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THE
PENDANT
OF
PHENICE
There was a young man who had a very strange dream on a very cold and
dark night. It was a dream about an unknown treasure that promised to
give its owner real fulfillment. The treasure was called ‘The Pendant
of Phenice’. Confident of the dream’s authenticity, the young man left
his small country town and went to the mega city known as ‘Phenice’.
‘Phenice’ was a famous place that offered to make everyone’s dreams a
living reality.
On arrival at ‘Phenice’, the young man booked
into a cheap hotel in one of the suburbs. He immediately swung into
action in search of ‘The Pendant of Phenice’. Everywhere
he went he was given the most attractive offer but a trial proved
abortive.
In the best night club, he was offered the best dance song.
In the best hospital, he was offered the best therapy.
At the best religious centre, he was offered the best religion.
At the best library, he was offered the best book.
At the best sports centre, he was offered the best entertainment.
At the best gallery, he was offered the best painting.
At the best restaurant, he was offered the best banquet.
After many days of search at the best places of attraction in
‘Phenice’, the young man obviously became very disappointed. To make
matters worse, he was running short of funds. Worst of all, everyone he
met in ‘Phenice’ seemed to have their dreams turned into reality.
It was time for him to make a crucial decision, either to go back to
his town or get stranded in ‘Phenice’. That same night he went to bed
and had the same strange dream. He suddenly woke up with a cold sweat!
When it was dawn, he made up his mind to find the best job in ‘Phenice’
so as to continue his search no matter how long it took him.
As he made his way to the best recruitment agency, he collided into an
elderly gentleman who carried a familiar look and they had a very
fascinating dialogue:-
“Good morning, young man” said the old man.
“Good morning, sir” said the young man.
“I’m so glad to have met you!” exclaimed the old man.
“You look kind of familiar but I can’t place the face” replied the
young man.
“Your observation isn’t bad” said the old man.
“But I’ve only been here for a couple of days. Where did we really
meet?” asked the young man politely.
“Everywhere you’ve been in ‘Phenice’” answered the old man without
hesitation.
Shocked, the young man was lost for words.
“I know about the search” whispered the old man.
Hiding his fright, the young man feigned surprise and asked “what
search are you talking about?”
“The search for ‘The Penchant of Phenice’” answered the old man with
sparkles in his sharp eyes.
“How did you know” asked the young man.
“Well, we both share the same dream” replied the old man with a warm
smile.
“So the dream is true!” shouted the young man.
Now a flicker of hope appeared on the face of the young man, and his
heart began to race with sheer excitement.
“At last, the search is over!” he thought.
“Your search can end right now” said the old man softly.
“You must be a good mind reader” said the young man while he looked
into the old man’s eyes expecting any sign of deceit or truth.
Without commenting on the remark or the suspicions of the young man,
the old man made a shocking revelation: “Almost all the people of
‘Phenice’ who seemed fulfilled are only lost in their dreams without
fulfillment”.
“I bet that you are the only exception” said the young man without
hiding his sarcasm.
“Actually you are that exception” replied the old man calmly.
“Me-you must be joking!” laughed the young man in disbelief.
“I love your modesty!” said the old man amused.
“Please let’s cut this short, I’ve got a place to get to” remarked the
young man impatiently.
“You are going to the best recruitment agency to get a job and end like
the rest of us” commented the old man sadly.
The old man swiftly lifted his right hand and gripped the young man’s
left arm with a strength that surprised the latter.
The old man looking straight into the young man’s eyes asked “Who do
you really think I am?”
Embarrassed but eager to get rid of the old man, the young man quickly
replied “You are old enough to be my grandfather. In fact you really
look like him!”
“You aren’t too far from the truth” commented the old man.
“What then is the truth?” asked the young man anxiously.
“I am you fifty years in the future” answered the old man sincerely.
“Those fifty years were completely fruitless in search of ‘The Penchant
of Phenice’!” continued the old man with tears flowing down his face.
This second revelation both shocked and silenced the young man.
Releasing his grip, the old man dried his face with a clean white
handkerchief offered him by the young man.
Weakly the old man whispered “You are my first, last, and only
chance-the chance to be truly fulfilled”.
“Real fulfillment is only possible in the person who gave you that
dream twice”.
“Who is that person” asked the young man gravely.
“Your loving and wise Maker” replied the old man.
Shivering,the young man bowed his head in deep thought over these heavy
statements but when he lifted his eyes so as to make further query, the
old man was gone!
Dear reader,imagine that you are 'the young man' in the story above,or
better still imagine yourself fifty years from now.
What is your decision in response to the words of 'the old man' in the
story?
Before you make up your mind,consider the following truths:-
- Realise that God is your loving and wise
Maker(Prov.22:2),and it is only in him that you can be fulfilled in
life.
- Like everyone else,you were born in sin which
estranges you from God(Rom.3:23).
- It is only through Jesus Christ that you can be
reconciled back to God(Rom.5:8).
- You just need to repent from your sins(Rom.2:4)
and
believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour(Rom.1:16).
'In the desert of life,why chase the mirages when
you
can get the only one oasis where you will really quench your thirst for
fulfillment?!'
The choice is yours right now!!!
Isaiah 55(KJV)
"Ho, every one that
thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath
no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without
money and without price."
"Wherefore do ye spend
money for that which is not bread? and your
labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and
eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness."
"Incline your ear, and
come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live;
and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies
of David."
"Behold, I have given him
for a witness to the people, a leader and
commander to the people."
"Behold, thou shalt call a
nation that thou knowest not, and nations
that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and
for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee."
"Seek ye the LORD while he
may be found, call ye upon him while he is
near:"
"Let the wicked forsake
his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and
to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
"For my thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,
saith the LORD."
"For as the heavens are
higher than the earth, so are my ways higher
than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
"For as the rain cometh
down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth
not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud,
that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:"
"So shall my word be that
goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not
return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and
it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
"For ye shall go out with
joy, and be led forth with peace: the
mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and
all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
"Instead of the thorn
shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the
brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a
name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."
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