to the slab for slaughter

Price paid, sin silenced on Golgotha

Blood of a lamb blameless

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Just for the deeds of man blamed

Amazed at a sheep’s meekness

That a beast in us should be tamed

Torn and divided is the veil

That by faith we should follow his trail

And with sin his person made pale

Through his righteousness we are made fat

For he bought us with a price.

© Lawal Kolade M.