Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: MOURNING / MORNING (02/02/23)
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TITLE: Tetelestai-but now look ahead | Previous Challenge Entry
By Graham Keet
02/08/23 -
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The pain in his back was excruciating. The heavy wooden beams he was carrying tore into the broken flesh causing more bleeding. Spitting out blood he fell to his knees with a grunt. The soldier nearest him raised his whip to encourage the prisoner to carry on, but then realizing further whippings would not help, he grabbed a passer-by and instructed him to carry the beams. The prisoner carried on stumbling towards the nearby hill.
Now he felt he was drifting into space. The pain in his back had lifted and he felt at peace. For a moment he wondered if this was indeed the sunset of his life—with a smile he closed his eyes and pondered taking the rest of the morphine.
As the cross was raised into position the pain ripped through his body. Yet he knew this was why he was here; to take the pain and suffering for all those in the past, present and future who belonged to him. The men below him were gambling for his robe. The one man on the cross next to him was cursing him loudly, while the man on the other side asked to be remembered. Through his own pain Jesus assured the repentant man he would be with Him in Paradise.
Ben had been told his condition was terminal. A further dose of morphine would either fix him temporarily, or kill him. Something in his erratic church-going past put a check in his spirit—something about a prohibition against taking one’s own life. Yet even more determined to rid himself of his pain he stretched out his hand to grab the vial before anyone came in to stop him. His fingers were almost on the vial when a voice stopped him. Leave it alone! Fully expecting the nurse to appear to chastise him he was surprised to see nobody in his room.
At noon darkness came over all the land. Then the guards standing around heard Jesus cry out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some sniggered, until they felt the earth begin to tremble beneath them.
Ben Moss awoke from a fitful sleep. Glancing again at the morphine vial on the bedside table he made his decision to turn his sunset to night. I’m 84—how long should a person live? Surprisingly his mind turned to Jesus whom he recalled died at about 33. Why? Was He really meant to save all believing humanity? He drifted into a deeper sleep. Then the same voice he’d heard earlier spoke: Ben, this is not the sunset but the morning of a new life. You still have work to do, for your family and for my kingdom. I have taken your pain.
He opened his eyes to see his 16 year old grandson, Jason. With a worried look on his face Jason whispered, “You’re not going to die, are you, Grandpa?” Ben had been especially interested in Jason ever since his father had run off with another woman leaving Ben’s daughter Megan to manage the home—and Jason. For some time Ben was aware that Jason had fallen into bad company and was being led into alcohol and drugs. Ben looked up and took Jason’s hand. “No son, you don’t need to start mourning yet. I’ve been told I have much work to do. I still want to see you become a doctor like you always said you wanted. You won’t let me down, will you?” Jason looked away for a moment, then looked his grandfather in the eye. “No grandpa, we’ll crack it together.”
Then Jesus said to them, “My Father never stops working, and so I keep working, too.”
Ben smiled at his grandson. Yes, young man, we have a long road ahead.
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