My name is Godwin, and I am here on an island with three other survivors of the plane crash. There were five of us but she died. She was our foster mum and the pilot to that light plane. So here are four teens learning to stay in a neighborhood the size of ten blocks of apartments; height, width and length. What was to be a joy ride into the ocean and turned out to be a one way ticket here. The weather did not helped as we were pushed off course by many miles as Mum said. So we are stranded from the last navigational position for any rescue. We been here for one month now and she taught us some basics survival skills like how to fish and find fruits plus where and who to avoid. The later was more apparent after she died.
We could not get on to each other list of family qualities so we called it quits. Abel, the first went off to the north, while Grace the lady in the eternal quest for her beau went south, and my own real brother Marny went east saying I am to be blame for the family breakup. I could be as I asked them to elect a leader so that we can be united. Its not that I crave the position, although I am the eldest but I thought they may want to elect one of us to lead regardless of age. In return, I was to be the villian in the oncoming argument and disputes between them. My biggest letdown was Marny who accuses me of avoiding responsibility like back at home. I feigned sickness to do things that Mum asked. I tried to explain but no one wants to listen, so they went separate ways.
Its been a week now since they left for their own corners, and I am sitting here now in front of Mum’s final resting home that evening. I could not help it as I needed someone to talk to and seek comfort for my loneliness. I been counting the days and today was to be Christmas Eve, where we normally be sitting in the living hall wrapping up presents and sharing our own fruit punch ingredients. Mum will be in the kitchen preparing her things for tomorrow. Every Christmas eve, Grace will looked at her watch for the doorbell to ring, while Abel will be counting the numbers to his college admission date. Marny will be just himself, ever grateful that he has another day to go through as he is suffering from a rare disease. As for me, I have no date’ coming but to see the family lived on with our lovely foster mother who took us in five years ago. But in five days after her death, I split the family into individuals like she never existed.
I could be the devil in disguise here; the one who never had any aim in my life, not the like the rest. They had reasons to live, but for me, its just to be here to continue onto another day. No real reasons but just plod on with one more morning till night. Yes, I do feigned all the excuses to raise my finger to do some work at times, but in all honest thoughts, I was just plain lazy. I am the sloth in the house; I envy them all as they jumped to every task mum gives them; I am angry at Grace as she is always with someone; I dislike Abel as he is the football star, it was my desire of lust to be like him; I disliked Marny as he is Mum’s pride; yes, I am the greed for all their emotions, but the biggest sin I have is the need to consume it all from them. I am the glutton of it all. Now I have regret on all my sins.
I truly seek their love and care for me. I been selfish but its inherent in all of us to be one. But some of us do know how to control it, but I did not. I wanted it all. That was why I called the election of the leader. I wanted their acknowledgement that I am the leader, but by their own consent and not by my age. I am sorry, Mum. You took me into your heart many times, to tell me of my weakness, and yet I failed you. Above all, I failed you when you expected me to carry on your legacy. I am a failure to you and to them. Show me the way to redeem myself to them, please. I need your guidance one more time. It was then I saw the sign. Its a shooting star on the horizon. It streak across the sky in its journey to some place of its own destination. She told me that story before. I think I know what is to be done. Its my own doing, and its mine to undo it.Its time for the redemption of my sins.
If the mountain does not come to David, then David has to go to the Mountain. I said those words loud to myself. And I got my replies; all three of them were there standing at the edge of the clearing. They said that the mountain will never move to David but it can make itself seen to David for David to come to it again, when David is ready. I saw tonight my mountain of family members and I rejoiced with them in knowing they are always there for me to seen. Marny asked me did I see Mum tonight. I said I did as she is always peeking by the kitchen door to see if we are united as one family on this day for the last five years. And today is no exception. When we finally left the island after six months, I named the place “Redemption” as its where I finally redeem my sins.
Today, I tell this story to my congregation on every Christmas Eve. I end my sermon with the this line; “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:14 ESV.
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