Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: REDEEM (03/03/22)
-
TITLE: Making Sense of How God Works | Previous Challenge Entry
By Stephen Kimball
03/10/22 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Years had passed since it happened, but the guilt was as fresh as it had ever been.
Slowly across the living room he paced, back and forth, as was his routine for deep thought.
A beating on the porch door shook him from the recesses of his mind. BANG….BANG…..BANG, as if some angry soul desperately wanted to come inside. Perhaps for relief, or perhaps for vengeance.
A peek through the inlaid diamond-shaped window in the door revealed only the wind rattling the outer screen door. The clasp had never worked right and now he regretted putting off that repair.
He’d intended to open the door but rethought the idea as he glanced at the thermometer. Twenty-two degrees.
About a mile away, nestled upon a quiet hillside just past the McGregors property sits a little white church, old-fashioned steeple and all. Derek knew it well. Though he had never darkened its doors personally, he had envisioned himself inside a million times.
*****
Gil Fredricks the long-time pastor of the little white church, was alone in his office preparing for his upcoming sermon. Called to preach at the ripe old age of 17, he felt a passion for the Word of God that would not allow him, at the time, to consider any other path in life.
Now, approaching fifty, he wonders to himself why he continues. Contentment and expectation have melted into frustration and even anger. It seemed to him that his purpose, which had once been so clear, had dried up along with all the tears he had shed.
*****
Derek threw on his heavy coat and headed out into the elements. The wind and the snow were a formidable duo, but this time there would be no excuses. Torn apart by years of guilt and shame, he was finally ready to make his plea. Whether he walked away forgiven or not was unforeseeable. Either way, there had to be a reckoning.
By the time he reached the church, he was cold through and through, shivering and miserable. Standing before the large double doors at the main entrance he wondered if he should knock or just enter. The desire for shelter and a deep hope that a sinner seeking solace would be welcome, moved him to try the door handle.
It creaked open.
*****
Seeing the stranger at the door, the pastor moved to greet him. It wasn’t so odd that someone might seek shelter here from the storm. Or perhaps, he mused, this was an angel deposited in his midst.
“Come in…you look frozen.”
“I was walking by, and it’s so bad out there. Thank you for letting me in.”
Have a seat by the fire and warm up, I’ll get us a cup of coffee and we can chat.”
“Thank you, that sounds wonderful.”
The conversation was as warm as the coffee. By the second cup, their guards were coming down. They spoke honestly of life and how it can often seem so unfair.
The pastor confided, “I don’t know why I’m telling you this, but six years ago, on a cold wintery day, just like this one, a young man had had too much to drink with some of his buddies, crossed that yellow line on a nearby two-lane stretch of highway and crashed head-on into a car with another young man in it who was traveling home from college for Christmas break. A young man with his whole life ahead of him. My son Kyle.”
The pastor stared into the flames. Derek noticed his voice starting to crack as it trailed off.
“Sunday’s sermon is on forgiveness…”, He turned and looked Derek in the eyes. “…and I can’t even do that myself.”
Derek choked up, and could not hold back the tears.
"Pastor, six years ago, I had had too much to drink, got in my car…and forever changed both of our lives.”
The air was suddenly still and silence cut through the room as the Pastor attempted to piece together what the man was saying.
“I know ‘sorry’ isn’t good enough. God knows I would trade my life for his if I could. I am here to ask your forgiveness.”
*****
*This story is adapted from the song “The Preacher and the Stranger”
Sung by Joey and Rory
Songwriters: Carl Cartee, Jerry Dean Jr. Salley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heRzDB5PcQs
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
