A Home for the Redeemed

by Sue Behnke

  “I thought you Christians were not supposed to take things to the law and to the courts.” The hatred in his voice was chilling.

  The venom in his voice caused something deep in the pastor to snap. Carl spun around and looked the reporter straight in the eyes. “I guess you are referring to the passage in 1 Corinthians. This is regarding brothers in the faith, and last time I checked, you were not my brother. So we can call the police without hesitation. Does that answer this question?”

  “So you won’t answer our other questions, sir. Right?” He motioned to the cameraman to stop filming. Then he shouted after the pastor.

  “You bigot, I bet you still believe that dinosaurs never existed and the Earth is six thousand years old, don’t you?” He snickered aloud so others could hear him.

  Carl stopped. His anger was diffused. He felt so sad for this world and its people. He turned toward the brash young man. “Son, since I was not there when these things happened, I can honestly tell you that I don’t know exactly the hour Earth was formed. I have a theory, and so do you. These theories have been evolving as our understanding of the Bible, of this universe, and of our tools have been progressing. You were not there either, I would dare presume. Your theories have been developing gradually too. That’s all. I have no interest in a debate, son. Have a nice day.”

  The reporter turned his back, swore a couple of things against Christianity, and left the building. The cameraman looked at the pastor with mild curiosity and silently followed.

  Carl had a brief flash of divine clarity. His heart skipped a beat at a revelation of a coming wave. They were to brace themselves for a backlash of hatred this attack was going to unleash from the community.

  Chapter 50

  In the News

  The news carried the story without much fanfare. It seemed objective and to the point. The reporter who visited the pastor gave a very brief and seemingly impartial point of view. Bigotry and hatred were still alive and well in the community church. He flatly stated that the pastor had refused to answer their queries. The most hurtful part was the mention of Brendan and his brush with the law.

  Carl knew Brendan would be deeply unsettled by the news. The man still had secrets he did not trust anyone with. He knew Brendan was scared. Carl tried to call, but Brendan was nowhere to be found. He had picked up his family and disappeared.

  Barb Weller sent the church an e-mail saying she had heard the news. She enjoyed triumphing over them, and she declared that she was sure that God was punishing them for the errors they were propagating.

  Carl cried bitter tears over the pain caused to Brendan. He went over the encounter with the reporter a thousand times in his head, wondering if he could have handled the situation better. Would it have made a difference if he welcomed him warmly and offered him a drink? Maybe if the man would have listened, he could have explained how much he loved this community, how much he had sacrificed to build a place where they could come to him freely.

  Carl knew in his heart there was not much he could have done to change the outcome of this blow. The reporter had come to him with his mind already made up, bullying him to get the answers he wanted.

  Carl spent much time that week in prayer, begging God to help him with his anger and with his self-pity. He recognized them as the traps set before him.

  “My God, you’re my Lord. You have given this earth to us, and we’ve messed it up so bad. I’m desperate for your help. I’ve made you king over my life and over my household. Please help me. Cleanse me from the negativity that entangles me. I acknowledge I’m full of hatred and don’t deserve to even come close to your throne of grace. Wash me at your laver. Hear my cry, O God and purge me from what is offensive to your presence.”

  Carl was unable to stop the flow of prayer. He was not only knocking but banging on the doors of heaven. He was not going to leave without an answer.

  “Lord, guide me to lead your congregation. Lord, you’ve entrusted me with these wonderful people. Shepherd us my Lord so that this house will be welcoming to you. Let our very lives be a pleasing sacrifice. Help us see through your eyes. O God, remember Brendan in your mercy and grace. Help him cope and break through. I also lift up Barb for your compassion and help. I forgive her in your dear name and ask you to bless her with healing and love. Amen.”

  Carl worked daily on forgiving the reporter, asking his Lord for help to release the blame and the fury in his heart. He agonized, dreading the pulpit, ashamed of facing his friends.

  Chapter 51

  A Prayer Meeting that Shakes the Heavens

  “What inspired you to become a man of prayer, Pastor Bob?”

  Bob smiled at a very fond memory. He looked at Benjamin and then at the faces of the small group of people in the room.

  “My grandmother was a powerhouse of love and prayer. She used to tell me frequently, ‘Bob, my dear boy, always remember that King David cried out in the book of Psalms that the lions of Bashan were encircling him. Never heard of a lion ever getting him, son!’

  “‘Remember, when he called on God’s name, the Lord Almighty answered and delivered him. Like he delivered Daniel and the good men of prayer. Make sure you serve the God they served, son. He is mighty!’ I loved my grandma. She was the most influential person in my life.”

  The first prayer meeting was about to start. Old James Duff seemed a bit too shy to start and deferred to Bob with respect. Bob seemed in another world, looking at the wall, unhurried. Prayer warriors were fidgeting, excited, but Bob was unmoved.

  The old pastor finally stood warily and called to the heavens in a powerful voice, “You are the God of David, and you don’t change.” The atmosphere in the room changed almost instantly. It was as if the heavens opened and angels filled the room.

  “You are the God of Elijah, the God of provision, and you don’t change. God, we come to wait on you and serve you.

  “You are the God of Elisha, the God of miracles, and you don’t change. Lord, we come to thank you and praise your holy name.”

  The small group erupted in praise and love for the God they adored. They wanted to thank him for their lives, for their families, for their protection, and for their provision. They wanted to thank him for this sanctuary he had provided. They were a grateful people opening their hearts to their loving God.

  Bob took a moment to look at their faces. Some were looking up with raptured smiles, others were weeping with joy, sensing the presence of their king.

  They continued into the night, praising, praying up a storm, calling on their God to help them cope with the times and to give them understanding and wisdom. Most of all, they called for courage and love to fill their halls so they can represent him properly.

  Bob noticed Benjamin sitting quietly, listening with a look of wonder on his face. He did not seem to know how to participate properly. He obviously had peace with the legitimacy of honoring God and enthroning him over the meeting and over their lives. Bob had previously explained that as they positioned themselves properly in a kingdom, they would be able to partake from the glory of the king.

  Bob was sitting in the opposite corner, immersed in the presence that had filled the room. He spent much of the evening praising his king, his confidence and faith firmly anchored in the character of God, lifting the whole room to new dimensions in the spirit realm. Bob had spent years listening to the heavenlies, striving to understand the God he had chosen to revere. He dedicated his life to fathom the glorious ways of the kingdom and its language of faith. The cry of his heart was an eternal ache to learn higher ways, to see everyday occurrences through the eyes of his king.

  “Teach me your ways. I want to be your man,” was his daily prayer, and boy, did God ever answer!

  As Bob was sitting, intently listening, he felt a regal presence close to him. He bowed his head in reverence. He felt a download in his spirit, a plan for a breakthrough, a blueprint of rescue from the trials ahead. His spirit gratefully acknowledged the message, blessing the name abo
ve all names that brought salvation from every pit and every snare of the enemy.

  The meeting went well into the night, all participants praying joyfully for one another with great gratitude and standing with their pastor and church for whatever obstacles the future would throw their way.

  As the meeting was drawing to an end and the faithful were dispersing, Benjamin went to Bob.

  “I need your help. During the worship I kept looking at Jane. She was obviously enraptured in some glorious moment. I could read her lips adoring God and calling him, ‘My sweetheart,’ over and over. For a moment there, I felt jealous, but only for a moment. Bob, I want that kind of a relationship with God. I feel my heart yearning for the love these people seemed to be so obviously receiving.”

  Tears started streaming down Benjamin’s cheeks.

  “I feel such sorrow for a wasted life. I’m plagued with memories of pain I have inflicted and wrongs I have committed in the past.”

  Benjamin knelt on the floor in agony. Bob knew from experience that for the first time in his life, Benjamin was seeing the true state of his life before God. He was mortified for the sins he was now acknowledging. Benjamin stayed in this fashion for a long time. “I’m no longer running, Lord,” he whispered.

  Benjamin seemed lost in some space of his own for a while. There seemed to be such glory covering him that no one spoke or interrupted. When he finally stood, he shared a most beautiful testimony: As he knelt there before the judgment seat of his Creator, lifting his heart in regret before his maker, he had a glimpse in the spirit of a man standing before him. Benjamin did not dare breathe. He saw the man lift up his arm, and what felt like buckets of water started washing him from head to toe. The man then put his hand on Benjamin’s head and spoke one word, “Peace.” Waves of peace washed Benjamin’s heart as tears of joy soaked his shirt.

  Chapter 52

  Intercede for the Pastor!

  Jane slipped into peaceful sleep. A dream started unfolding before her. She saw Carl on his knees. She did not see his face clearly, but she knew it was him. The surroundings were dark, and she could barely discern anything, except what she was being deliberately shown. She was given to see chains on his wrists. Her eyes were drawn to the chains. There was something written on them, “Grief.”

  Suddenly, electric charges started emanating from these chains. Carl jolted back time after time in pain, obviously being electrocuted. It seemed to Jane that each jolt was ripping through his body but mostly damaging the pastor’s heart. She woke up startled with an urgency to pray in her spirit.

  She jumped out of bed, waking Benjamin. She briefly recounted the dream. He rose with her to the little den, and they sat together, praying for the pastor.

  “Lord, you said in your Word that when we don’t know how to pray, you send the Holy Spirit to pray through us. I don’t know how to intercede for the pastor. You showed me grief. Please help us put our hand in yours instead of praying nonsense that might hinder you.”

  Benjamin seemed a little emboldened by the teachings and encouragement of Bob and Carl.

  “God, your angel asked us to pray for the pastor, so here we go. We pray peace over his spirit, soul, and body. Thank you for healing his heart from the effect of shock and grief. Hold him in your mighty hands, God. In Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen.”

  Jane was quiet for a while. She was listening intently to the heavenlies, hoping to get clearer directions. She did not have to wait long. She felt a tug on her heart to pray for his marriage to be fully restored and become an anchor of peace and happiness in his life. They prayed for the pastor’s family and his private finances so that he could overcome any source of grief.

  Jane and Benjamin did not get to bed until she felt a deep peace wash over her. Only then was she certain that she had obeyed the summons of her Lord.

  Chapter 53

  Maturity for the Storm

  Carl stood on the pulpit. He and Maria had been fasting. He was looking gaunt and a tad distressed, but that did not matter. He looked at the people in the congregation with genuine affection. He knew every face in that congregation, every smile. He had helped wipe so many tears and hugged so much of their sorrows away. He had encouraged and prayed for them. Now he looked at them, wondering if they would be able to hold under the coming pressure.

  He had a few papers in his hand. He had printed the hate mail and the threats he had been sent by strangers, people who had never set foot in the church or heard a sermon, people writing to tell him how much they hated him and wished his church destroyed.

  “My beloved family, here we are, rocked to the core again, standing against the tide. Our battle is not new. We see it throughout the Old and the New Testament, worshippers of God pitted against all kind of heathen and those who practice other cults and occult.

  “Our battle, if I may call it so, is as old as the history of man, and is not likely to change. What concerns me is not why is it happening to us, but more like what are we going to do about it.

  “I have a few questions I would ask each and every one of you today.

  “Is this going to be the end of your walk? Are you throwing in the towel and declaring it game over? Is this what it takes to discourage you and make you walk away from your Savior?

  “What will you tell your Lord when you get to heaven? They hated on me, so I could not love you any longer? They told me to shut up, so I could no longer speak? What decisions are you going to make today?”

  He looked at Maria briefly and drank from the smile on her face. He needed strength to hold these people’s trust and help them march forward regardless of the crushing circumstances.

  “So we’re being hated. These e-mails call us bigots and morons, asking us like Job’s wife to curse God and die. We can cry and whine that we in this community have not hated anyone. We have been there for every person who knocked on our doors. We have loved and served, and we have stood for God and his character with all the wisdom our finite minds could muster. The truth is we expected everyone out there to see how fantastic we are and applaud us, and for some unfathomable reason, they don’t.”

  He could see the smiles on some faces, and he smiled. The fear on other faces was pronounced. His heart went out to these poor souls, who just did not know how to stand on their feet. They needed strengthening. He made an effort to remember these scared faces and made a mental note to speak to them personally over the next week. Maria and Geena would be an invaluable help in this task.

  “My beloved friends, so our efforts are not appreciated by all, and we’re rejected by some people out there. What are we going to do next?

  “We could shut our doors and all go home. The question we can consider is this: Why are we here? If we’re gathering in these halls because we need other people’s approval, then we failed miserably.”

  He paused. He wanted them to understand the cost of giving up. He wanted them to see the inevitability of the march onward.

  “Why do you make sure you are present here every Sunday? What statement are you making? Are you a continual visitor, or is your life set on a course and nothing can manage to swerve you from the goal you have set for yourself? Are you coming here because you belong to a group of people learning together to follow and emulate the example our Lord set before us? If this is the case, then the hatred of those who don’t share our goals should not deter you or scare you.

  “We could enter into a debate and a battle with those who hate us. We could spend much energy and efforts trying to defend ourselves and demonstrate to them that we’re not the bad guys. Is this what you want to spend your energy on? Do you know the cost to get on the world’s good side, and are you willing to pay it? Is their view so important to us that we need to spend all our resources to gain their good opinion? And once we earn said opinion, what will we do with it? How long can we keep it? Will we need to spend our lives trying to maintain it?”

  Carl could see the resolution registering on the faces of those facing him. He spoke a
bit more on the subject, expounded, and put a bit more substance around to ensure every soul drunk from the peace of the message.

  “My family, dearest ones, are we going to hate them back? That is the next decision that confronts us. How are we going to feel about those who are laughing at us? Cussing us? Telling us we need to curl up and die? That is another key decision that will define us in the near future. We have gone out of our way to proclaim the love of God, to be good ambassadors for his character and glory. We have modeled our lives on his precepts and have worked so hard to become more like him. Is this hatred going to change us? Is it going to harden us inside? Are we going to forget our goals and get sucked into a battle that is not really our own? I have no answers for you, dearly beloved. Everyone of you must look and inspect your own hearts and motives.

  “I promise you this. We here will not change. This church will stay a haven and a sanctuary to all who seek God. We want to become an altar, a living sacrifice for our God.”

  As he spoke those words, he crumpled the printed e-mails he had been holding in his hand and threw them on the floor.

  “I’m no longer going to let these messages have a hold on my heart or my future. I’m free to continue a walk with my Savior, only listening and obeying the voice of my shepherd.

  “I will end with this. In the book of Acts, when the disciples and the people of God were being tortured for their faith, they did not pray for a resolution of the conflict. They did not pray to get out of that tribulation. They prayed for the strength to endure and the boldness to keep loving in the name of God, in the ways of God.

  “This is what we’re resolved to do. Let us know how we can support you. We will answer any questions and stand with you in any capacity you need. We love you.”