Short Stories

---

Joseph

The pre-dawn glow tinged the horizon as the young boy reached his favorite stone at the top of the hill. Every morning for the past six months he had made this climb to scan the horizon and the skies for the promised Messiah. He wanted to be the first to see him, to welcome Him.

How he longed for that Day. He longed to see the Romans disintegrated by the fire of His breath, the Chariots of fire filling the sky, The Heavenly Hosts with swords of fire. His nation, the Children of Israel, would be proclaimed the rulers over all the Gentiles. All nations would pay tribute to the legitimate children of Father Abraham. The prophecies would be fulfilled.

Every morning brought that Day closer, and even at eight years old, young Joseph new that The Prince must come soon. Joseph had studied the prophets with his father, the Rabbi, the teacher in his village. He loved the times he sat at his father’s feet learning from the Torah and the Law and the Prophets. He especially loved the life of Daniel. Oh, the stories of his faithfulness, during those times, when the children of Israel were captive in Babylon. Daniel in the lion’s den, Shadrack, Meshach and Abed-nego and the burning fiery furnace. Daniel’s visions fascinated young Joseph. His father explained that God had ordered the Israelites to set aside each seventh year as a Sabbath year, just as every seventh day was the Sabbath day.

This was a week of years. Unfortunately the people ignored God’s command for four hundred and ninety years.

God said that he would claim each Sabbatical year all at once, for seventy years the people were captive in a foreign land. This was the period in time that Daniel lived.
God gave him many visions of the future of God’s people and a time table for the coming of the Messiah. Joseph new these scriptures word for word.

“Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks (49 years) and Three score and two weeks (434 years). A total of 483 years and since the ancient writings recorded that, that decree was made by Artaxerxes Longimanus about 483 years ago.”

Three months ago, when Joseph’s little brother was born, there was great excitement a great star was seen in the eastern sky. Joseph’s father was sure it was a sign of Messiah the Prince but nothing had happened yet, but who knows maybe today, maybe tomorrow but defiantly soon, very soon Messiah will come and Joseph was determined not to miss anything.

As he sat searching the sky, the suns rays flickered over the horizon and quickly captured the fleeing dark; he could see his village, still and quiet. He could see down the road towards Bethlehem the home of the mighty King David and again imagined that great king being a boy like him watching over his flocks in these very hills. The legends about David were always centered on Joseph’s village and Joseph believed that David used to sit on his favorite rock. He imagined David watching his sheep, playing his harp, and even fighting a lion and a bear on this very spot.

Joseph was just about ready to climb down the hill that morning when he noticed a cloud of dust rising from the road leading to is village. Intrigued he watched and waited. Soon he heard the sound of soldiers marching and caught the glimmer or reflected sunlight. The Roman patrol approached his village; Joseph’s life was about to change forever.

At the same time that Joseph was climbing the hill to look for the Messiah there was great activity at Herod’s palace. King Herod was furious, earlier that year King Herod was visited by wise men from the east seeking a new born king.

Herod pretended to be helpful but secretly he wanted know where this new born was so that he could kill him. He was afraid of any competition to his power.

These wise men promised to return to Herod and tell him where the child was but they never did. Herod was so angry and so determined to protect his throne that he ordered the Roman soldiers under his command to go and kill all male children under two years in all the villages around Bethlehem.

Before the soldiers entered the village they had already drawn their short sharp swords, moments later the screaming began. The screams were so awful, so violent that they chilled Joseph’s blood. Then the screams went silent, for just a moment, then a wailing that must have reached to heaven. It was the sound of many mothers weeping, grieving for their little ones.

The soldiers left marching in formation just as they had arrived, there was no remorse, no emotion just their blood stained tunics and dripping evil swords.

Fear rose up in Joseph’s heart, Fear for his Mother, fear for his Father and fear for his baby brother. What happened? Why this slaughter? At first his legs would not move, then, as if he was propelled forward by an unknown source he ran down to his village. There was blood everywhere. It staining the ground and ran down the walls of the houses. The bodies of babies were strewn on the street. Their grieving Mothers weeping over them.

Then he saw the bodies of some parents who died to protect their children a new fear was birthed in his heart. His parents, they would die to protect their family, urgency overtook him as he sped to his home.

The awful reality struck him like a hammer, his knees buckled then he collapsed face down before the body of his father who was still clinging to the mutilated body of his little brother. His tears’ steaming down his face, strangely every thing was silent, like a dream, removed from reality yet it was so terribly real, then he heard his mother’s voice, barely audible

“Joseph Joseph”.

He would have missed it, if it were not for the silence. Then she called again

“Joseph Joseph”

The sound of his mother’s voice brought new strength to his legs; he sprung upright, his ears attuned only to the voice, his eyes only focused on the direction of the voice. At last he saw her clinging to the doorpost of their home. He ran to her and cradled her bloodied body in his arms.

“Mother, Mother” he whispered.

“The angels are here my son” she whispered,

“They let me wait for you” her voice getting stronger,

“Fear not” they say, “Messiah has come, do not be afraid. Trust in the Almighty”

Then, after she gave him the sweetest smile he had ever seen, her body went limp in his arms. He was alone, in a hostile and brutal world, alone and ever so angry.



Chapter 2

Everything about Joseph was above average; He was taller, broader, stronger and smarter than all the other boys in his village. Already, even at the age of eight, he was handsome.

He had the kind and generous heart of his mother and the quick wit and sense of humor of his Dad. He should have been a born leader of men but his life had changed. Everything had changed.

Despite his mothers dying words he no longer looked for the Messiah. In fact if there was a Messiah or an Almighty then he hated them. How could The Almighty and His Messiah allow such injustice, such pain, and such horror in what they claim to be their people?

They allowed this carnage; they allowed the Romans to march out of the village.

There was no flaming swords, no chariots of fire. There was NO MESSIAH.

How long he sat there cradling the body of his dead mother he did not know, he was lost in his anger and grief. Then firm but gentle hands came to pries him from her body.

“Joseph, Joseph, we must prepare your mother for burial.” The man said.

“Joseph do not be afraid we are your family now”

This man’s voice was kind, his voice reassuring but it was not his family.

Blackness filled Joseph’s heart and anger was given its voice. Out of Joseph’s mouth came curses, hate filled blasphemies. He cursed the hands that so kindly and gentle lifted his mother’s body. He cursed the village. He cursed the myths of David. He cursed the Almighty and His Messiah. An ungodly strength returned to his limbs and before he could be restrained he sped out of that village.

“Away, Away” the voices inside him cried

“Away never to return, to the desert we go” they sang.

Joseph had never heard these voices before, they were anything but kind, anything but reassuring, but they were compelling and they were Joseph’s new almighty.



The desert sun was high in the blue sky; its heat baked the rocks and the sand and they radiated heat back into Joseph’s body. The unrelenting sun above and the heat of the ground below evaporated the moisture from his flesh, drained the strength from his body, yet the voices urged him on.

“Go further” they cried,

“Don’t stop, go deeper, become one with the heat, one with the sand and the rocks”.

So on he went further and further into that barren landscape further away from the village and the men who so frantically were looking for him. Finally he could go no further, his strength was gone and the voices were quiet. The boy who was born to lead men, who even at eight years old showed such promise collapsed into the burning sand.

The soldiers were back in their barracks and King Herod was reclining at table in his palace both were blissfully unaware that the cruel orders of that morning were about to claim another victim.


Chapter 3


The memory of her Mother was like a dim almost forgotten dream, just as the memory of her home in the village was dim and distant. When her Father spoke of her Mother, pain and sadness filled his being and tears stained his face.

She was never told what happened that day. All she new was that her Father’s strong arms encircled her small body and she was carried by him into the desert, her older brother walking silently by his side.

Gone was the warm home, the comfortable bed, her friends playmates all left behind. Her Father was a important man in her village, a leader well respected, her Mother beautiful and graceful and always sort after by all the women for her wisdom and kindness yet she was gone and they had left the comfort and security of village life for the sand and caves of the desert.

Soon more men and some women joined them. Some she knew others were strangers to her. The men were hard and sometimes cruel but no one dared to hurt her. Gradually her desert life became normal she fell in love with nature and the small animals and reptiles became her friends.

She knew that the band of men her Father now led were fighters. Blood stained cloths and broken wounded bodies were testament to that, but she also knew that any one of them would die for her. She loved them and they loved her.

It was in the wonder and beauty of the desert sun rise that she first sensed the presence of The Creator. After that she knew Him in the spectacular sunsets, the tiniest lizard, the mighty sand storms and the still small voice that stirred her heart and filled her with joy.

It was His voice that lead her into the desert that evening, lead her right up to the boy almost covered by the consuming sand.

Now she knew that her destiny, her purpose, her life would all revolve around him.

Chapter 4

This voice was different, soft and soothing. The water was cool on his forehead and eventually on his tongue. As the moist cloth soothed the skin on his face he managed to open one eye and saw what he was sure was an angel.

Real concern was shown in those deep dark eyes, her jet-black hair cascading over her olive skinned face. He slowly regained consciousness.

“What are you doing out here on your own” she asked,
“Are you lost or just plain mad?”

Joseph tried to reply but no words would come from his mouth.

His body, unable to cope with events of the last few hours, slipped back into unconsciousness.

When he next awoke, it was to see the same deep dark eyes, to hear the same soft soothing voice but now, instead of the burning sun, it was cool and dark.

Oil lamps lit a cavern or a cave. At its mouth a large fire was burning. Dark shapes moved about, some sharpening swords and daggers others preparing food.

Gradually the shapes began to come into sharper focus; He began to hear snatches of conversations, urgent words of revenge against the Romans. He was instantly awake

“I want to kill them all. I want to see their blood flowing on the ground.”

At Joseph’s outburst everything stopped for just a moment, and then with humor in his voice a man replied.

“We have a live one here boys.”

Another man with the voice of authority said,

“Steady young fellow your time will come but first you have much to learn and practice.”

Over the next week Joseph regained his physical strength and learnt about the people who had accepted him into their group. They were what can be best described, as freedom fighters with a passionate hate for the Romans.

Some held onto their Jewish faith others like Joseph felt betrayed by God and at best wanted nothing to do with Him and at worst (Josephs position) hated Him and all He stood for. The voices never left him and at night would remind him of the horror he lived through and never ceased to blame God and His Messiah.

The Dark haired beauty with the deep dark eyes became his closest friend and constant companion. Rebecca was her name; she was the daughter of the leader of their band. Her older brother Barabbas, heir apparent to leadership, was Joseph’s trainer.

Chapter 5

With Joseph’s physical build, intelligence and quick wit he was greatly liked and also learnt quickly the arts of warfare. He was able to infiltrate the Roman camps and bring back vital information to the band’s leaders. Many a successful raid was attributed to him and the information he so cunningly obtained. Yet for Joseph it meant nothing, he desired blood, shed by his own hand, revenge motivated his every waking thought and the voices dominated his dreams.

The weeks turned to months and the months into years, Joseph grew strong and recklessly brave. He lost his boyish looks and could no longer infiltrate the enemy’s camp. He was fifteen when Barabbas selected him to go on his first raid. A small contingent of soldiers had been ordered to protect a Jewish tax collector as he brought the taxes raised in the small villages to Jerusalem.

They had planned the raid well; set up an ambush and with military precision swooped on the enemy. Taken by surprise the Romans were quickly defeated, two of whom had, as their last earthly sight, Joseph’s hate filled face.

How good it felt to see the blood, hear the sound of death. The exploits of the raiders and particularly Joseph’s bravery were celebrated long into the night. The voices praised him that night yet demanded more.

“More Blood” they cried.

“Kill, Kill, Kill we demand more” was their unrelenting chant.

For the first time since the voices had first come seven years ago Joseph felt uneasy. From deep within him came a new, yet an old voice, a voice he recognized from his mornings sitting on his favorite rock so long ago.

A still small voice “Let it go Joseph, there is a better way. Vengeance is mine I will repay.”

The other voices reacted violently. There demands for blood became audible, waking Joseph from his sleep. The noise of their chanting filled the cave in which everyone else slept.

“Blood, Blood we demand Blood they chanted over and over again.

The noise was deafening yet no one awoke. Joseph covered his ears and shouted.

“All right, all right if it is blood you want it is blood you will get.”

This seemed to satisfy the voices which went quite, no one woke except Rebecca, who quietly came to Joseph, put her arms around him and with soothing whispers rocked him back to sleep.


Chapter 6


Joseph’s personality took on two separate and distinct lives in the camp from that day on. During the day he was a man among men, confident, assured and popular. His natural leadership abilities afforded him the respect and trust of all who fought beside him. His intelligence and quick wit meant that those with him “on patrol” were often rescued from what seemed certain capture and death.

His reputation grew and grew and his responsibilities grew along with his reputation.

He was known as a hard man, who gave no quarter in battle, but would risk his own life to save that of the lowliest of his colleagues.

But at night, while the camp slept, he was plagued by his demons. He spent many hours staring into the night sky and wishing that the myths of The Messiah were true. Sometimes he allowed that still small voice to once again speak but when ever he did his demons erupted into a frenzy of torment.

“You are ours for all eternity, Messiah will never save you.” They yelled

Then the chant would begin over and over again

“Blood, blood, Kill, Kill that’s all that is required of you. That’s all you are good for”

It was then that Joseph would cover his ears and yell, how he never woke the camp he did not know but one person always knew. In Rebecca’s arms peace would come and her caress would still all fear.

Days of rejoicing over successful raids were often followed with ones of mourning for fallen comrades but the saddest day in the camp was when the father of Barabbas, their leader for many years, was brought back to camp mortally wounded. He was taken into a cave and he called Barabbas to him, what was said no one but he and Barabbas knows but after some time Joseph and Rebecca were also summoned into the cave.

Rebecca cradled her father’s head in her arms and the old warrior spoke of his pride in Barabbas, his confidence in his ability to take over the leadership. Then using all his remaining strength he sat up took Rebecca’s hand and placed it into Joseph’s.

“My friend” he said

“You have fought well and shown your loyalty on countless occasions. You are worthy of my daughter’s hand and besides she loves you. Care for her, love her and with everything you have protect her.”

Then turning to Barabbas he said,

“It is done, my son.” and then he died.

The camp mourned for their leader, Rebecca mourned for her father then she quietly packed up her meager belongings and became Joseph’s constant companion.

Barabbas took up the reigns of leadership and the group flourished. Once again they extracted their revenge against the Romans and those that supported them. Much of the money they stole from the enemy was returned to the villages from which it was originally extracted. Barabbas became famous amongst the villagers but his name was never betrayed to the Romans.

Despite the hardships, despite the danger life was good to the band.

As for Joseph, love had temporarily silenced his demons.



Chapter 7


The years past, Joseph was second in charge in the camp. His expertise, bravery and determination to extract revenge for the death of his family caused havoc to the occupying Romans.

The fighters often went on patrol to gather information on what the enemy was doing and what the people were saying. This was a valuable not only for the information they gained but also it kept them in touch with the villagers who provided them with provisions, information and protected their identities from the Romans.

It was on one such patrol that, Joseph now nearing his fortieth birthday, noticed a crowd gathering around the river Jordan. The group infiltrated the crowd, blending in unnoticed. The preacher’s name was John, the people called him the Baptist, and he was a wild and wooly man who supposedly ate locusts and wild honey. What a sight he made dressed in camel hair dunking people in the Jordan but it was what he said about the coming Messiah (whose sandals he was not worthy to carry) that made Josephs heart seemingly jumps from his chest. His mother’s dying words exploded into his brain once again

“Messiah has come, do not be afraid. Trust in the Almighty”

Immediately his demons attacked him, the voices accused him of murder, theft and blasphemy.

“The Messiah would have nothing to do with you. You are ours” They insisted.

Joseph believed the lying spirits and walked away but many of his comrades listened to John’s message to “Repent and be baptized”

This infuriated Joseph, later recounting the experience to Barabbas he said

“How can they? After all we have been through together. They are traitors not worth feeding.”

Their band was beginning to shrink as more and more men and many of the women succumbed to The Baptist’s teaching however, despite his outward appearance of revulsion, Joseph was drawn to these desert rival meetings. He was always on the fringe; never close enough to get caught up in the hype, just close enough he hoped to subdue the longing in his heart.

Every night, after he had spent the day at the Baptist’s meetings, his demons tormented him. Even Rebecca’s love would not, could not, quite their ravings.

His greatest fear was that Rebecca too would succumb to the mad man’s teaching. He knew that the women talked of this new and dangerous religion around the cooking pots but if Rebecca was influenced by it, or had begun to believe, then she never had discussed it with him.

Then, on one of his secret visitations to the Baptist’s meetings he saw an amazing and most disturbing event.

Chapter 8

This man walked slowly, purposefully, from the crowd up to John, the moment John saw him his face lit up. Joseph could not hear the conversation but it was as if John did not want to baptize him. The crowd became energized.

“It is Him, The Messiah,” they whispered to one another.

Then John relented and the man was baptized in the muddy waters of the Jordan. Joseph heard nothing and saw nothing but it seemed to him that John had. Joseph’s heart also told him that this was the Messiah.

The man left as suddenly and as silently as he had come. Joseph crept forward as close as he dared and heard John declare.

“Behold the Lamb of God”

“I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained on Him and I testify that this is The Son of God”

Joseph turned and ran; he heard the voices stronger then ever.

“Away, away do not stay. Run, faster he is not for you. You belong to us”

Back at the camp he hid in the darkest cave, huddled in the corner, weeping. He was crying out to what he did not know, longing for his torment to cease.

Then Rebecca came to him, the soothing voice, the deep dark eyes, and the gentle soft caress. In her arms he wept all night.
He cried for his Mother, his Father and his baby brother.
He cried for the men who he had killed.
He cried for their families.

In the morning Rebecca asked just one question. One he could not answer. He dared not admit it might be true.

She asked, “Have you seen the Messiah?”
“Have you seen Jesus?”

Joseph’s desire to see and hear John was nothing to the urging he had to listen to Jesus.

He was drawn to His teaching, drawn to His compassion. Joseph was astonished by the miracles that Jesus preformed but Joseph knew that this was not “The Messiah”

How could it be?

He preached love not judgment. There was no fire from heaven to consume the Romans. The promise of the exaltation of his nation, the children of Israel, to political power over all the nations was further and further away from reality and this Jesus did not seem interested in fulfilling those prophecies at all.

Yet there was something about that man.

His demons hated even the name of Jesus. They hated him going out to listen, would not let him get close.

Once, while Joseph sat a long way off listening to Jesus speak, his demons started to accuse him and demand he leave. Then, as if the distance between them was nothing, Jesus stopped talking and looked directly at Joseph. The demons retreated, a silence filled his being then Jesus spoke softly to him, only to him, as if they were the only the two men in the whole world.

“You don’t understand yet, your time is not yet come, but one day, one day soon you will”

Then he added

“Do as your mother said Trust in The Almighty”

Then he resumed his preaching, again in the distance, no longer just to Joseph. From that moment on Joseph’s demons were subdued; they were there, but no longer the dominating force in Joseph’s life.

Joseph knew that he did not understand, he knew that nothing made any sense in his mind but he also new that he could trust in the Almighty.
His day was coming soon.

Chapter 9


Everything in the camp had changed; the band of men intent on revenge against the Romans had dwindled away. First it was the Baptist’s teaching and then Jesus began to teach and preach. So many of the men had been convicted of their sin, had repented and turned away from their violent life style that Barabbas was unable to safely plan and execute any raids against the enemy. Worst of all the security of their camp was compromised. There were no men to stand the watch. Then Joseph, even faithful Joseph came to him with the story of his encounter with this fellow Jesus. Barabbas was sure that his father would be turning in his grave.

Joseph was confused and unsure of what he should do; he was also worried about how Rebecca would react to his encounter with Jesus.

He could not explain it, nor could he understand why this man would have singled him out for such an extraordinary experience. He could scarcely believe it had happened himself, how could he expect Rebecca to understand or believe it. The one thing that Joseph did know was that some how there had been a fundamental change deep inside of him. That he had to share with Rebecca.

Once again Joseph was astonished, she understood! In fact, Rebecca was overjoyed. She told Joseph of how she too meet Jesus, how her life had changed and how she had been praying to and trusting in The Almighty that Joseph too would have an encounter with The Master. They talked long into the night but although Joseph had changed and he acknowledged the change he could not understand. His demons may have been silenced but there remained the bitterness, the anger towards God. The questioned of the small, grieving, angry eight-year-old Joseph remained unanswered.

“How could The Almighty and The Messiah allow such injustice, such pain, and such horror in what they claim to be their people?”

Although Joseph did not understand and although that question remained unanswered Joseph decided that he would, to the best of his ability choose to trust The Almighty. Rebecca made the same choice. Little did either of them know what the demons had planned against them? They did not know just how much that choice would be tested. But it was that choice that would allow The Almighty to turn even the most horrid, the most evil plan of the enemy into a joy unspeakable, an eternal witness that would be spoken of even two thousand years later.

Joseph and Rebecca now spent their days listening to Jesus or talking with those who had seen Him. They were fascinated with the miracles Jesus preformed and would seek out and talk to the blind that now saw, the lame that walked, the deaf that could hear. Among those who were healed the lepers were the most grateful. They were the outcast of society, unclean, untouchable yet now they were clean. New skin and flesh now covered there body where before there was rotting stinking flesh.

“If Jesus by the power of The Almighty could do this miracle maybe he could clean the stinking rottenness of my life” Joseph would say.

Although Barabbas could not, through lack of men, wreak vengeance against the Romans, and Joseph was no longer motivated by his demons to fight, the Roman authorities had not forgotten. They plotted and planned their own vengeance. For years the identity of the criminals who had murdered their soldiers and stole from their treasury was a mystery but a chance conversation, overheard by one of their informants told them all that they needed to know. Orders were given to kill all at the camp except Barabbas and Joseph. They were to be brought in alive. Their fate was to be far more torturous than a quick death by a sword. Every death of every Roman soldier would be paid for with excruciating pain before they would be allowed to die.

The raid came unexpectedly, early in the morning, before dawn, while they slept. Suddenly they were there, there was no hope of escape, no time for goodbyes and as they led Barabbas and Joseph away in chains all of Rebecca’s doubts and questions were answered as she was ushered into the presence of The Almighty by His Holy Angels.

For Joseph the torment had just begun the farce of a trial, the cruel whip that lashed his body the fear, the indescribable fear of the death by crucifixion that waited for him. He did not mourn for Rebecca; he was glad that she had died quickly, glad that she would not see him suffer. He hoped that she would be with the Lord God at peace and at rest. It was this hope that sustained him.

Then, as if it was a sign from heaven he discovered that Jesus, the healer, the one who went about doing good, the one who claimed to be the Son of God the Messiah was to be crucified along with him. Even more amazing the people were given a choice, one man was to be set free, Barabbas or Jesus and they had chosen Barabbas. The Roman governor Pilate had asked what should we do with this Jesus and the crowd had shouted.

“Crucify Him Crucify him”


Chapter 10

The last hours of Joseph’s life would be impossible for me to describe so I will let him tell it in his own words.

“It wasn’t the cold stones of my cell that kept me awake that terrible night so long ago.

It wasn’t even the pain from my back where the cruel Roman whip had stripped of the skin and ripped into my flesh.
.
No, it wasn’t the chains that chaffed my ankles and wrists and restricted my movement.

It was not even the rats that caused my sleepless night.

It was TERROR pure Terror, I had seen many men crucified, seen the agony on their faces, watched as they took every painful breath, seen their skin fried by the burning sun as they slowly dehydrated and died.

The fear of the next day consumed me.

Then they were here, cruel hands dragged me to my feet, and the whip that forced me to comply with their demands.

I was forced to carry the instrument of my own torture.

Slowly step-by-step we, (A criminal like me and The Master, Jesus, the prophet, the healer, the one whom was The son of God), approached the place of the skull where we would die.

People lined the route. Most scoffing and abusing Jesus, others were openly weeping.

But none wept for me.

It began with the soldiers tying rope to my lower arms and stretching me onto the cross bar while another drove in the steel spikes.

The pain was unbearable, my screams echoed across the countryside.

Then my feet were nailed to a pad on the upright. Then using ropes the cross on which I attached was lifted up and dropped into a whole in the ground, the agony as my body was jarred against the spikes,

Unbelievable!!

Every breath brought fresh pain yet you must breathe again, your body insisted.

The Sun began to burn my skin, my throat was parched.

How was I to know that this awful day was would be the greatest day of my life?

How could that be possible? The answer was “Jesus”.

What made me turn and look at Him? I am not sure.

People were jeering Him, “If you are the Son of God, save yourself. Come down off the cross then we will believe you.”

Then I summoned all my strength and looked at Him. Unbelievably He was looking at me. Our eyes meet. His eyes were full of pain, yet unfathomable love and compassion.

For a moment I thought I was looking into the eyes of God. Then YES, YES, I was looking into the eyes of The Almighty.

I heard my fellow thief take up the taunt of the people. “Save yourself, and us too,” he cried.

I couldn’t believe it, how could he be so foolish?

Everything was now clear in my mind. I yelled at him

“We are only getting what we deserve, but this Man has done nothing wrong”

Then, I looked again into those eyes and said

“Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

The love that flowed into me was indescribable. Every sin, every evil in my life was instantly gone. I was renewed from the inside out; I could do nothing for Him. I had not completed any religious formula yet He accepted me. Then he said the words that will forever be written in my heart

“This day you shall be with me in Paradise.”

And it was true!

My day had come!

I remember nothing of the rest of that day, not even the moment my fleshly body died.

I only remember the joy that filled me.

Now I understood. My questions were answered. I was again with my beloved Rebecca and my family, my Mother, my Father and my Brother. We were all together in His wonderful presence.

I can’t explain to you why you are going through what you are but I do know that The Father understands, every tear is recorded, ever innocent life that is lost is held in The Fathers loving arms.

He did not withhold His only son but gave Him as a sacrifice that all mankind could spend eternity with Him.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

For over two thousand years I have been with the Master, sharing in His Love and His Joy.

Soon He will be coming again to our earth.

He is coming to establish His Kingdom on earth, to fulfill all prophecy, to judge the earth.

No one who rejects Jesus and the blood sacrifice he made will be saved.

So I wanted my story to be told to you.

So you would be encouraged to look into His eyes.

It doesn’t matter what you have done.
It doesn’t matter what you haven’t done.

There is no religious formula.

He loves you just as you are right now.

Trust Him, and ask Him,

“Lord remember me.”

Then you and I will rejoice together in the paradise He has prepared for us.”


Joseph.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE