Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: SWIM (07/21/22)
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TITLE: Charlie | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn Meiners
07/25/22 -
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“MOMMMMM, come quick.” Janet could hear the hysterical crying from her little one and imagined all kinds of scenarios. A broken arm from falling off the bed. A bloody nose from hitting his face. She envisioned a trip to the ER.
Abandoning her dish duty she took off running up the stairs, two at a time, to quickly reach her sobbing son. Arriving at his room she stopped cold in the doorway.
There was no blood.
There was no broken bone.
Alex sat on his bed wailing. Mom walked over and sat beside him. She put her arm around him then gently asked, “Alex, what happened?”
“Ohhh Mom,” hiccuped Alex. “It’s awful.” Between sobs Alex whispered “I don’t know how it happened.”
“How what happened?” Asked mom.
Brushing away tears from his face Alex managed to tell the story.
“I came into my room to feed Charlie and he wasn’t swimming. When I looked closer he was lying on top of the water, not moving. Mom, do you think he’s dead?”
Oh no, thought Mom. Charlie was Alex’s pride-and-joy. He had won him at the local carnival, brought him home, and tenderly cared for him from that day forward. Charlie slept in his room where Alex talked to him every night. They said their prayers together. He told Charlie about his day at school. “And,” as Alex would proudly state, “Charlie listened to every word I said.”
“Oh honey,” mom tightened her grip around her son. It does appear as thought Charlie might be dead. I’m sorry this has happened.”
“What did I do wrong, mom?” Cried Alex.
“Nothing, sweet one. Fish don’t live a long time, especially little goldfish. Charlie died knowing how much you loved him.”
Alex smiled.
“What should we do?” Asked Alex.
“What would you like to do with Charlie?” Asked mother.
“Well, I think we should have a funeral for him. I will put him in a shoebox and we can bury him in the back yard. I can say a prayer over him. Mom, are there fish in heaven?”
“I think a funeral is a wonderful idea, Alex. We will wait until Daddy gets home and then we will take Charlie out back.”
“Well mom.” Alex asked again. “Are there fish in heaven?”
“Alex, that is a hard question to answer. God made animals for a special purpose within his creation. It seems God made them for our enjoyment, including little boys.
Maybe what God intended was for Charlie to give you lots of enjoyment here on earth, and we know this happened. You loved your little fish.”
Alex nodded affirmatively.
“However, if animals make us happier in heaven then, just maybe, you will find a little pond where Charlie is swimming around. Remember the Bible story we read two nights ago from Isaiah 65:25 which says, ‘The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, says the Lord.’ I told you this was a prophecy about what will happen in heaven.”
“I remember. See the Bible says there are animals in heaven.”
“It seems so.”
“Let me read you something else.” Mom opened her Bible to Revelation 22:1 and read, ‘Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city.’
“Alex, if there is a river running through heaven, then just maybe that river has fish swimming in it.”
Alex’s eyes brightened at this thought and his mouth formed a perfect “O”.
“Alex, I believe heaven will lack nothing that is good and that will bring glory to God.”
What is more important Alex, is this. Do you know for sure you are going to heaven one day.
“I AM” joyfully exclaimed Alex. “My Sunday School Teacher asked anyone who wanted God to forgive their sins and give them eternal life should say a prayer. I said that prayer. I know I’m going to heaven and when I get there I’m going to run to the river and see if Charlie is swimming with other fish.”
Heaven might have one goldfish.
Scripture from ESV
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