I Have Decided To Follow Jesus…

By Dr jarlat Uche opara

Boom ⚡⚡ it became a hit. Making waves, trending and being sung and danced both in churches, clubs and other social events. The lyrics changed a bit, though retaining its traditional wordings with here and there fringes which of course were the cause of its trending.

“I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus no going back no turning back”.

This is the original wordings that was traced to Nokseng, a Garo man converted to Christianity and said to have recited verses from John 12:26 as he and his family were killed because of their new faith in Christianity.

The hymn was attributed to Sadhu Sundar Singh, an Indian missionary, who adapted the martyr’s words into a hymn. Born out of strong faith and belief in Jesus. A reflection of somebody’s unwavering commitment, undiluted yes to a course and a ramrod resolution to follow the ways of Christ not wavering.

Not a hymn for jamboree vibing, not one that comes out of the tickling of emotional emptiness, reflecting everything but deep connection , conviction and joy unlimited to God and what he stands for.

Very pleasant danceable rhythm, its power or otherwise lies in the level of consciousness of the those singing and dancing the very deep meaning of the wordings and their sincerity to what they profess.

It is not a song to excite ones mood, rather one to create an atmosphere of soberness, realising the demands of the song on ones christain journey.

As they gyrate, whine their waists, and sing the modified version of the song, I pray it doesn’t become mere lips service, water off the duck’s back commitment, one done to excite without full ownership of the wordings.

I pray those who dance and sing it with energy would realize that it is not just a recitation of wordings but more of an oath taking that should be kept in whatever situation one finds oneself either with the spirit of Daniel in the lion’ den, the undying resolve of the three Hebrew young men Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego at the middle of a furnace or the unconquerable spirit of that woman with her seven children in 2 Macabess over pork meat.

These were people who sang this song not necessarily in words but in action. Can we do same faced with such situations of having ones tongue cut, skinned from head to toe, thrown into a boiling oil etc in defence of what one believes in? singing not the song in words but in action?

I have decided to follow Jesus … Is beyond a song for waist whining. It is more than the boisterous clapping of hands and jumping up and down. It is rather a song of dedication of self to God, a song that expresses ones readiness of putting ones hands on the plough without looking back. Think about this as you sing the song and dance to its rhythm

Happy Pentecost celebration in advance. Only those imbued with this power of Pentecost can sing this song both in words and action without reneging and chickening out when push comes to shove.

Jarlathuche@gmail.com