Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: CROOKED (04/30/20)
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TITLE: The Deceptive Bridegroom | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn (Marolyn) Tocker
05/07/20 -
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The bathroom was dark. “He’s probably gone downstairs to Starbucks to buy me a cappuccino and a cranberry scone,” she thought.
She lay there dreamily reflecting on the wedding the day before, and the first time that she met him, online, on a Christian dating site. She was 42. Time was passing rapidly, and God seemed oblivious to her prayers for a husband. Bret was handsome, a few years younger than she, and said he worked in real estate. They clicked immediately. A whirlwind, romantic relationship ensued. And now, three months later, she was his wife!
She called his number, expecting to hear his deep voice answer, but instead she heard, “This number is no longer in service...”. She tried again, again, and again. The same recording echoed in her ear. She called the telephone company. The employee confirmed that the number was no longer in service, as of that morning.
She glanced at the luggage rack. His Prada leather duffle bag was gone. She looked in the bathroom. His stylish Dopp kit was gone. She looked everywhere for a note. There was nothing.
She quickly dressed and went outside to the parking lot. The rental car was gone.
“I’m in Room 434. Did my husband return his key before leaving?” she asked the receptionist at the Front Desk.
“Yes ma’am, he did.”
“Did he leave a note for me?”
“No ma’am, he didn’t.”
“Did he pay for the room?”
“No ma’am, he didn’t.”
She felt nauseated. She had told Bret about the large sum of money that she had inherited. He said it could be used to help missionaries, as well as providing for some of their own needs, and for some travel. They now had joint bank accounts.
Back in her room, she apprehensively called her bank to ask the balance of their savings account. She was not prepared for the answer. All the money had been withdrawn! She was in utter shock, “Bret loves me. He would never do anything like this”. But she could not escape the harsh reality that slowly wrapped its bony fingers around her neck, threatening to suffocate her. She wept bitterly, blaming God, “Why did You allow this to happen? How could you?”.
A peace invaded her and stilled her tormented mind and soul. Then the words stood out clearly in her mind, “I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen”.
It was true. The day she decided to subscribe to the dating site, she had sensed a gentle nudge telling her not to do it. She knew that He wanted her to trust Him with her desire for a husband. Her friend, Janelle, had given her a book, “God is a Matchmaker”, by Derek Prince, a world-renowned bible teacher. A wonderful love story of how God brought his first wife into his life, and then when she died, God brought his second wife into his life. She didn’t want to read it. She was tired of waiting. Now, she was reaping the consequence of her sin. She also knew that God was no longer first in her life, and hadn’t been for some time. Bret had become her idol. Marriage had been an idol, for a long time.
She repented in tears, “Please forgive me Lord for sinning against you, for not trusting you. Please help me. Please show me what to do, and please give me the strength to do it”.
She called her pastor’s private number. “Please God, tell him to answer,” she pleaded.
“Hello.”
“Pastor Mike, this is Cassie. Bret withdrew all the money from our savings account. He disconnected his phone. He’s gone,” she sobbed unashamedly.
“Where are you Cassie?”
“I’m at The Marriott, 110 – 9th Ave. S.E.”
“I’m leaving right now. Wait for me in the lobby.”
She heard the compassion in his voice. She felt comforted, and knew that somehow, she would get through this with God’s help.
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” (KJV Lam. 3:22-23)
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