AND JESUS CAME

"In Africa today" the newscaster said, "The white supremacist group, "The army of God" attacked a school filled with black children, two children were killed, while another thirty were injured." The sound of the TV blared at the stranger as he looked in silent horror at what was on the screen. Scenes of tiny children being carried off in stretchers brought tears to his eyes. The stranger turned off the TV with a sob that came from the deepest place in his heart, "all of this murdering, in the name of God" he thought. The stranger turned off the TV.

The silence that came was a welcome release.

For a week now, the stranger had visited this place. Every sunrise brought new horrors. The desire to leave was very strong on his heart, but he could not leave. He had work to do. "Tomorrow will be a new day" he thought, and with the hope of a better day, he slept.

As the sun began to rise the stranger opened his eyes to the sound of arguing. He walked over to the window and saw a street preacher holding a sign that read "Repent now before God throws you in hell". The street preacher was joined by twenty or thirty people standing outside an abortion clinic. Most of them were holding various signs, "God is love", or "Jesus is coming soon" seemed to be the most popular. The stranger watched as what appeared to be a fifteen or sixteen year old girl slowly approached the clinic. She looked nervously toward the group of protesters, hoping they would ignore her. As she walked through the door of the clinic the street preacher began a chant of "Murderer". Tears dripped down the young girls face as the rest of the protesters joined in.

The decision had not been easy for her. Raped by 10 gang members one night as she returned from a school dance, she had nearly lost her life. After the gang finished with her, they slit her throat and left her for dead. She was found by a passing policeman a few minutes later. She was in a coma for two months before she awoke. As the police began to ask her questions about that horrible night, she remembered the various faces of the gang members, her last sight before she mercifully blacked out. When the nurse told her that she was pregnant, the girl screamed in terror. As the room began to spin, she wondered which one of the rapists was the father. Breaking the news to her family was even harder than she imagined. As she told her father she saw his eyes go blank. She could see all of his hopes for his little girl disappear in an instant. As her father walked out of the room, she began to wish for death. Now, on top of everything else, she had ruined all her fathers plans for her.

These thoughts passed through her mind as the nurse said, "OK dear, were finished now, you can go."

As she dressed she wondered, "God, am I really a murderer?" The thought brought a chill to her bones.

The stranger walked across the street from the clinic. He knew he would be needed.

As the young girl came out the protesters again took up their chant. "Murderer", "Murderer", "You’ll burn in hell for this you Jezebel", "God hates your kind". The young girl was overwhelmed by all the noise. The memory of her terrible ordeal came rushing back at her. What had she done to deserve being raped by an entire gang. Would God burn her forever for something she could not help? Did God really hate her? The street preacher came toward her with fire in his eyes, as he pointed his finger in her face his voice seemed to explode right at her. "God will get you for this" he cried, "God will surely get revenge on you for your murder of that baby," "You’ll deserve it too." Fear gripped her heart, the crowd of protesters waved their signs wildly in support of the street preacher, and as he backed her into a corner she wished she had died that night. Bleeding to death seemed almost merciful to this.

The stranger looked on in sadness. He looked again at the signs the protesters were carrying. "God is Love". The stranger began to weep. The stranger walked into the middle of the crowd and made his way to the street preacher. "Leave her alone" he said. His voice was powerful. The street preacher recognized authority when he heard it, as he backed away he wondered, "Who is this?", "God will surely punish him for this intrusion", "Doesn’t he know I am doing Gods work?"

The stranger reached out his hands toward the young girl.

The girl looked at the stranger, somehow his appearance made her feel peaceful. His eyes seemed to have a unique sparkle, almost like fire. She reached out and took his hand, it was the hand of a Father, smooth yet powerful. It was if she had known him all of her life.

"Kyra". The girl shook herself out of her Tran fixation of the stranger, he had spoken her name! How did he know that? Who was he? "I know what happened to you that night", "And I do not condemn you for what you have done" the stranger said to Kyra. Kyra felt waves of electricity flow through her entire body as the stranger spoke. Her eyes filled with tears of joy, and she didn’t know why. She didn’t care, she just cried. The emotions of three months, that before had weighed so heavenly on her seemed to fade away. Peace flooded her spirit. She felt cleansed. The street preacher looked on with amusement, "You’ll still burn in hell for this" he shouted. He looked at the crowd of protesters for support but found none. All eyes seemed transfixed upon this stranger. "John" the stranger spoke softly. "Leave this child alone, you do not know what she has endured". "You only know anger and rage toward everyone who you believe that God hates." "All your ministry has been is condemnation toward others, the hate in your heart has caused you to turn many away from the Father."

John was shocked. Who was this ungodly man speaking these accusations at him, and how did he know his name?

The stranger looked at the crowd of protesters. They were shocked at what was happening. "Go to your homes" the stranger said. "Go and learn of Love, learn of Joy, learn of Meekness, then you will know the true nature of your heavenly Father." "Which one of you were called to carry signs?", "did not God call you to Love one another?" "Your signs read God is love, yet you show no love, only hate. Taught by your leaders that God does not care for these, blind leading the blind. Go and learn of Love." The crowd slowly dispersed, the strangers words seemed to burn into their very souls. It was as if God himself had spoken. Strange. Kyra looked at the stranger. She no longer cared about anything else in the world. She only wanted to remain in this strangers presence. As she looked into his eyes, for an instant his appearance changed before her. No longer was he a poorly dressed stranger, His face shone like the sun, his radiance was brilliant, only his eyes were the same, as if they were fires. Then his appearance changed again before her. Now he was the same poor dressed stranger, yet his eyes still held a flicker. Kyra bowed before him. She now knew who this man was. As she worshipped him she felt his hand touch her brow. "Your sins are forgiven child," he said.

John looked on in disbelief, "who are you to forgive anyone’s sins" he cried, "only God can forgive sin."

Kyra slowly got up from the strangers feet. She smiled. Her life was just beginning, and now she knew that all would be well. As she walked toward home, she seemed to hear choirs of Angels sing. She was at peace. The stranger watched as Kyra walked away. A smile came across his lips, then a laugh. Her life would now take a dramatic change. Kyra would grow up and become the greatest minister the world has ever known. Miracles would happen at her fingertips that no one had seen since the apostles had died. Kyra was to be a messenger, there had been only two like her before, Elijah had been the first. Then his Spirit rested upon another called the Baptist. Both of them had announced the coming of the savior. Kyra would now be the final messenger, she would tell the world of the love of God, just before he came to usher his children into his kingdom.

As the stranger thought of these things joy filled his heart. He could not after all wait until he heard the command, "Son, Go and get my children." it was what he had waited for. It was what he died for. The stranger walked toward John, as he knelt down beside him he placed his hand upon Johns shoulder. As he looked into Johns eyes, he said, "I love you John. Return unto me," and he got up and disappeared into the distance. John felt his heart grip with fear, in a moment he understood what had just happened, and who had just touched him. "JESUS" he cried, "JESUS", forgive me, I didn’t know it was you.

The stranger turned around and John felt electricity flow through his body.

Peace that he had not known before filled his being as the stranger spoke. "You are forgiven John, go and tell this to all you see, In as much as you have done this to the least of these my brethren, you have done to me. Tell the world."

This of course is a story of fiction, but with a definite message. I hope it touches your heart. It seemed to write itself.

God bless you.