Long time ago in a small riverside town, there used to be a competition at the end of every year. After the competition, the king of the town will give out awards ranging from money to different kinds of valuable properties to the best participants. Some months to the beginning of a certain year’s competition, the king made a public announcement that the year would be a different one. “This year’s competition is going to be great, instead of the wresting competition we have been known for; it will be swimming competition as from now on. We are no more fighting ourselves, rather we will display to the whole world that we are from the river area. In addition, I will celebrate my fiftieth birthday along with the competition and because of this, I will give the best swimmer one of my newly completed houses,” the king said.
There was a man of about forty years who heard the announcement. This man had been living from hand to mouth for many years of working. There was no saving and no plan to build house. He saw this as a great opportunity of having a place to cover his head and he decided to participate in the competition. He registered for the event the following day with a strong determination of winning the house. As the day of the competition was approaching, all those that registered were preparing vigorously and this man was busy also, he had already finished two different textbooks on swimming. He studied different types of swimming skills like diving, floating, rocking and the rest. He also went to the bookshop and bought another book on swimming styles. He read about freestyle, back crawl, front crawl and butterfly stroke. Yes, he was satisfied. “What else do I need to know about swimming?” He asked himself.
The D-day finally arrived. There were many participants and many people also came to witness the great occasion. This man was present, standing at alert and waiting for the whistle with all the systems he would use in his head. When the whistle sounded, he jumped into the river for the first time in his life. He tried to use freestyle but he didn’t know how to use it, he changed to butterfly and found it difficult. As he was thinking of the next style to use, water rushed into his nose and ear and he lost consciousness, he forgot all the styles and skills he had studied. He tried to shout but he could not as water rushed into his mouth when he opened it. He was the only person at the back and he was drowning. Everybody noticed him as he was struggling so the king quickly ordered some boys to rescue him. They brought him out and people started asking him whether he prepare for the competition at all. The man was ashamed of himself as the question ‘did you ever practice swimming?’ filled his ears. He just went away from the place with a worried heart. What a foolish old swimmer!
Now to you my dear brother/sister. Do you know that there is a competition opened to everyone that is born on earth? And once we win, we will find ourselves in a great house that had been prepared for us, just like the king in this story. But our own king is the king of kings and He has many mansions for the winners. When Jesus was about leaving the earth he said, “In my father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you into myself; that where I am, there you may be also- John 14:2-3”
Jesus Christ had gone to heaven to prepare a place for you and he is coming back again to take you, the winner to this glorious home-the kingdom of heaven. The question now should be centered on how you can qualify as a winner in this opened competition. The simple answer is that you should obey the rule of the game and lay aside every distraction as you are going to the great house – Heb 12:1-2. But what is the rule of the game? The golden rule is to strictly follow Jesus Christ. That is you should believe and act on his word. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father but by me – John 14:6”. Again, in another place he said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you into myself…”
He said he would come again. So dear brother/sister, what are you doing concerning his second coming? And this is the great competition before you. Are you preparing to meet him? If yes, then how is your preparation? Only those that really prepare will win the race. The kingdom of heaven is a prepared place for the genuinely prepared people. Remember the parable of the ten virgins. All of them took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. They all prepared but five of them had inadequate preparation, they were foolish enough not to take oil with them. And you know the end of the story – Matt 25:1-13. Nobody can deceive God. As you read the bible, please live according to its precepts. “Be the doer of the word and not the hearers only – James 1:22.” Look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Run away from distractions, sins and pray without ceasing as the Bible says. Occupy till he comes and please don’t be like the foolish virgins/swimmer. It is dangerous.
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