THE REWARD

Recently, on our way back from Pretoria, we decided to visit Kimberley, to see the historical big hole.

This is the well-known site of a former diamond excavating mine and a tourist attraction. I had not visited the site since I was a child and looked forward to seeing it with adult eyes.

We found a "victorian" guest house opposite the site from the big hole. What a lovely, quaint venue to relax and have a good night's rest. The large room boasted not one, but two comfortable double beds, with lovely finishes and provision for breakfast, should we so desire.

We crossed the busy street and entered the premises of the big hole. What a surprise!! I do not at all recall the first time I visited the site with my family as a child, but now found a complete mining village had been erected alongside the big hole. The old tram tracks were still in place and in use; shops lined the streets and although it was after hours, we admired the antique settings, equipment, and merchandise displayed in the windows. There is a jewellers shop, boarding house, library, saloon, church, and many more historical buildings to admire.

We went along to the restaurant and enjoyed a lovely buffet supper. Unfortunately, it was too late to visit the big hole itself, so we returned the next morning.

Walking along the narrow streets and peering into the library, I was chaffed to find that I owned copies of some of the very old books on display. "Pride and Prejudice", "Barnaby Rudge", and a few others.

I love antiques, and things of old, and walking into the one of the typical authentic mining houses  of the era, filled me with nostalgia. It was almost like walking through my late grandmother's house in Prince Albert.

And when you enter the saloon, a audio recording takes you back to the time when the place was in fact in use and you heard the singing, shouting, and laughter that spilled onto the street at night.

Inside the small corrugated church, there was a quiet, sacred atmosphere whilst you listened to the recording of organ music softly floating through the building.

It was a wonderful experience to walk and browse through the village.

Then we moved on to the big hole itself.

What an awe inspiring site! To think that it was man-made. To think of all the hard work and hours of labour and the number of people who worked the site and formed part of the mine and its surrounding community with all of the hardships experienced; the tragedies that took place there; the joys; the sorrows; the relationships that were forged there; the cameraderie, the love, the hate, the jealousy, the greed, the trading, the magic of finding the world's largest ever diamond there - a diamond which still glistens in the crown of the Queen of England - all contributing to the site which has now become world renowned and visited by tourists from all over the world.

Of course, there are tourist gift shops now, right at the entrance to the big hole. Coffee shops and restaurants as well. You can buy souvenirs that will remind you that you had visited the site. "Been there, done that"!

But the souvenirs and the coffees and muffins, are all small things compared to the reality of standing in awe of the big hole.

You don't travel all the way there to obtain a T-shirt or a cooldrink. The prize, or reward, is to stand in awe of and see the big hole.

Fil. 3: 7 -10:

              "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
              Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of he knowledge
               of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
               and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ  and be found in Him,
               not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is
               through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith that
               I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowhip of
               His sufferings, being conformed to His death."

Christ is the reward, the prize of being a Christian!

When you fall in love with another person, and stand in a relationship with that person, you get to know one another on a very personal level. You spend a lot of time together, talk, touch, do things together, visit places together, you cannot wait to do or say something that will be pleasant and pleasing to the other person.

As you get to know the other party, you become aware of their good as well as bad attributes, characteristics, shortcomings as well as their star qualities.

Sometimes, after getting to know a person, you may be very disappointed in what you learn about their personalities and traits. Sometimes you learn that the person really is not who you thought him or her to be. Who they set out to make you believe they are.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, can and will never disappoint you.

I dare you to read all the prophesies about Him and to explore for yourself whether He has not fulfilled each and every one of those prophesies. I likewise dare you to read and understand all of His promises in the Word of God, and promise that you will not be disappointed.

He has already proved that He is true and obedient unto death and He has promised, if you believe in Him, He will be with you until the end.

Matt. 28:20:

              ".....and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

It's not about the benefits of Christianity; it's not about our needs being fulfilled; it's not about the visits to church, the singing, the choir, the preaching - it is ALL about obtaining the reward: getting to know and having a personal relationship with the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He never changes, but with His Spirit abiding in us, our lives can and will be changed until the full stature of Christ is reflected in us and in our lifestyle.

Thank You, Lord, that we may strive to reflect your love and that You, who have started the work in us, will not abandon the work of Your hands, but You will be with us until the end of the age.