A Future and a Hope

by David Mathews

  “Precisely!” The old woman thumped the arm of the rocker with obvious delight.

  Ellie leaned forward. “So, are you saying a person has to become a Christian in order to fully understand the Bible?”

  “Yes I am. They must first become a child of God in order for the Spirit of God to help them understand the truths of God.”

  As Ellie absorbed this statement, she grew perplexed. “But if you can’t understand the truth without first becoming a Christian, how does anyone become a Christian in the first place? Don’t they need to know the truth first?”

  “That is a very good question, Miss Ellie. It takes faith to come to Him in the first place.” Miss Cora tapped her Bible with her index finger. “God’s Word says that without faith it is impossible to please Him. Abraham believed God, and it was assigned to him as righteousness. Look up Ephesians chapter two, will you?”

  Ellie dove into her Bible and soon came upon the right page.

  “Find it?” Miss Cora continued at Ellie’s nod. “Good. Now read beginning around verse four or five and keep reading ‘til I tell you to stop.”

  Ellie began reading, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

  “Stop right there.” Miss Cora held up her hand. “How does verse eight say we are saved?”

  “By grace.”

  “By grace through what?”

  “Through faith.” Ellie looked up at Miss Cora. The white-haired little woman was beaming.

  “Through faith! By grace through faith. We are saved from God’s wrath, which we naturally deserve because of our sin. Romans tells us ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’. And it is only because of God’s grace, extending His favor to us when it is totally undeserved, that we can have that salvation. But it only comes through faith. Faith in His shed blood on the cross as payment for our sin.” She paused to let her words take root. “And what does verse eight say is the source of that faith needed to believe?”

  Ellie looked at her Bible. “Um . . . the gift of God?”

  “Exactly!” Miss Cora thumped the arm of her rocker again. Ellie chuckled inwardly at her enthusiasm and fervor. “God even gives you the faith needed to believe in Him. And once you believe in Him, He gives you the power to become His child. That’s in John’s gospel. Chapter one and verse twelve, if I’m not mistaken. You can check me on that later if you’d like. You see, He provides everything you need. Child, when you put your trust in Him, a lot takes place in that moment. You have your sins forgiven, you are declared righteous and no longer condemned, you are restored to a right relationship with God, you are made a new creation, you are given eternal life, and you are given His Holy Spirit to live within you.”

  She paused to catch her breath. “It’s that same Holy Spirit who will enable you to understand His truth. In fact, He promises to guide you in all the truth. And He does all this because He loves you.”

  She waited patiently for Ellie to respond. “I see what you’re saying, Miss Cora. I didn’t used to believe that God loved me, but now I see that He does. But I still don’t understand something. If God is love, why doesn’t everyone believe in Him? And why is there still pain and suffering in the world? Caleb tells me that being a Christian doesn’t guarantee you won’t have bad things happen to you. He told me about losing his brother a while back.”

  Miss Cora closed her eyes and nodded. “Yes, I remember when the Sawyers lost little Calvin. That was a hard time for their family. It was a hard time for our whole church family. We all suffered together through that tragedy. But, to answer your question, I have to tell you about the nature of true love. How can I best put it?” She looked up at the porch ceiling and tapped her chin before continuing. “Let me ask you this, you like Caleb a lot, don’t you?”

  Ellie was taken back by the seemingly sudden shift in the conversation. She replied shyly, “Well, yes, I do.”

  Miss Cora chuckled, “I thought so. I can see it in the way you look at him. And in the way you two interact.” She leaned forward, placed a withered hand next to her mouth, and lowered her voice, as if divulging a secret she didn’t want anyone else to hear. “I think the feeling is mutual.”

  Ellie looked away, trying to mask the crimson heat in her cheeks.

  The elderly widow continued. “Now, would you rather he liked you because he wants to, or because he has to?”

  “I suppose because he wants to.”

  “And that, my dear, is the very definition of love. Love is a choice, not a duty. It is voluntary for the giver as well as the receiver. That’s where free will comes into play. When God created Adam and Eve in the garden, He chose to love them. And He gave them the same choice . . . the free will to love and obey Him in return. Only they chose to disobey instead. God doesn’t force anyone to love or accept Him. He could, you know. After all, He is God. But then that wouldn’t require love, would it?”

  Ellie shook her head.

  Miss Cora let out a sigh and closed her Bible before continuing. “Sadly, many people choose to reject God instead of accept Him. They choose their own ways over His. And it’s because of that choice that we have sin and evil and misery in this world.”

  “That’s exactly what Caleb told me.” Ellie thought back to her own childhood. “I . . . I used to blame God for taking my mother away from me at such an early age. But that wasn’t His choice, was it?”

  “No, it wasn’t. If mankind hadn’t chosen to disobey God, there would be no suffering. No sin. And no death. We were created to live forever. But sin brought death. One man’s disobedience brought death on all mankind, because we all have sinned. But isn’t it wonderfully ironic that the death of one man, Jesus, brings life to all who believe?”

  “That’s pretty amazing.” Ellie nodded in agreement.

  “Yes, it is. That’s amazing grace. Amazing love.” Miss Cora stopped her rocking and leaned forward with a gentle smile. “My dear, wouldn’t you like to experience that kind of love for yourself?”

  Tears welled up in Ellie’s eyes. Sniffling, she wiped them away with a sleeve. “Yes, I would. I really would. Only . . . I need to be alone for a while, if you don’t mind. It’s all so incredibly overwhelming.”

  Miss Cora smiled graciously. “Yes, it is, my dear. There is no greater love.” She pulled the bookmark from her big Bible and held it out to Ellie. “Please take this and read it, won’t you? It’s a poem that will help you understand why this book is so special to me.”

  Ellie slid off the swing and accepted the strip of laminated paper offered her. She placed it inside the front cover of her white Bible. “Thank you, Miss Cora. I’ll go up to my room and read it right now.”

  As the sun sank lower in the western sky, the shadow of the big white Victorian house crept across the lawn and into the street. Ellie sat on the edge of her bed and looked out her window at the approaching evening. A boy on a bicycle came into view, peddling furiously. He safely navigated the corner and sped off to some unknown destination. Probably a kid who had promised his mother to be home half an hour ago.

  She opened her Bible and withdrew the bookmark. The poem’s title caught her attention: “My Favorite Book.”

  That’s what Miss Cora had called it. She began to read with interest.

  The Bible is my favorite Book,

  Its Author is divine;

  His Spirit spoke through men of old

  To reach this heart of mine.

  I hear His voice when reading it,

  He speaks to me Himself;<
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  But it will never help at all

  If left upon the shelf.

  Within its pages, as I read,

  I quickly come to see,

  It’s not the story of mankind,

  But of God’s love for me!

  It tells me how the world began,

  How stars were hung in space;

  That God so longed for fellowship

  He made the human race.

  I read how man has fallen from

  That perfect place of bliss;

  Once close to God, now prodigal,

  The truth is really this:

  All we, like sheep, have gone astray,

  We’ve turned to our own way;

  So death has passed upon us all,

  For all have sinned today.

  But by God’s grace He did not leave

  Me in that dreadful state,

  Estranged from Him, and all alone

  To face a fiery fate.

  Instead He came into a world

  Corrupt with sin and strife,

  To demonstrate His love for me

  By laying down His life.

  For God so loved the world He gave

  His one and only Son,

  That everlasting life can be

  A gift for everyone!

  He died, was buried, rose again

  The third day as He said;

  These words provide a living hope,

  They are my daily bread.

  Whoever asks for Him receives,

  Believe and do not doubt;

  The one who truly comes to Him

  Will never be cast out!

  The blood of Jesus on the cross

  Completely paid my debts;

  I serve Him now with gratitude,

  And live without regrets.

  Without this Book I’d never know

  How wonderful it is

  To have my sins forgiven, and

  To be a child of His!

  He’s Alpha and Omega,

  The beginning and the end;

  Creator, Savior, Counselor,

  My Father, Brother, Friend.

  The more I read of His great love,

  The clearer I can see

  That all throughout these pages is

  His perfect will for me.

  He knows the plans He has for me,

  To prosper, not to harm;

  Removing all my fears and doubts,

  And causes for alarm.

  He always keeps his promises,

  His word is very sure;

  Because of this I’m confident,

  In Him my life is secure.

  If I but ask and seek and knock,

  Then I will always find;

  The door will open up to me

  To know His heart and mind.

  His Word is like a lamp to me,

  A light that guides my way;

  It keeps my feet from falling so

  I will not go astray.

  It shows me how I ought to live,

  And teaches me to pray;

  It fills me with a perfect peace

  That never goes away!

  It also says He’s coming soon

  To make all wrong things right;

  He’ll take me home to be with Him,

  My faith will then be sight!

  These things I know without a doubt,

  Because His voice I’ve heard,

  Communicating Truth to me

  Through this, His written Word.

  So why not give His Word a chance?

  It’s worth a second look;

  The answer to your every need

  Is right here in this Book!

  Please don’t ignore the Truth, my friend,

  Or leave it on the shelf;

  If you seek God within this Book,

  You’ll find Him for yourself!

  Ellie placed the bookmark back into her Bible and stared out the window again. The evening shadow of the house had reached the other side of the street now. Twilight was imminent. But it was her past that she began thinking about, not the darkening night.

  She was six years old, sitting on a green porch swing with her mother, a beautiful young woman with long, light-brown hair and beautiful, but tired hazel eyes. The two of them were singing “Jesus Loves the Little Children” in time with the swaying of the swing.

  She heard her mother’s voice, as if in a dream, saying, “I’ll always be there for you, Ellie.”

  Then their laughter reverberated in her ears like a canyon’s echo, until it faded away.

  That happy scene was replaced by one of somber tones. She stood in a cemetery on a cold, gray, rainy day. A handful of people dressed in black huddled together under huge, black umbrellas as a clergyman droned on and on in a monotonous, unintelligible, distant voice.

  As she was being led away from the casket, her mother’s words echoed again, as if calling to her from the grave, “I’ll always be there for you, Ellie.”

  Then, abruptly, she was in the state orphanage. Some little snot-nosed boy pushed her to the ground, where she sat in the dirt next to a merry-go-round, crying. A very big woman with very little patience was standing over her, hands on hips, scolding her for being such a baby. The woman dissolved, and a couple took her place. Ellie was now several years older, and in a cramped bedroom with four other children. They were all misbehaving badly, and laughing at her behind their parents’ back, while she was getting punished for something relatively minor.

  Her flashbacks took her through several more unpleasant childhood memories until she found herself, now seventeen, in a heated argument with her disheveled and inebriated foster mother. Beverly was cursing and threatening her with all the venom of a coiled cobra.

  Finally, in a fit of rage, the livid woman struck her across the face, knocking her back into the living room wall. The wall morphed into a row of school lockers, and Ellie was standing in front of one, using the open door to shield her bruised face from Caleb’s inquisitive gaze.

  When he saw the bruise, he took her face in his hands, and in a voice that sounded as pleasant as a gently-flowing steam, uttered the reassuring words, “I’ll never give up on you, Ellie. Never!”

  Ellie returned to the present with a jolt. A long, slow sigh escaped her lips as she glanced around the light blue room.

  Her gaze fell on the little white Bible still clutched in her hands. She stared silently at it for a full minute. Then, letting it fall open in her lap, she began leafing through the pages until she found the gospel of John.

  “The Gospel According to John . . . chapter one . . . verse twelve.” Speaking in a half-whisper, she read the verse aloud. “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

  Ellie turned and stared out the window again. Tears trickled down her cheeks, until they dropped one by one onto the open Bible. Quietly, she slipped to her knees beside the bed, and placed her hands together.

  Looking up at the ceiling through watery eyes, she began talking to God in a soft, but shaky voice. “God, I don’t know how to pray very well. But I believe in You. I believe that You love me and that You sent Jesus to die for me. Please forgive me for hating You and blaming You for everything that’s happened to me. And please forgive me for my sins.”

  Sobs shook her body. She paused long enough to grab a tissue from the nightstand. After wiping her eyes and blowing her nose, she continued. “God, I really want to be one of Your children. I’ve never had a father before, but Your book says You’re a good one, so I’m going to trust that You will always be there for me. Oh, and thank You for the eternal life You promised. I really appreciate that very much. Um . . . amen.”

  Ellie got to her feet and lay down on the bed, gazing upward. There was a lightness in her spirit that she had never known before. It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders.

  Was this a new kind of happiness? No, not happiness.

 
; She’d experienced that fleeting emotion before. Happiness was based on circumstances. This was something totally different. Something much more wonderful.

  Was it joy? It was certainly that, but this was even better.

  It was love.

  True, undeniable love. Perfect love. God’s love.

  She stared at the ceiling, sure that her face reflected the newfound peace that emanated from deep within her soul.

  After a while, Ellie turned to look at the clock beside the bed. A whole hour had gone by. She got up and went to the bathroom down the hall where she washed her face and brushed her teeth. Returning to her room she prepared for bed.

  Then she slid under the covers and turned out the bedside lamp. The pale moonlight shone through the sheers on the window and cast a calm bluish haze across the bedspread.

  In the near darkness, she clasped her hands again and addressed her heavenly Father. “God . . . Father . . . thank You for loving me. And thank You for bringing Caleb into my life. And Miss Cora, too. Without them, I don’t think I would have found You. Amen.” Then she added one final thought before falling asleep. “Oh, one more thing . . . good night!”

  CHAPTER NINE

  THE BLESSED ONES

  CALEB BEGAN HIS MONDAY MORNING like every other Monday morning during the school year, by wishing it was Friday. The thought of sitting through another five consecutive days of classes did not meet his definition of an enjoyable use of time.

  He didn’t mind subjects that were challenging enough to hold his interest, such as calculus or biology. And he actually enjoyed his computer programming class. But it was subjects like economics and history that caused his days within the confines of the academic institution to drag by mercilessly.

  Driving to school this particular morning, he wondered how his innate aversion to certain subjects might impact his college experience. A degree in architectural engineering would require courses that would be of no interest or apparent usefulness to him. But they were necessary for a well-rounded education, and he was determined to plow through them as best he knew how.

  Angling his car into the parking space of Baxter High’s senior lot, his thoughts turned to Ellie’s upcoming birthday. In just six short days she would be turning eighteen, and he wanted to do something special for her.