Questions and answers

Matt Davis answered the call to meet with a 'disturbed officer'. He had dealt with this kind of issue before. But never had one had so much true fear. Frank examined himself thoroughly. He knew exactly what terrified him. He knew exactly what his questions were. He was a detective; that's how he worked. Having to depend on someone else for answeres was a a stretch. At first, Frank had a hard time speaking what was in his heart and on his mind. Matt had learned how to draw out the truth from stubborn cops and was very profficient at it. It didn't take long before Frank asked the serious questions.
"Does God love the world?"
"Yes."
"Then why do bad things happen to good people?"
Matt smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Tell me, Frank. What does a good person look like?"
"Like my wife."
Matt chuckled. "I'm glad you think so." He looked him in the face. "Describe what makes her good."
Frank thought. "She's honest, kind, caring, sweet, and...and just amazing."
"Is she always those things?"
"Well, well, no."
"Is she sometimes the opposite?"
Frank had to admit she was.
"So is she good or is she  bad? What's more natural for her?"
Frank frowned thoughtfully. "Probably about even."
"So are there truely good people?"
Frank tried to think his way out, but Matt's logic was solid. Matt took his silence as a 'No'.
"I can only think of one man in all of history who was completely good. Jesus Christ was always honest, always kind, always compassionate and caring, and always amazing. He never failed at those things, or anything else you can think of later. Do you know what happened to him?"
"Um, no, I don't remember."
"He was murdered on a Roman cross. A mob gave him an unfair trial and he was killed unjustly. He was completely innocent. This is the one and only case where God let a very bad thing happened to good person."
Frank nodded, thoughtfully. "Why did God let that happen?"
"Because God loves the world. You see, Jesus is the Son of God. God was angry with all mankind because of our wickedness and sin. You know that better then I do, I'm sure."
Frank nodded. He saw the evidence of God's anger every day at work.
"Because God is just and good He has to punish sin. Every good judge does, you know. But He loved us so much that He had Christ become like us in human form and He poured out His wrath on Him. Three days after Jesus died, He rose from the dead, defeating the power of sin and death over mankind.Christ took our punishment and transfered His perfection on us so that we can become children of God and have everlasting life in His presence. All you have to do to complete that transaction is to put your faith in Jesus Christ, turning from your sin which He died for and destroyed, and allow the power of God to transform your life."
Frank stared at him for several minutes. "I've never heard that before."
"It's the truth. I love this truth. Believe it, my friend."

Jesus and me

YHWH stood up from His throne. Casting His compassionate eyes on the surface of His planet, earth. He saw many dead. Those whose purpose was to dishonor Him. Those His righteous anger burned against. "Vengeance is Mine". But there were the living. Those who lived in the joy He gave them. Those who would spend their never-ending lives in His kingdom.

He searched among the dead, searching for the rotting but ready heart of stone. He found her, sitting among the scum and ashes she usually surrounded herself with. He reached out and took hold of the rock in her heart cavity. She grumbled and complained against Him, blaming Him for the pain He was inflicting. He tugged on it, but she held fast to it. He touched her eyes, and they saw Him who they were created to behold. Her lips were silenced. She had to trust Him. He knew something about her heart, her most treasured possession, all that she knew. He whispered to her that it was rotting, and He had something better for her then the filth she loved. She believed Him, and let go of the stone.

YHWH crushed the stone in His strong hands, it crumbling to dust. Then He touched the empty space in her chest, and behold, a beautiful heart sprung up. It was clean and pure. He took the girl in His arms, wiping the grimy tears from her eyes. He cried cleansing tears on her, and washed her in His grace. He stood her up among the dead. And she took her first step upward, holding His hand.

Papa

he's tall, slightly hunched over. not because he studied too hard or cared too little. his age is worn graciously, it has delayed. not because of resistance, but because he has kept his mind sharp. his white shoes and ironed slacks are so clean. he sighes, sorry for the state of his beloved country. he fought for her. his sacrifice meant something to him. he worries because his grandchildren and great grandchildren don't realize what is ahead for them.  family stabalized him. he never flew or sailed again, and he traded in his hudson for a stationwagon. he saw the world as he travelled through it. he built memory after memory. he laughs, his face grows red. he holds her hand. fifty-eight years of marriage. so sweet. everlasting love never ends. he has a quivering voice and a strong conviction. he is an old crumbling wall, a supporting structure standing on a sure foundation. life is fleeting. love is forever. he is steadfast in God, faithful. dying in body, but ever stronger in spirit. he is tired, unstable, sharp, and still handsome. death cannot hinder, it cannot hold back. he does not resist it because it cannot defeat a man after God's own heart.
 i love you :)

In the Orchard

Fruit

            When autumn came, my fruit was golden and juicy. I was excited when the Farmer came to see me. I had grown strong because of His tender watchfulness. I thanked Him for His kind attention. He smiled, and took down the ripest fruit, the first fruits. He bit into it, and the juice ran down His beard. He smiled and told me it was sweet and delicious. He ran His comforting rough hands over my scarred trunk, scars that had made me stronger, my bark tough and resistant.

Galatians 5:2-24~ “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Gifts to the Poor

A young woman watched us from the gate. She had two young children with her. They exhaled the cold autumn air in vapors and shivered in the brisk wind. They wore ragged clothes and admired my fruit. The Farmer smiled at me, and put in a basket my ripest, sweetest fruit, and with it, fed the poor.

Psalm 9:18~ “For the needy shall not always be forgotten,

and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.”

The End

In the Orchard

Trials and Tribulation

            When my trunk was thicker, and my branches began to spread further, the Farmer came to me with large shears. They gleamed in the sun. It terrified me. I tried to trust Him, but I had seen Him use those to cut down the useless trees. He carefully and precisely snipped a few of my branches. They bled sap and I was horrified. Those branches, I thought, added to my beauty. Those branches would bare fruit. I couldn’t understand the Farmer. He should know that. I thought He had forgotten Himself, or didn’t know what He was doing. I tried to hide from Him, but being a tree, and He being a good farmer, I couldn’t. He told me to trust Him; He knew what He was doing. He knew how trees produced the most fruit. He said pruning would bring the sweetest fruit to my branches. I knew He was wise and I was not, so I trusted Him and allowed Him to cut off more branches and cast them into the fire, though I felt ugly without them. It didn’t take long for my branches to grow back. They grew back thicker than before. In Spring, they were covered with beautiful, healthy, pink blossoms. The Farmer was truly hurting me for my own good.

James 1:2-4~ “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Doubt and discouragement

When Summer came, my fruit was small. I was ashamed of them. They were green and dry. How could this sour fruit bring joy to the Farmer? He inspected me constantly. I was afraid He would think me a bad tree and cast me into the fire. I tried to hide my fruit from Him, ashamed of myself. I wished it would be ripe now and wondered if it ever would be. When He saw me in this way, He patted my trunk and told me to show my fruit to the Sun so that it may ripen and sweeten. I gradually grew to trust Him and turned my leaves away from my fruit. I let the mist of the River Life spray them.

Isaiah 41:9-10~ “You whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, ‘you are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off’; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

In the Orchard

Worldly Desires

            I grew more until I was seven feet tall. I was still very thin. It was spring, and I had a few blossoms, but not many. The rabbits and deer from the Forest Folly came to me and nibbled at my pink flowers and my fresh, thin branches. One of the rabbits burrowed under my roots, and made himself at home. They skipped around me. They were so beautiful. I loved to watch them play and move. I wished I could be like them. My spirit became discontent with being a stationary tree. When the Farmer came to see me, He saw the wild animals and scared them away. I was angry with Him. I wanted to watch them. The Farmer told me what they were doing to me. He showed me the weakness under my roots where the rabbit had burrowed. He showed me the scattered flower pedals on the ground, how they were trampled and brown. He showed me that my young branches would soon be ruined and I would bare no fruit at all if the deer continued to nibble. I was ashamed of myself. I should have seen what they were doing to me. I repented to the Farmer, and He helped me, mending my branches, and He put a wire fence around me to keep the wild animals away.

James 4:4~ “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world

 makes himself an enemy of God.”

In the Orchard

False Prophets

            I grew slowly, it felt. It was a few months before I reached two feet tall. That’s when I began to itch. I didn’t know what caused it, but I did know it was irritating, and I also didn’t feel well or healthy. I told the Farmer, and He told me I had insects eating at my stalk. I begged Him to take them away, and He did. He showed them to me. They were so small, and the same color as my stem. I couldn’t see them, they blended in so well. I thanked the Farmer for watching me so closely. He smiled and stroked my tender

leaves.

Matthew 7:15~ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

Enemies

            It was the end of summer, when the grass was dry, when I learned that the Farmer had enemies. They were devious men. They often came by and mocked me, telling me I was a worthless shoot. At first I believed them and was afraid of the Farmer. When the Farmer saw this, He told me I was precious. The enemy desired to discourage me. I believed Him and I shunned the evil men. But they began to come into the orchard and pluck my leaves. The Farmer would scare them away, and He posted warning signs, but still they came. One dark night, they set fire to the dead grass at my roots. I was terrified! My bark grew hot and then caught fire! It would be a slow death because I was green. Alas, the Farmer came! He poured water on me, the Living Water. We both rejoiced. He was constantly watching me. A few days later, when the Farmer was tending the other trees, the enemy crept in again, this time with a sharp gleaming ax. I shuddered as he struck my thin trunk. I was surprised I was not sliced in two with that one blow. I braced myself to die. But the Farmer pushed the enemy away from me. He destroyed the enemy, and burned the deadly weapon in a hot fire. I was safe.

1 Corinthians 15:25-26~ “For He must reign until He has put all

His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”