Chris turned and looked up. He tried to remember what the Rev said, but there was no need. The angels were nodding their heads slowly, gracefully. “We are fellow servants with Reverend Peter. We hold to the testimony of Jesus, we confess that he came in the flesh, that he is from God and he died and rose again. He is our Lord and King.”
“They have confirmed what you asked. What does that all mean?”
“Chris, many don’t understand the invisible world. You may have heard of people trying to contact spirits to see what the future holds and things like that. God forbids people to do that, and for good reason, because evil can masquerade as angels of light. So you can put them to the test because evil won’t acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.”
Chris was starting to struggle with all that was being pumped into his brain.
“You have been given a gift and I’m sure God doesn’t want to overload you. Let me pray for you.” The Rev placed his hand on Chris’s right shoulder. “Heavenly Father, your Word tells us that the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him. Father, you have revealed this to us in such a powerful way today. Father, I lift up Chris to you. Lord, it is a fearful thing for him to see what is invisible to all others. Please put your peace into his heart. Help Chris to see that nothing happens in this world that you don’t know about it, that this is all part of your plan, and you are in charge. Amen.”
Chris was struggling with something. “But I don’t think I believe in Jesus, so where does that put me?”
“Have you ever thought about it?”
“My wife would nag me about going to church. But church wasn’t my thing. The wife and kids loved it though.”
“I have to assume that you’re no longer with your wife or family?”
He didn’t answer the question. His head felt heavy. All the events were taking a toll. He needed to rest. The Reverend suggested a bunk at the back of the recreation hall that he could use. He thought about it and was too tired to go anywhere else so he took up the offer.
As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out like a light.
Then the screams came. The car took the bend way too fast and lost control. He reached over and placed his arm to protect his wife from the impact that was coming. With his other arm, he reached out for his kids in the back. The look of fear on both their faces he could not forget. He lost them all.
He sat up quickly and looked around. He closed and opened his eyes. His guardian angel was beside him. Chris noticed that the fear had gone.
“Thinking of your wife, sir?”
Chris stared at the angel and nodded.
“She is with the Father and the children also. You will become like them. You will become a believer, and you will see them again, but for now God has work for you to do.”
Chapter 11
Friday evening, 8 December, Brisbane, Queensland
THIS CHURCH WAS BIG. There were hundreds of people here and the music was loud. Aaron sat, looking up at the preacher, who was dressed in jeans and a white casual shirt; neat and not over the top.
Are you afraid of death? The question popped into Aaron’s head. He had no idea where it came from. In his mind’s eye he saw the girl’s body on the road, and the distraught man. He saw his dad’s body lying in that car park. But the words of the preacher brought his focus back.
“And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.”
It was the story of a rich man and a poor man. Aaron had vague memories of the story—Aaron and his brother, Jack, had attended a few Sunday school sessions. The story stuck in his mind because it introduced him to that fellow with the pitchfork and where he lived. Jack told Aaron that if Aaron died before him, he was to come back and tell him if it was real or not. Aaron smiled at that. Maybe he should have made reciprocal arrangements with Jack. He lowered his head. I miss ya, Jack. Aaron never thought about hell . . . maybe it took on significance as one got older and closer to death . . . maybe it was time to revisit his belief system. Not yet. There were too many other things to focus on . . . Dad, Afghanistan.
His legs were falling asleep, so he moved them around to get more comfortable. He looked around. Most people were paying attention, the occasional lights from people looking up verses in their Bible e-books or iPhones. They believed this stuff, yet he struggled. And indeed, a great chasm came between Mackenzie and him—it was called religion.
“And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house—for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’
But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
Maybe it didn’t matter about the reciprocal arrangement with Jack because, apparently, if he did come back, no one would believe him anyway. Aaron turned to look at Mackenzie. She was taking notes while Paul listened intently. Aaron hadn’t had a chance to speak to Paul yet. He was a nice bloke—Mackenzie had done well with him. The jealousy had passed. It wasn’t an easy journey—a few drunken episodes—but Aaron had finally pushed away the feelings.
Preacher man was concluding, heads were bowed, eyes closed, the man was seeking out those that were lost, something about eternal life. Aaron had a peek: quite a few people were raising their hands. Did raising their hands mean that they were no longer lost? They prayed for the lost and they were all asked to join in. Aaron snuck out at this point. His legs were screaming for a stretch.
So he had a choice: heaven or hell. He tripped on the way out.
<°)))><
Grant Windsor didn’t have his head bowed.
He was thinking about the amazing relevance of sermons. It was like pockets of the sermon were a reflection of his life at a particular time. Windsor believed that there were different chasms, and he knew that soon many more would also have this same belief. That’s what they were doing with their new technology, shunting entities along some kind of chasm.
Windsor was raised in a Christian home. He believed God was calling him to do something about society. He always had this belief, and now had progressed to a position of power where he actually could do something.
He saw a young man trip on his way out of church. What a goose. But then his thoughts went to his own son and how he wished God would remove the dark cloud that had closed in on Timothy.
In some ways he blamed the church for those dark clouds, especially those men that looked after the young.
<°)))><
When Aaron tripped on the way out of church, he felt the whole world was watching. It sometimes felt like mild paranoia ran in the family. He made his way out of the auditorium, smelled coffee and followed his nose until he found the source. An attractive girl was serving the coffee. Aaron ordered.
“There you are.” A voice came from behind. Aaron turned to see Mackenzie with Paul in tow.
“Hi, Teresa,” Mackenzie said to the coffee lady.
“You remember Teresa don’t you, Aaron? Year 9, not one of your best years was it? Remember, the party at Teresa’s place and one blown-up letter box? The things you used to do to get our attention.”
Teresa and Mackenzie laughed.
Aaron remembered. He’d been home-bound for a few weekends after that incident. He turned to Paul. “Does she still make up stories?”
Paul smiled and gave Aaron a hug. “You’re looking good, Aaron. This army life seems to suit you. I hear you’re on your way overseas soon.”
Aaron felt uncomfortable with this hugging caper and he was sure people picked up those vibes. He nodded and sipped his coffee. There were no bad vibes for Paul. The idea of Paul and Mackenzie as a couple was quite settled in Aaron’s mind—although it had taken a while for the adjustment to take place. Paul was good for Mackenzie and Aaron really only wanted the best for her.
He caught a glimpse of Mackenzie out of the corner of his eye. She was sipping a diet Coke and about to hand Paul a full-strength Coke. Those lovely blue-grey eyes turned towards Aaron.
“Did you enjoy the church service, Aaron?”
“I think so, changed a lot. Music’s good and loud.” He was sure Mackenzie wanted to press a bit deeper but she just nodded.
“The pastor who delivered the message is an ex-military man. He’s a nice man. Maybe you should catch up with him sometime. Have a chat.”
That was the press. “Why?” He hoped that didn’t sound rude because it wasn’t meant to.
