... like an exam ...

a thought came to me when i was at church today..

imagine having to sit for an exam. imagine having prepared very hard for it.. doing countless of past-year papers.. imagine now as you are doing the paper (and rather confidently too), when a guy walks up to you and says "you will definitely fail.. all you are doing seems correct, but actually you have learnt the wrong things... i know what is required cos i'm the chief marker's son... let me take the paper for you.. i can guarantee you will pass"... what would you do?

something in me would instinctively jump... how can i let someone else take the paper for me?? isn't that cheating? and isn't it supposed to be MY paper to assess MY aptitude and ability? and perhaps something else in me will ask the guy how can i trust you? prove that you know that you are right and i am wrong.. and why would you even do such a thing for me? i don't even know you!

imagine now that this exam is an "entrance exam" to heaven.. not a written exam but an oral one, where you speak to God face to face so He can decide who is good enough to come into His kingdom...imagine that we have lived our whole lives doing humanitarian good.. being nice to people.. or just at least being reasonably human.. and thinking that's our ticket to paradise..imagine that this man who walks up to you is Jesus, God's Son.. suppose Jesus tells us that we have been deluded all this while, thinking life on earth is about living life to the fullest, and being a nice person, and that's enough to get into heaven.. but He tells us nothing we do is ever good enough.. we will surely fail if we depend on our own good.. BUT, suppose Jesus offers to take our place at the oral exam and that He knows what God requires...but He can secure a place for me, all i need to do is let Him take my place and let Him take the credit for me..

would you trust Him?