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The bright sunshine streamed through the window. The fragrant breeze swayed the curtains as it brought in a cool, morning smell of fresh flowers. There, a room stood vacant except for the presence of a chestnut carpet and an antique armchair. A young boy sat near the armchair…
Here… and here… There! All done!
The child held a large crayon as he encircled every word he recognized. He seemed very intent in his work, never looking up from the gigantic coloring book until the exact second he finished…
A handsome, young man rose from the great armchair. His blue eyes settled on the young fellow that was gently tugging at his trousers. He then lifted the child and gently placed the boy on his lap.
“What have you got here son?” he asked as his deep voice broke the silence. The boy looked to his father. His eyes gleamed as his gaze met his father’s.
“Well I… I circled ‘God!’ ” The boy answered, beaming enthusiastically.
“Hmmm… Why did you encircle the word God in your book?”
“Umm… well, e-every time I need God, I’ll know where to find Him!”
“And where is that?”
“Right here!” the child answered as he confidently pointed out the word God in his coloring book. His father could only smile as he looked intently at his three-year-old son.
“Well how about this one Jonathan? Why did you circle this?” his father asked, pointing to another word that was encircled.
“So I know where to find Daddy!”
“And where is that?”
“Right here!” shouted the son as he hugged his father tightly in a bear hug. Looking up he asked his father, “Will you be here when I need you daddy?”
“I’ll be here for you Jonathan… I promise…”
The morning drizzle was starting to mist up windows. He looked out to the gray clouds. His eyes betrayed his feelings. His emotions… his feelings… The deep wounds were still there. Wounds heal in time yet the hurt… the pain… it would never go away…
“Late again… I’ll be getting another sermon from Mr. Santos.” He muttered as he stepped outside and began walking towards the school. Yet his thoughts were far from this.
“Hey Jonathan! Wait up man!” yelled a very familiar voice. “We’re running late my friend! And I bet we’ll both get the ‘perennial late-comer’ crap, but look at the bright side dude, we’re both late!” laughing as he strolled towards his friend.
“Cut the moldy jokes Aram and let’s get to the Learning Center… we’re already in trouble so we better hurry!”
Someone was crying loudly behind the two high school students. Jonathan turned his head to look for what was causing the big commotion. A crying kid ran past them. “Where’s my MOMMY!” screamed the kid.
“Do we help the kid or do we go to class?” asked Aram with a sly grin forming across his face.
“I guess we do the right thing…” Jonathan answered as he ran after the kid. Both of them started to run towards the crying kid. But Jonathan noticed something very wrong… An oncoming car was running towards the street near them!
“Hey you! Stop!” cried Jonathan.
The kid kept running…
Jonathan lunged forward…
BAM!
“NO!!!”
A body lay still on the ground… there was no sign of life…
“JONATHAN!!!”
People started running towards the accident… The boy was safe, yet Jonathan lay motionless on the ground. “Call an ambulance! Somebody do something!!!”
In the place between dreams and the pitch black of deep sleep… he felt no pain… no hurt… He felt nothing! Jonathan picked himself up tried to see what was. The darkness that compassed his black world was all that he could perceive. He could not even tell if he was standing up or lying down. A voice thundered in the darkness, Why are you here?
“You tell me…”
I cannot… only you can…
“Huh?!! How’d you? I mean… what the… Who are you?”
You know who I am…
“God???”
You’ve been dying to talk to me… so now I am here. Speak!
The silence spoke louder than words… The pain and the sorrow suddenly hit Jonathan… It overwhelmed him so much! Tears were forming in his eyes. The Lord began to speak softly… the words flowing like cool waters over his broken spirit.
Do you think that I don’t know? Does it seem that I can’t hear?! Does it appear that I don’t care?!? I hear your cries! I see your sufferings… I know when a sparrow falls to the ground and I CARE! How much more for you?
“But Dad left me when I needed him the most!” Jonathan started to sob uncontrollably. For the first time all his fears, his hurts, all his pain was being confronted. But then… he suddenly felt a quiet peace enter his troubled soul. A gentle warmness surrounded him, embracing him in a loving embrace. Jonathan opened his teary eyes and saw a warm light around him. He was suddenly back in his favorite room… He could see the sunshine streaming in through the windows, the fresh smell of the cool breeze blowing in… This was his special room… a place of comfort for him and his father…
I took your father because it was my perfect will. He always wanted to be a missionary and to die doing My Will… You were never alone! I was always with you! I never left your side…
You’re not dead… well, not yet. You haven’t finished the assignment I have for you. But before you return, I want you to remember this… I will never leave you nor forsake you! I will always be with you, even to the ends of the earth…
The room started to fade away… the blue sky turned to gray… Suddenly, a sharp pain coursed through his body!
“Oooouuuucchh!!! … Hey… what just happened?”
The loud blaring siren was getting louder as an ambulance was approaching…
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