Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: The Kingdom of God (03/12/09)
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TITLE: In His Presence | Previous Challenge Entry
By Laura Pattillo
03/17/09 -
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The small passage resounds in Jeff’s head as he awakes. He looks around and realizes that he is not in his bed. He looks around and realizes that he is standing. Sunlight touches his skin, and for the first time in years, it feels good to be standing. He hears the sounds of soft crying and weeping. He turns toward them. It is his family. He sees his wife and stepson setting across from a closed casket.His mother, father, brother, and sister are sitting with them. More family and friends are either sitting behind them or standing outside of the canopy. Shock sets into Jeff’s heart. He is dead. He is watching his own funeral.
He watches as a military representative gives his wife a folded flag. He watches the tears flow from her eyes and his mother’s eyes. He bows his head as his pastor speaks the final prayer. Then tears start to flow from his eyes as he realizes that his cancer has finally won. His cancer riddled body can finally rest from its long fight. When Jeff stops crying, he looks up. He isn’t in the green meadow outside his brother’s house anymore. He is in a garden that is greener than the jungles of Africa or South America during the rainy season.
Jeff walks over to a clear blue running stream. He looks down and sees a reflection that is not his. His body is full again. His hair is back, and he is dressed in all white. Jeff walks down the golden path toward a temple standing amongst bright sunshine and clouds. Jeff enters the temple and sees millions of people dressed like him bowing down in worship. He continues following the path until he sees two people that he knows.
The two people standing in front of him are his Aunt Lucy and Aunt Melba. They are dressed as he is, but they look like what he remembers from late in their lives. They are not sick but perfectly healthy.
“Aunt Lucy! Aunt Melba!” Jeff races toward them. The three of them embrace. “What is this place?”
“Welcome home Jeff,” answers Melba.
“Good to see you Jeff. Glad to see you all healed,” says Lucy.
“Home?” a skeptical Jeff questions. “How can this be home?”
Melba answers, “This is your eternal home. It is the home that you inherited when you accepted Jesus Christ so long ago.”
“You will no longer shed tears. You will no longer feel the pain of your cancer. You will be happy here,” says Lucy.
“But what is this place?” asks Jeff.
“This is the home that God has built for all His children,” answers Melba.
“Who is He? Where is He?” asks Jeff.
“We are to escort you to meet Him,” answers Lucy.
The three of them walk down the path that Jeff had been following since his arrival. As they come to the end, Jeff hears the voices of angels singing the praises that he had grown up hearing in church. The light grows brighter. The voices grow louder. As the little group comes to the end,Jeff can make out a throne sitting at the top of a raised platform. He sees a man sitting on the throne, and he immediately knows the answers to his own questions.
Jeff walks up the stairs. At the top, Jeff stops and kneels down on his knees. He realizes that he is in front of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He also now knows that he has been given the body that was promised him in Ezekiel and in other parts of the Bible.
“Thank you,” is all that Jeff can muster.
“Welcome home, Jeff. I love you.” Jesus lays his hands on Jeff, and Jeff weeps.
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