Pastor Harmon, “In Jesus’ mighty, matchless name we pray, Amen.”
The congregation echoes, “Amen.”
Pastor Harmon remains standing at the podium for a few moments without making a sound, and the room settles into an incredible silence. He glances up for a millisecond directly at Robert, and Robert sees him do it. He gasps a little at the prospect of what might be coming next.
Joanna, noticing her husband catching his breath, whispers, “What is it?”
Robert squeezes her hand and nods mumbling, “Nothing.” But he is more than a little nervous about what Pastor Harmon feels led to say.
“Brothers and sisters in Christ. I hate to assume that anyone is left in the dark, so I’ll take this from the beginning.” Robert and Joanna look at each other briefly. “God created man as the truest recipient of his love, and as the provider of the most righteous form of praise unto himself. In all of his creation, we are unique in that we can praise him for who he is, not just for what he’s done. However, intrinsic to the ability to offer honest, cognitive praise, is the ability to withhold that praise, even to ignore praiseworthy blessings, or worse of all, to denounce, demean, and otherwise disgrace the good things of God. As terrible as that sounds, I want you to know, that we all do it everyday!”
While the room was quiet before, now it is excruciatingly quiet! Everyone waits to be proven exempt from what the pastor has just said, but no such exemption is forth coming as he continues:
“I’m not saying that any of us do it deliberately, but we all have a tripping point that trips us each and everyday … our reliance on what we know.” He said, gesturing quote marks in the air with his fingers. “Little is more of a blind spot to the man who knows much than his reliance upon that knowledge. In the times of Christ, no one was held in higher esteem than religious leaders. Their knowledge of the law and their adherence to it for the sake of the Jewish people was revered. Yet, Jesus tells them, If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. The danger is not in knowing, but rather the reliance on what you know—claiming your sight as something you can rely on. You’ve heard kids arguing, and one will say to the other, You think you know so much.” The congregation laughs at his reference. “Well, the same is the problem with adults, and it always has been. When the experts latch onto what they know, they place their loyalty with being right, and by virtue of that close their minds to all other possibilities, including the works of God. We assume that everything that happens beyond our understanding and reasoning is either wrong, or bad, and we close our minds and look for someone or something to blame.”
For some reason, this message is really touching the two agents. Hinton, in fact, humbly bows his head at one point.
It continues to impact as the pastor says, “You hear people anguish with, Why God? Why? But that question would not come if you did not already think you knew what was going to happen. We refuse to believe that what has transpired might be the better outcome, and often we denounce a true work of God as a curse. Many of you were shocked to see a politician standing at this podium. I had, in fact, said that it would never happen, but it would appear that I told you wrong. So now, what? Are you so offended by what you believed was right, that you cannot receive what might be a new work of God? Are you going to boycott the meeting Mayor Black announced? Right, as we know it, is dependent upon circumstances, and circumstances change. If you cling to what you think is right, rather than God’s sovereign authority, then, when he changes a circumstance, you will find yourself working against what is now right, and against God. I know that is upsetting to some of you. You may ask, what of my expectations? Am I not allowed to hope or believe in anything? God gave me a mind so I can think! Listen, I’m not knocking knowledge, in fact Proverbs tells us to get wisdom, and that understanding guards your life! I’m saying that Proverbs also tells us not to place our trust in our own understanding. And you can have that comfort, you can be secure in your hopes, because there’s a list of what is always right, and always will be right, it’s written down in a book somewhere.” He looks around, acting as if he’s looking for something, then picks up his Bible and says, “Oh, here it is!”
The congregation breaks into cheers and applause. Outside the main entrance doors, Agent Sandoval hears the commotion and steps back inside. He doesn’t know what the pastor said, but seeing everyone cheering makes him smile. He looks at his watch and then sends a text message to Agent Coles asking:
“How much longer?”
Her phone is set to silent, but she has kept it in her hand the whole time. Reading his question, Coles thinks about it a moment. She is really enjoying the sermon and she doesn’t want to ask the family when it’s going to end, and have them think she’s anxious to leave. But it’s her job to keep the team ready, so she leans over to James and says, “This guy is really good!”
“Sure is, we love him!”
“How long does he usually go?”
“About forty-five minutes. But we all understand that we go when you say, Laurie;” and he smiles at her.
Lauren, “Well, I don’t intend on missing a word. Now, shhh, so I can listen;” and she nudges him. They both sit there with silly smiles. Lauren, as typical, uses her sleeve to conceal the blind typing she’s doing to send Sandoval the order to communicate to the team that they should be on standby for departure in 15 minutes.
Sandoval steps back outside the doors and carries out the request.
Continuing, Pastor Harmon glances at Robert for like a second, and seeing him Robert and Joanna look at each other and back at him. He says, “I know a town, a small town, where once upon a time, God decided to change some circumstances. He did some things that he’d not ever done in that town, heck or any town they knew of, before. The people of that town had a hard time accepting what was happening. It could not be right! So they denounced it. Some even called it—and the family that God was using—evil.”
The Markets all look at each other, they know exactly what the pastor’s talking about. Many of the congregants also know, and many feel sternly convicted of their own behavior.
Pastor Harmon continues, “If my memory serves, some of the people of that town actually took a vote to have that family banned from the congregation. Well, I tell you, that town could learn a lesson from Middletown. Right? Because if something like that were to happen here, every single person would repent and be at the altar when they realized their mistakes! Am I right?”
Bruce Watson springs to his feet and says a loud, “AMEN!” And many echo him with amens of their own.
Pastor Harmon, “So in closing, I just want to encourage you that it is never too late with God. It’s never too late to repent. It’s never too late to call a brother or a sister and tell them you’re sorry. Doesn’t matter whether they accept your apology, that’s between them and God, YOU get your life straight with God, so that nothing will hinder YOUR prayers. Don’t let fear, that the enemy uses, stop you. Don’t let anything stop you! What do we have to fear in this life? Of what are we most afraid? Our lives? Actually, for many of us here, it’s the lives of our loved ones. Many of you have suffered that great loss, and great disappointment with or from parents or loved ones!”
Mrs. Phelps bows her head.
“Many have said once bitten, twice shy! and determine you’ll never suffer that way again.” Hinton glares at the pastor, stunned by his choice of words. “And some have held that against God because based on what you knew, what happened had to be wrong! God had to have made a mistake! Nothing good could ever come of that tragedy! I say to your, raise you hand if you know what I’m talking about!”
With tears rolling down her cheeks Lauren raises her right hand! Only James notices and takes her other hand and holds it tight.
Pastor Harmon, “I say to you, don’t be afraid to restart your life with God! Repent for not accepting what he allowed, not believing in him, not believing that he can turn that tragedy arou
nd and into victory! Tell him you are sorry and ready to trust him again! He knows you’re hurting. He knows you barely know what that means, that you are afraid to trust him, but tell him you’re willing to try!”
Even Agent Hinton, the grizzled veteran, slightly, lifts his hand, which seemed held down on his lap as if by powerful magnets. It only goes up an inch, but shockingly it does break free! By this point, 80 percent of the church is at the altar! There is mass prayer and crying and Pastor Harmon simply cannot continue to his regular benediction for the press of the crowd.
As the musicians begin to play he just keeps repeating, “Come. Don’t be afraid.”
James turns to Lauren and whispers, “What do you want to do? Do you want to go for prayer?”
Fighting back tears, she says, “Yes.”
“I’ll go with you.”
But she looks at him and says, “I can’t.”
“Okay, I’ll pray with you here.”
“Thank you.” And they pray together.
Robert notices their prayer and reaches his hand over on top of James and Laurens and prays with them.
Joseph taps Mr. Hinton’s partially lifted hand and asks, “So how do you like our church?”
Hinton, who is actually a little misty, quickly drops his hand to his lap and answers, “Ahem. Um, it’s, it’s, not bad. I don’t understand it all, but it’s not bad.”
Joseph, “Yeah, sometimes, things you don’t understand at first, you get later.”
Looking past him, Hinton now notices the little huddle going down at the other end of their group. He leans over and says, “Is everything alright down there?”
Joanna turns towards him and says, “Oh yes, very good.”
Hinton, “Um, I’m sorry, I was asking Agent Coles.”
Still with watery eyes, Lauren says, “Yes. Standby, I’m giving the order to pull out now.”
Just as she says that, Hinton gets a text message from DC about Mrs. Phelps’ nurse, Mary. It reads, “Mary Johnson is cleared.”
Hinton is very relieved. He lets out a sigh and looks up at the cross that hangs over the altar, and nodding his head says, “Nice.”
The End Begins
As the team begins its exit, Joseph smiles as he takes notice of the goings on at the altar. People seem to be very happy to come to the front and pray, but Joseph is only now realizing the full impact the sermon has had. He has been distracted off and on for much of the service. Something is definitely on his mind. Once they are in the cars he stares out the window on Hinton’s side, seemingly in daze. Everyone is seated in the same position on the return trip except Lauren and Hinton, who have switched sides, but remain with Joseph on the center row.
The car is very quiet. Everyone wears kind of a blank, contemplative expression; everyone, except Lauren. From the look on her face she appears to be fighting back a big smile. She looks around to see if anyone has caught her looking strange for she is definitely dealing with some strong emotions.
Robert seems to sense what she’s feeling and asks, “How are you doing, Miss Coles?”
“Oh, me? I’m fine. I’m …” as a broad smile breaks free, “I’m great.” She is in fact, elated, dying to call her mom, wishing she had a few moments alone, looking forward to talking to James, but as the point person, responsible for this team and the success of this mission, she must keep her emotions in check. Pressing on, she gives the order to move out, and the cars are underway.
The mood in the other car, by contrast, is full of lively conversation! James goes on and on with his mom and Mrs. Phelps about Lauren, and how happy he is that she seemed to have “made peace with God.”
Agents Levy, Reese and Sandoval listen and look at each other from time to time, but do not join the conversation.
James, “Oh, Mom, if only you knew how jumbled up she was on the inside—this ordeal with her father and all.”
Joanna, concerned about talking so freely about Lauren around her co-workers replies, “Now Jimbo, let’s save this for later, when we can talk with Agent Coles and see how she feels.”
“I know, I know; but she’s different already, I can tell!”
Unable to contain himself, Agent Reese, who is seated next to James, lets a remark slip out—a sound actually, “Humph.”
Joanna catches it and asks, “What was that?”
Attempting to cover his involuntary reaction he simply says, “Nothing ma’am.”
But with her typical, engaging and warm disposition she invites him with, “Are you sure? No questions you’d like to ask? Comments you might want to make?”
“Ma’am, I don’t want to um, it’s not my place to involve myself in your personal affairs.”
“It’s an open discussion agent, um … I’m sorry, what was your name?”
“Reese, ma’am, Agent Donald Reese.”
“Agent Reese, it’s an open discussion, we’re talking freely right in front of you; the invitation to join in or make a comment is implied.”
“Nevertheless ma’am, it’s not my place to say.”
She then begins to apply patented Joanna pressure, perfected from years of getting the three men in her house to give up some details, “Well, you don’t have to say more if you don’t want to, but I’m sure you realize that you ARE saying plenty by your reluctance to say anything.”
James, who knows how good his mom is at this, shakes his head thinking, “Here we go.”
But Reese only says coolly, “Oh, I am, am I?”
“Mr. Reese, your silence announces to the car that, even though you have a comment, you are either trained or afraid to share it. But after I invited you to share your opinion and you still refuse, it then says that you have perhaps rethought your comment and maybe realize that you were making too much of nothing. In either case, we are left to think of you as the kind of person who would want to say something so much that they cannot contain themselves, but in the end was too … well, not willing to enlighten his travel mates.”
Sandoval looks at Joanna, very impressed.
Reese finally says, “Okay, since you’ve got me all psychoanalyzed, I will just say this: I think it very possible that James is so smitten by Agent Coles’ looks, that he wants to believe she is becoming a good little Christian,” and turning to James, says, “no offense.”
James, “Don’t sweat it.”
Reese continues, “A good little Christian, like he is, in order to clear his subconscious desire to be with her. There, you got it.”
Joanna, “Thank you for your insight Agent Reese. I can agree that is quite is possible, what makes you think it’s so?”
“Well, ma’am, He hardly knows her!” He turns to James and says, “You hardly know her. And to all of a sudden be saying that she’s changed and she’s right with God … I’m sorry, it’s a bit of a jump.”
James, “How well do you know her? I spent six hours alone with her and I promise you that the girl that walked out of that church is different from the one that walked in.”
“What I believe he means,” interjects Joanna, “if you don’t mind, Jimbo.” He motions with his hand to indicate, it’s all yours; “is that something that seems to have been … bothering her before, is gone now.”
Agent Reese replies, “Uh-huh.”
Joanna, “Haven’t you ever had something getting on your nerves, Agent Reese? A boss who you wanted to tell off, or some other record that you wanted to set straight?”
“Yes ma’am, I can think of a couple.”
“And while it doesn’t get in the way of your life, it sure would feel good to get it off your chest?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Oh, how I wish you’d stop calling me ma’am; but at any rate, what James and I are both telling you is that with the healing of past wounds, irritations, annoyances, there’s sometimes a new level of peace in a person, even a change in their whole outlook on life, and it doesn’t take weeks and months on a psychologist’s couch. Sometimes we can find it in one Sunday sermon,
one moment of letting go, and the difference is clear to anyone who’s spoken with you before and after you’ve gotten past it.”
Agent Reese retreats, “You know, you’re a very good debater for a preacher’s wife.”
They all laugh. James reaches his fist over his shoulder to offer his mom a fist-bump. Which she just shoos away, not wanting to appear boastful.
In spite of her modesty, Agent Sandoval smiles and says quietly, “Nicely done.”
Joanna continues, “So Agent Reese, while we have you on the couch, is there any unsettled item in your heart, something that, once it’s removed, would bring you a measure of peace?”
Reese dodges that bullet by getting back to work. “Well, we’re here everyone. I’m sorry ma– Mrs. Market, we’ll have to finish our session later. Please remain in the vehicle while I check a few things.” As he exits the car and walks past Agent Levy who’s at the wheel, he wipes his brow and gives him a look that says “Phew, saved by the bell.”
• • •
The process of entering the home now begins to play out. Robert, Joseph and Mary are likewise instructed to wait in the car while Hinton and Coles meet with the bomb experts and materials experts who remained at the Market home. They provide them with a quick debrief of what has happened in their absence and their findings. Lauren then pulls together all of the team members to get their thoughts on what she’d like to do.
NSA Agent Pratt instructs Lauren, “I think you need to check the latest assignment changes first,” while he tells them the latest from the bosses in DC—none of which is good.
Based on what she’s reading on her PDA, Lauren’s decision is made to sweep the property one last time, just to make sure all doors and windows are still secured, and to also do a sweep of Mrs. Phelps home. While agents Brown, Sandoval, Reese and Levy take care of that, Coles, Hinton and NSA Agent Pratt stay with the protectees.
Hinton asks, “So what’s going on in DC?” Pratt doesn’t answer.
The Journal: A Prophecy, A President & Death Page 33