THE FORGOTTEN AXE                                      

                                        One bright spring morning young Rob was looking curiously out of his window from his small cozy bed, which was specially meant for him. It was six in the morning, too early for any kid of his age to wake up on a holiday. Young Rob was four years old, he is very curious in everything he saw around and raised up lots of questions to quench his thirst of knowing the world around him. Jack a well educated proud father of Rob patiently answered all the questions Rob put forward, though most of them seemed simple, but he knew all of them are very essential for Rob to get used up to the things in the world. Jack came up slowly to Rob's bed, Rob looked curious. Jack knew that his son has got some question in his mind that needs a complete answer."What is it my son?" saying this Jack sat next to his son."Look", said Rob, his little hand pointing to a tree few yards away out there in their garden."What's amazing about it my son?" asked Jack," but father what is that thing which is placed at the roots of that tree?"Jack was shocked at the observing skills of his son. He doesn't know how that small axe caught his attention, which he himself failed to see."Ah! That one, it is called as axe"," but what is it doing there papa? "Asked Rob before his father could finish his explanation. "That tree my son is older than you are, but see no fruit on it. So I've asked our gardener to chop it down, think he has got some business somewhere he'll be here in few minutes to chop it down and it'll be no more."Rob looked sadly at his father and asked him," Papa if I don't produce fruit will you chop me down too, with that axe?"
                                                   Approximately 2000 years before a man dressed up in camel's skin warned the world of an axe that was placed at the root of every tree in the world. He said that an axe is already placed at the root of the trees, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown in to the fire. (Matt 3:10)                            
                       I could hear some of you murmur, Oh the same old thing, but wait what change did it bring when you hear it each time? What fruit did John the Baptist mentioned there? It is the fruit in keeping with repentance (Matt 3:8). To be clear if your sin is lust of the flesh and you repent for it. The fruit is that, you no longer continue to lust after flesh, but rather look with the eyes of Christ. I write this with fear and trembling for the Word of God is a double edged sword.          
                                         Many of us take forgiveness for granted and disrespect the abundance of His grace, which I did before. The words Salvation, Heaven and Hell are over used among the Christian communities which made those words look so simple, most of us don't consider them that very serious as it ought to be considered. These things are very serious indeed. We think Salvation as a one day drama. Most of us fail to remember that salvation is a lifelong process. Once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior it is true that the Lord enters our name in His book
of life. But wait Moses pleads to God to blot out his name from His book in return for the forgiveness of the people of Israel, but the Lord replies "whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out from my book" (Exo 32:32-33).Here lies the danger, at any moment any of our names can be stricken off, oh! How terrible it is?
                                                    This day as you read this please remember, one who came on donkey symbolizing peace will come one day with axe cutting down every tree that doesn't produce good fruit and throw them all in to the lake of fire for eternity. That day is the Day of Judgment. If you find it difficult to produce good fruit ask the help of the planter. Say Jesus I'm not able to produce good fruit, please abide in me and help me to abide in you, for Christ has said "If a man remains in me and I in him, he will produce much fruit"(John 15:5).
                      If we judge ourselves then we will not be judged(1 Corin 11:31).The axe that was  placed 2000 years before still remains at the roots expecting for the day it'll be put in to action, chopping every soul that refuses to bear the fruit in keeping with repentance, Praise be to God alone.

                                             

                                                                                                                                              -Anbarasu