“So they shut old Jonas down, huh?”
Jim nodded. “Said he was provoking more violence than religion. Can you believe that?”
“His church too?”
“Val and I drove by the old theater today. There’s a realtor’s sign in the window. Word is he’s already left town.”
“That’s too bad.”
“Poor Jonas. All he ever wanted to do was help people.” Jim shook his head. “I don’t know, man. I just don’t know if it was all worth it.”
“Jim, I don’t know much about these things, but it seems to me a lot of good came out of all this. Take that kid, Zee, for instance. Scared to death until you came along. You could see it in his eyes, bud. That gang had him so freaked out he didn’t know which way to turn. But you and Jonas? Gave him hope.”
“And now he’s dead.”
“Yeah, but if what old Sid used to say is true, he’s in a much better place now. That’s a whole lot more than some of these kids will ever be able to say.”
Jim had to blink back the tears.
“Listen,” Rico said. “You know I’ve never much believed in God. But this thing? This whole mess we’ve all just been through? It kind of left me wondering. What if Sid was right?” He paused and glanced away for a moment. His radio crackled. He turned down the volume and continued. “I mean, what if there really is someone bigger up there looking down on us all?”
Rico accelerated up the street and stopped at the crest of Core in the shadow of Garden Terrace. Jim stared down the street. He couldn’t help but wonder what the night would bring and just how much difference one man could really make. A cool breeze blew through the window and licked at his face. His hands turned clammy with sweat. Suddenly his mission didn’t seem quite so important. He was on the verge of changing his mind when Rico reached under the front seat of the cruiser and pulled out a crinkled paper bag.
“Here. I think Sid would have wanted you to have this now.”
Jim opened the bag and pulled out a small leather book with a cracked brown leather cover. Sid’s name was embossed in gold in the bottom right corner. The gold-leafed pages were faded and worn. Jim ran his fingers gently across the cover, the palm of his hand down the length of the spine. He didn’t bother fighting the tears, he knew there would be no stopping them. He opened the Bible to the first page and found a handwritten note. It was addressed simply: To Jim.
“Where’d you get this, Rico?”
Rico seemed to have a hard time making eye contact. “Dumpster. The alley where Sid was killed.”
Jim clutched the Bible with both hands. He tried to maintain control of his emotions as a whirlwind of thoughts and images swept through his mind. He had the strange feeling Sid was standing in their presence, getting ready to say something important. He wiped his eyes and started reading.
Pretty stupid, huh? Writing you a letter? I mean in the world of technology—email and smart phones—and we see each other just about every day. But I’m your best friend, Jim. And we’ve had some pretty deep discussions lately. And I get the feeling you’re not interested or at least don’t understand the importance of what I’m trying to say. So please hear me out.
I want you to understand that I’m not trying to pester you, but I’ve found something far too valuable to keep to myself, and I want to share it with you. I’ve found salvation, Jim. Not just in the eternal sense. I mean, I know what you’re thinking. You went to Sunday school as a kid, you heard about Heaven and Hell, and how each man has a choice, and that your decisions here on earth will affect where you spend eternity. And Jim all that’s true. But I’m talking about more than that. I’m talking about right now. When I told you about Jesus, you scoffed, but what you don’t understand is Christ can change your life NOW. I mean, look at yourself, man. Are you happy? You’re so torn up by all you’ve seen and done that you can hardly think straight. And you’re drinking too much, and downing anti-depressants, and getting into fights. You seem so confused right now that you can’t even fully enjoy the relationship you have with Valerie, and she’s the greatest blessing in your life. What I’m saying is you need salvation, man. You need Christ!
I’ve been a Christian most of my life, you know that, but it wasn’t until 9/11 that I realized what a coward I’ve been. Afraid to tell others, I just didn’t get it. But now I realize it’s not about me…about success or putting money in the bank…it’s about people. About building relationships. Giving others hope. That’s why I like working in the ghetto so much. Those people aren’t as blind as we are. They know they’re lost. And integrity? Let me tell you, man, they’ve got it. It’s black or white with them, there’s no in-between. They either fall on their knees in the middle of the street, or they laugh and walk away. I’ve even been threatened. One guy held a knife to my throat the other day. Believe me when I tell you there’re very few hypocrites in the ghetto. Jim, I know you’re angry. I know 9/11 really messed you up, that you lost a lot of friends and saw things a person should never have to see, but it’s time to let that go.
Next week I’m helping at the tent revival down on Core Street, and I can’t wait to see what God’s gonna do. You and I’ve been down there a thousand times on calls, but always with a radio, and usually with police backup. This time I’ll be down there all alone, in the shadow of Garden Terrace working under a tent. No radios. No cops. But I’m not worried. God will be there. So if you get a chance, I want you to stop by and hang out with me for a while. I’ll introduce you to my friend, Jonas, maybe even put you to work. I’m seeing lives change like you wouldn’t believe. For the better, Jim. Christ is alive, and I want you to see that first hand.
And you know the ironic thing? We used to laugh at these guys. The street preachers. Well I guess I’m one of ‘em now. Strange, huh? And I know what I’m doing might be kind of dangerous, but I feel a calling to share the good news with the gangs. They need to know, Jim, they’re so lost. But I don’t want you worrying about me, man. Not even for a minute. I’m finally doing what God called me to do, and I know where I’m going when I die. Do you?
So I want you to think about this, please. Heaven’s gonna be a wonderful place, and I really want you to be there. So meet Christ, Jim. Then get out there and start making a difference.
Now I’ve had something on my mind for a while. I’m not really sure why, but there’s a Bible verse I want you to remember. It just seems intended for you. It’s from the Book of Isaiah. It goes like this: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned...”
Well I’ve said enough, but there is one last thing I want you to know…when God starts working in your life, Jim, don’t be surprised. He works in very strange ways.
-Sid
Jim refolded the note and placed it back in the Bible. He could sense Rico staring but he didn’t know what to say. He felt as if his heart had just been ripped out and handed to him, but oddly, he also felt renewed, refreshed somehow, as if Sid’s words had given him the extra dose of strength he needed to complete his next task. Rico finally sighed and cleared his throat.
“What’d he say?”
“Nothing really. He was just rambling as usual.” Jim wiped his eyes, blew his nose and opened the cruiser door. “I guess I’m off.”
“You sure you don’t want me to come with you, bud?”
“Thanks, Rico, but this is something I need to do by myself. An old friend once told me to go out there and make a difference. I believe it’s time I started.”
“Hey—” Rico grabbed him by the arm. Jim couldn’t be sure but he thought he spotted a glistening tear in the corner of each of his eyes. “I’ve got your back, you know.”
Jim shook Rico’s hand and climbed from the car. He looked down the street. The young men standing at the other end looked perfectly at home to him. They carried themselves with the casual indifference of a pack of well-fed predators. And red.
Even in the low light of the afternoon sun, he saw lots of red. The Core Street Crew. Alive and well.
If Jim had stopped to really think about what he was doing, he might have changed his mind and gotten back into the car with Rico. Instead he tucked Sid Drake’s Bible tightly under his arm, murmured a prayer, and then started down Core Street...into the heart of the East Beach ghetto.
The End
* * *
TESTED BY FIRE
A MEDIC-7 NOVEL
by Pat Patterson
Published by:
Christian Devotions Ministries
P.O. Box 6494
Kingsport, TN, 37663
www.christiandevotions.us
[email protected]
Published in association with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
Copyright © 2011 by Pat Patterson
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
Tested by Fire
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Copyright © 2011 by Pat Patterson. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.
Published by: Christian Devotions Ministries: www.ChristianDevotions.US
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Version 2011.8.01
Tested by Fire - He sought revenge ... He found forgiveness (Medic 7 Series - Book 1) Page 33