With a contented smile on his lips, he cast a deep look across the horizon. A flock of birds flew by. Blades of yellow grass danced on the breeze. A yearling colt nickered. Life moved around him once more. He took a deep breath. It was time to fight again.
- - - - - -
Fighting was exactly what Jason felt like doing as he sat on a padded pew, confined by walls that he never thought would surround him. If he could just get through the morning of song, prayer and praise, he would then fulfill his obligation to follow Tyler’s order. When that was accomplished, he never again planned to frequent such an establishment. There was enough turmoil in his life – things to figure out and emotions to sort through – without throwing Jesus, God, and religion into the mix.
Then a man stood up and walked to the platform where he proceeded to talk about heaven, hell, and God verses the devil, apparently doing his best to make an already uncomfortable situation as painful as possible. Then he said something that caught Jason’s attention.
“Jesus warned us to ‘Beware of false prophets, which come in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.’” Jason’s mind received a jolt. That sounded a lot like his dream. “Now, who do you think Jesus was referring to?” the preacher asked. “He, of course, was referring to all betrayers, but I have a feeling that, in that moment, someone special may have been on his mind.” The preacher then paused for a moment… which drove Jason crazy. Forget dramatic effect! Who was the betrayer?
“A man named Judas was his betrayer… and very close friend,” the preacher said then stood silent for a moment, surveying the crowd before going on. “I guess the next question would be why. We all know it was for thirty pieces of silver. But why trade anything, whether it be money or just foolish pride, for someone that you love?”
Jason felt like he’d been slammed in the chest by a bull. He couldn’t breathe. That is exactly what he’d done. While it had been unintentional, he had traded Misty for his stupid pride. Maybe that made him better than… what was that guy’s name – Judas? Maybe he was better off than Judas seeing how Jason hadn’t meant for anyone to get hurt… but then the preacher continued.
“The Bible tells us more about Judas,” he said as he tapped one hand on the edge of the wooden stand where his Bible rested. “When Judas saw that Jesus was being crucified, he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the scribes – tried to get a refund; he tried to give them the money back in what I believe was an attempt to set Jesus free. But they refused,” the preacher said, shaking his head. “No refunds, I assume.”
He sighed as he looked out over the crowd as if he had bad news before adding, “This bothered Judas’ conscious to such a great extent that he threw the money down at their feet then went out and hung himself.” Jason jerked. What a brutal ending.
“Now folks,” the preacher went on, “I want to ask you something – why would Judas hang himself over a job well done? He betrayed Jesus to an angry mob. What did he expect them to do… throw him a party? No. He knew they wanted to kill him… but this is Jesus we’re talking about. You know, miracle man – feeding the thousands, healing the blind, healing the sick… even the dead. These same men had tried to kill Jesus before, but he was too powerful for them. They tried to stone him twice, tried to throw him off a cliff once, but it was as if some supernatural power prevented them… mainly because some supernatural power prevented them,” he added with a smile then looked up, gazing into the eyes of the assembly before he went on. “They tried to kill Jesus before… and failed. So why would this time be any different?”
He paused again and looked around at the crowd. Finally, his gaze seemed to rest on Jason as he said, “So this morning, I present to you my belief and that is… Judas meant Jesus no harm. He was just thinking of himself. No one was supposed to get hurt. The one that he loved was not supposed to be taken away from him.”
Tears rolled down Jason’s cheeks. He was Judas. He had betrayed the one that he loved most in exchange for his own selfish desires.
“We are all Judas,” the preacher said solemnly. “I’m Judas. You’re Judas. We’re all Judas because we have all betrayed Jesus. Whenever we choose things here on earth over this one who loves us more than he feared death, we don’t mean him any harm. No one is supposed to get hurt. But we betray him just like Judas, and we deny him just like Peter, and we crucify him just like the Roman soldiers.”
Now a new guilt plagued Jason, a guilt that had never surfaced before, but at the same time, it was something that had been bottled up inside for years. Something was missing from his life, and the preacher’s words seemed to hang Jason out over that void and expose the weaknesses and fears within.
Questions began to trouble his mind – questions like… where was he going when he died? – If he went anywhere, that is. Would falling from the Tombstone result in him lying forever in the grave… or was it going to be like the preacher was saying? “Those who do good and know Jesus will be given eternal life, but those who do not know him cannot go to be with him but must spend eternity separated from him.”
The preacher looked out at the crowd and gave a gentle smile as he added, “These are the only two options – Jesus and eternal life or Satan and eternal death… and which one you choose is really the only thing that will matter to you a hundred years from now.” He stood silent for a moment, and his eyes danced with passion as he added, “Eternity folks. That’s what it’s all about.”
A few moments of quietness filled the building before the preacher began to speak once more. “We are about to sing a song and no matter what song we choose to sing, at this time, we always call it the invitation song. That is because we are inviting you… each of you personally to come and know Jesus. Or if you have known Him, and you turned your back on this your dearest friend, he is here waiting with open arms.”
Jason rose numbly to his feet as the song began. His heart called for him to come out of the place he’d buried it – but fear of change kept him grounded in place. There were a lot of things in his life that he was willing to change – things like clothes, furniture, and pickups every once in a while… but those were changes in life, not a change of life – which is what obeying the words of the preacher and yielding to the call would lead to. It would change everything.
As Jason stood wrestling with the emotions within, Tyler squeezed past and made his way to the front row and sat down. After the song concluded, the preacher sat down beside the tall cowboy and placed an arm around him. There were a few moments of quiet as Tyler and the preacher conversed quietly before the preacher gestured towards the platform as if saying, “Go ahead.”
Tyler rose and made his way up the steps to the platform. He looked out across the crowd then began by saying, “I was shown the love of Jesus Christ many years ago.” He sighed and rubbed the wooden stand in front of him nervously. “But I walked away from him, and I’ve walked a lot of miles on my own since then – thinking that I couldn’t and shouldn’t need, um, other people… or even God. But several years ago, I was placed in a position where I was needed, where someone would have died without me… and that was my very first beacon of hope. I’ve come to learn that if it is okay to be needed then it must be okay to need.”
“Um, so I guess what I’m trying to say is that over the course of the last few weeks, with the help of a very special man and a very special lady, I have come to realize that it is okay to need God, as well.” Tyler smiled as he added, “I take that back. It’s not just ‘okay’ to need God but, rather, it is the driving force behind true and eternal happiness. Anyways,” he said, tossing both hands in the air, “I didn’t mean to get up here and give another sermon. The preacher did a good job, and I want to thank him for his good words.”
Tyler stepped down and headed towards his seat as the preacher stood up before the crowd and said, “Thank you too, Tyler, for such a moving testimony. Seeing lives affected by God’s Word is much more of a sermon than words can give.”
Ja
son had to agree to that. Seeing Tyler’s honesty and the relief that seemed to have come over him was having quite an effect on his heart. As the service concluded and during the mingling that followed thereafter, Jason reviewed the past years of his life. He’d made more bad decisions than good. He had worn out his soul trying to please his self. Maybe a complete and total change of life was exactly what he needed.
“Did you enjoy it?” Susan asked him hopefully after prying herself away from the group that thronged Tyler offering the tall cowboy words of encouragement.
“Um, yeah,” Jason replied. “I guess so.”
“What’s wrong?” she asked in a voice filled with concern.
“Nothing really,” he responded. “I was just thinking about some stuff.”
“Yeah?” Susan prompted.
“You know, my life,” he said quietly.
“Without Jesus?”
Jason cast his gaze down towards the floor. “Yeah,” he admitted.
“Would you like to change that?” she asked gently.
After staring down at the floor for a few seconds longer, he looked up at her. “Yeah,” he admitted again as a glimmer of new hope began to shine in his eyes. “I think I do.”
“Come with me,” Susan instructed with a gentle smile.
“Mr. Devins,” she spoke to the preacher as they approached him.
The preacher turned around from the two ladies who were walking away, having complemented him on such a fine sermon. “Susan!” he greeted happily. “Who’s your friend?” he asked, turning his attention to Jason.
“This is Jason, my brother-in-law,” she said. “Jason, this is Mr. Devins.”
“Good to meet ‘cha son,” the preacher said, giving Jason’s hand a hearty shake.
“Likewise sir,” Jason responded.
“So Jason here tells me he wants to know more about Jesus,” Susan told the preacher after the two had shaken hands. “Know of anyone who could help him with that?”
“I most certainly do,” the preacher said with a smile. “Follow me.”
Jason and Susan followed the preacher outside and around the side of the building where a picnic table sat. “Have a seat,” the preacher invited. They obeyed, and he sat down across from them.
After getting settled, the preacher folded his arms on the table and directed his attention to Jason as he asked, “So what exactly is it you want to know about Jesus?”
“How do I get him in my life?” Jason asked rather bluntly.
The preacher’s face brightened. “Now that is my favorite question for people to ask when asking questions about Jesus,” he said with a smile. “Gets straight to the point.” He sighed, thinking for a moment, before going on. “Well, first you have to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that God sent him to save us from our sins by dying on the cross, being placed in the tomb before rising from it, defeating death. Do you believe that?”
“Did he?” Jason inquired.
“Yes,” the preacher assured him. “There’s no doubt.”
“Then I believe,” he stated confidently. “What’s next?”
“I like this guy,” the preacher said, giving Susan a smile. “Second,” he said, turning his attention back to Jason, “you have to truly want to be made new… because you will be,” he said in a convicted tone. “You have to understand that with Jesus, the old you will be buried and you will become new.”
“I want to become new,” Jason confirmed.
“Then there is only one thing left to do,” the preacher said as he stood and smiled down at Jason. “Let the blood of Jesus wash your sins away.”
“How do I do that?”
“You must be born again.”
“Is that what I need to do to earn salvation and, you know, make Jesus want to be a part of my life?” Jason asked.
The preacher smiled again. “First of all, we would all be hopelessly lost if we had to earn our salivation. It’s a free gift to us because the only thing that could earn it was the blood of Jesus. And second, Jesus has wanted to be a part of your life for a long, long time now. He’s just not rude, so he doesn’t come in unless you invite him.”
“Well, you tell ‘em I said he’s welcome anytime,” Jason said, giving an affirmative nod.
And so a short time later, they drove down to the ice cold Arkansas River where he laid his old ways to rest. The sun shone gently on his face as he stood on the shore with the small group gathered around him.
“Uncle Jason,” a small and happy voice spoke, grabbing his hand. Jason turned and looked down at his nephew. “You and Jesus are my best friends, and now y’all both know each other. I’m a lucky boy,” he added with a shake of his head.
Jason laughed and gave Ken’s head a rub. “And I’m a lucky man,” he said.
He gave Tyler directions to his house to grab some extra clothes. Susan and Rye rode in the back seat on each side with Ken in between them. At his house, with fresh clothes on, Jason walked around inside, drying his hair. This didn’t even feel like home anymore. The life he’d had here was gone – almost like it had been someone else’s that he somehow had memories of. He looked out the back window and, for a short time, his gaze was lost as he stared into what had been Dixie’s pen.
After several minutes of memories that he had shared with his dog, Jason’s phone began to vibrate and ring, jarring him from the trance he was in. He glanced at the caller I.D. before answering.
“Hey Tomas,” he greeted, placing the phone to his ear.
“Hello Jason,” the doctor returned the greeting in a somber tone.
“What’s up?” Jason asked with a bit of concern in his voice.
“Not much,” Tomas replied. “I’ve just got a little hunch I would like to discuss with you. You got a minute?”
“Yeah,” Jason responded. “We’re actually in town – fixing to go eat a late lunch. Come meet and eat a bite with us if you’d like. I’ve got something I’d like to tell you about, too.”
“I have already eaten,” the doctor responded, “but I might come by. Where will you be?”
“I think we’re going to that little Italian food place down by the river walk,” Jason replied.
“The place where we staged your first heroic act?” Tomas asked in an innocent sounding voice.
“Um, yeah,” Jason replied, not quiet liking the way the doctor had worded that.
“I’ll see if I can make it over there before you leave,” Tomas said solemnly. They said goodbye and hung up, leaving Jason wondering what the hunch was that the doctor wanted to discuss.
- - - - - -
Jason and the others were all finishing up their late lunch when the doctor came strolling across the balcony towards them.
“Who invited him?” Tyler demanded, eyeing the man approaching with a look of skepticism.
“I did,” Jason assured the tall cowboy. “He said he has something to discuss.”
“That ought’a be interesting,” Tyler quietly muttered under his breath.
Before Jason could question the tall cowboy’s comment, Tomas arrived at the table. “Hello Jason,” the doctor greeted.
“Tomas,” Jason responded, getting up and shaking hands. “Good to see you.” He then turned to the table and began introductions. “Tomas, this is Susan and Ken.”
“So nice to meet you,” Susan said, rising from her seat for a moment to shake his hand. Ken sat bashfully in his chair without saying a word.
“This is Rye,” Jason said indicating towards the younger cowboy. Rye gave a little nod but didn’t bother getting up or shaking hands.
“And this is Tyler,” Jason spoke, nodding towards the tall cowboy… who did nothing but glance up at the doctor with a blank expression on his face.
Tomas, clearly shaken by the cowboys’ lack of excitement at his presence, turned back to Jason and, in a low voice, said, “Is there somewhere we can talk in private?”
“Sure,” Jason replied before turning to the others. “We’ll be
back in a bit,” he said then led the way from the upper porch down to the river walk.
They made their way along the concrete banks for a short distance before Jason stopped and turned to the doctor. “So what’s on your mind?” he asked.
The doctor walked in silence a few steps further before turning to Jason. “I wanted to draw a line for you to follow; see if you come to the same conclusion that I did. I assume the ugly one they captured still is not talking?”
“Not the last I heard,” Jason replied.
“Then the one named Isaac is our starting point,” the doctor said. “Who is his father?”
“Irwin,” Jason answered cautiously.
“Exactly,” Dr. Throckmorton responded quickly. “And who did Irwin recommend to you for a climbing trainer?”
“Tyler,” Jason acknowledged, seeing where the doctor was headed.
“Aren’t you at least just a little suspicious of how easy it all was?” Tomas demanded. “What if you walked straight into a trap? What if Isaac, Irwin and Tyler are all in this together?”
“That doesn’t really make sense,” Jason said, starting to walk again. “What would Tyler possibly have to gain by any of this?”
“Free help,” Tomas pointed out, taking a few quick steps to catch up with him.
Jason gave a laugh. He hadn’t meant for it to, but it came out a little disdainful. “Seems a little extreme, don’t you think? He would’ve just hired someone.”
They walked along in awkward silence for a moment before the doctor turned back to Jason. “You had something you wanted to tell me?” he asked.
“Oh yes,” Jason responded with a happy smile. “I found Jesus!”
Tomas stopped again and pushed up his glasses before studying Jason for a moment. “Found Jesus?” he scoffed. “Was he lost?”
“No,” Jason responded calmly. “I was.”
“Good for you,” Tomas said. “Now about my hunch…”
“I’m not buying it,” Jason cut in abruptly. “I do appreciate your concern, but Tyler’s a good man. He wouldn’t set me up. You don’t think Denton is behind this anymore?” he asked.
Beneath the Tombstone (The Tombstone Series) Page 29