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Topic: Passport (07/25/05)
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TITLE: ANYTHING TO DECLARE? | Previous Challenge Entry
By Maria Catterick
07/27/05 -
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“Sorry to keep you waiting. Anything to declare?” asked the customs man with a warm smile.
“No.” I replied. I noticed that everyone else seemed to have had lots to declare. “I didn’t want to be weighed down on the trip of my life time,” I added.
“I see,” he replied slowly flicking my passport. “I am afraid your paperwork is not in order.”
“What exactly is going on?” I demanded in my firmest voice.
He paused. “This is paradise and you seem to have arrived before your due date. We are returning you immediately. Good day to you Miss.” He turned as though to leave.
“What, I have died and this is heaven?” I laughed. It was most absurd and I began looking around for hidden cameras that would capture this joke. As I looked up however, my eyes alighted on that sky painted ceiling again. I now realised that it went on forever. There were no joins, there weren’t even any lights illuminating this room. It was just light all on its own accord. I looked at the floor beneath my feet. It had just looked like an ornate Chinese carpet but as I touched it, I found that it wasn’t made of wool but finely interwoven strands of coloured precious metals and jewels and I realised that this was no joke. Why hadn’t I seen this before?
“Oh no,” I cried out in alarm and fell back into a plush velvet seat.
“Shall I get you some water?” said the kindly man. I nodded and watched him walk across to the water fountain that looked like a miniature natural waterfall. He filled the glass and I gulped the water finding that it fully satisfied my thirst although I hadn’t noticed how thirsty I had been before.
“Your stamps in the passport relate to things accomplished on earth and the rewards awaiting you in heaven. You have the stamp of salvation, but why have you not even attempted to collect the others? If you truly understood your salvation, you would see that every Kingdom resource has been made available for you so that you can bring glory to God. Healing is available for those who are sick but you hold back in fear in case nothing happens when you pray or that people would laugh at you. Deliverance is always there for those who are oppressed but you leave them in their chains and these chains may be theirs for eternity unless you act. Victory over the enemy is always available, so why do you run for cover when you are the one who should make the enemy cower in fear of his coming fate. You haven’t even had faith to raise the dead, even when the Word, said it was possible. We are all watching to see who will dare to step up to the promise and do even greater things than Jesus did. Times of revival have always been available, but you don’t even gather in unity to humble yourselves and turn from your apathy to see your nations touched. Your cities are spiritually bankrupt, their gates are burned and their walls are in ruins. It needn’t be so. Many of you have opted out of dynamic Christian living.”
I realised that my impotent Christian faith had resulted in bankruptcy in heaven.
“Salvation is to be shared with others. You have been taught to love God and one another. Sitting in the assurance of your salvation and not sharing it, is the ultimate act of selfishness. Salvations full worth is only realised when expanded by faith and gifted to others. Be radical in your faith.”
“Oh…, time to depart,” he said standing up and ushering me to the gate.
I stuck out my hand to shake his, “Thanks for your honesty; sorry, I don’t know your name?”
“It’s Gabe,” he replied taking my outstretched hand.
On departure the loudspeaker announced, “Thank you for travelling with Kingdom Adventure. See you again one day. If you enjoy your Kingdom Adventure please recommend it to others.”
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