Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Wow! (03/11/10)
-
TITLE: Alexander's Hope | Previous Challenge Entry
By Tim Pickl
03/13/10 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Hello, my name is Alexander, and I long to tell you my story, before the prison guards come back. (pauses: looks to the left, then to the right, then continues)
I was just a boy when my mother started taking me to the secret place where the Christians all met in Corinth. I remember Timothy preaching to us about “running the race”. I liked to run, so that caught my attention. I listened to him that day.
I didn’t understand it all, but I found myself kneeling, weeping in the presence of the Lord, repenting. My mother and several of the saints gathered around and they prayed for me. Within a few minutes, I was standing with my hands raised to Jesus in sweet surrender, speaking in tongues as the Spirit of God overflowed through me. Wow! What a glorious God we serve. Then, my mother insisted that I be immediately baptized. So Timothy made arrangements and he baptized me in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of my sins.
What a day–I will never forget it. But it was just the beginning.
Wait – did you hear something? (pauses: looks to the left, then to the right, then continues) Okay, it must have been my imagination.
As my mother and I were walking home, still glowing from the whole experience, we were approached by two men. They were not very nice men.
In fact, they were pirates.
One of the pirates grabbed my arm, and announced, We’re here to take the lad, and you can’t stop us! My mother screamed for help, and I cried out and reached for her, but they whisked me away to their ship. Both men threw me down on the dirty wooden deck. It was there I met the infamous Captain Blackheart.
The Captain was the most ominous of the group. What is yer name, boy?
Alexander, I answered. God is going to get you!
The pirates chortled and belly laughed so hard I thought the Captain was going to have a heart attack. Come, my dear lad, we have a job fer ye.
He explained to me they were sailing off to the Island of Patmos. They had heard that the Island was haunted, and because they were very superstitious, they wanted me to look in the caves for treasure for them. Thank God it was a fairly short trip to the island because I got pretty sea sick on the way. When we got there, they took me in a smaller vessel to a small beach. They made a camp there, and then started planning how I was going to search the island for treasure.
That night by the fire a poisonous snake bit one of the pirates who abducted me, and he died within a few minutes. I ran over and grabbed the snake before it could attack anyone else. It bit me, too as I slammed it into the fire.
The Pirates waited, and waited, expecting me to die, too. Captain Blackheart exclaimed, Wow! The lad must be a magician.
No sir, I am a Christian. The pirates chortled at me again.
I felt sad and alone. I wanted to see my mother. I didn’t know what else to do, so I prayed.
Did you hear something? (pauses: looks to the left, then to the right, then continues)
Lord Jesus, I need your help. Please help me find something valuable. I don’t want these pirates to kill me.
Very clearly He answered, Fear not, Alexander, I will never leave you or forsake you.
At dawn the next morning they made me go up into the caves. After about an hour, I found something. Captain Blackheart was not too happy, though.
Scrolls? You found a bunch of scrolls? What good are these? He threw them back at me. Ye can have them, boy.
After a week of searching, all I found was some old, broken pottery. I prayed I could return home, and God answered that prayer.
We’re sailin’ to Corinth on the morrow, lad, and we’ll leave ye there.
I blurted out, Hallelujah!
When they freed me, I ran as fast as I could with the scrolls rolled up under one arm and found my mother. We wept together there, reunited.
Here, mother, read the last scroll first.
Wow! she exclaimed, Jesus and the New Jerusalem are our hope.
Immediately soldiers busted into our home and arrested me for piracy.
Oh, the guards are coming now—
Good night.
+++
Reference: scriptures from the King James Version:
1 Corinthians 9:24
Hebrews 12:1-2
Acts 2:1-4; 36-39
Matthew 5:10
Hebrews 13:5-6
Acts 28:1-6
Revelation 21
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.