It was on the 29th of June 2003, precisely Sunday. I was coming back from fellowship, on getting to the bus-stop I could not just see a bus going to my location immediately.
As I was still waiting, suddenly I saw my class mate returning from Sunday service. We exchanged greetings with one another. He was with Christian books, quite number of them. Of all the volumes only one little pamphlet caught my attention. Boldly written in red was the caption. “It‘s a serious matter”. I asked him to lend me and that I will return it to him the next day in school. He agreed and thereafter I boarded a bus. While asking myself what this serious matter could be. I curiously began to read, and this was the content:
There was this very prosperous city on an Island. Everything went on fine for its inhabitants. Their political climate was most suitable and their economic policies were excellent. But one day, they woke up to discover that the sea around them was overflowing its bank at an alarming rate, immediately. The government summoned all the inhabitants of the city to the harbour and were conducted into a waiting ship and were safe. But many others refused to leave the Island; some could not imagine leaving their beautiful mansions, exotic and expensive cars and other choice possessions they had acquired overtime. Others argued that the sea would never over take the Island. Others simply feigned ignorance of what was happening around them. Yet others claimed they were Islanders and expert swimmers and so, would swim across if the worst happened.
As I read the story, because of the stubbornness and folly of men, the number of corpses found littered all over the Island was alarming. Before now, these were the same people who mockingly waved at the departing ship and passengers. And the truth is that everyone who refused or neglected to go into the waiting ship at the harbour was drowned by the raging sea. A certain woman was crying bitterly because her husband was one of those who claimed to be an expert swimmer and as a result will not leave his home on the Island with others until the worst happened.
I did not realize I was weeping inside the bus until the passenger who was beside me asked what the matter was? And I answered “It’s a serious matter” I handed over the little pamphlet to her and before long she too was weeping. Then a word came into my heart that indeed “it is a serious matter” that the same thing that befell the islanders who refused to board the ship will befall every man on earth who refused to give his/her life to Christ and maintain his/her calling until the coming of Christ.
Furthermore God said to me the ship is still being boarded now and as many as would believe and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and saviour are being conveyed into the ship and soon the end will come.
I suddenly remembered my love ones and unconsciously turned around looking as if they were in the bus and i began to think are they all saved?
And I began to pray for them. Beloved friends and fellow readers Jesus is the only ship that will convey you and i to eternity, therefore if you fail to board the ship know for sure that you cannot escape the calamity, though everything may appear to be calm now, you may feel that you have everything under control now. But remember that one day the end will come and only those who had boarded the waiting ship will be preserved.
Act. 4:12 says: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”
Remember only Jesus can save. You have no alternative ship to board in order to be saved from the calamity that will soon engulf the earth. Dear friends you can board this ship right now by going to God in prayer confessing all your sins to Him with all sincerity. As you begin to do that i will like to say, welcome on board as you enter into the waiting ship which is our LORD JESUS CHRIST. Shalom!
