LXXVIII

THEY SHOULD SEEK THE LORD, IF HAPLY THEY MIGHT FEEL AFTER HIM, AND FIND HIM, THOUGH HE BE NOT FAR FROM EVERY ONE OF US

ACTS 17:27

SEVENIA SALLIE (GIRL PROPHETESS)

“In many ways the war was harder when I returned from it than when I was actually in a combat zone,” Captain Kirk declared. “I failed so many times, Kiddo, so many times.”

“You are most definitely not a failure,” I told him. “You are the most Godly person I have ever known.”

“Sixteen,” he muttered and stroked his long white beard as he shook his head.

I thought he was referring to my age, my youth and mt inexperience. “I’m seventeen, almost eighteen, Captain Crunch.”

I hadn’t called him Captain Crunch instead of Kirk in quite a while, and I hoped to lighten a rare dark mood for him. Thankfully, he snickered. In return, he referred to me by the pet name my dad and Brock often called me.

“I wasn’t talking about your age, Sweet Pea,” he said. “After I returned to the states, sixteen people I had counseled with died by their own hand. Half of them were by suicide, while the other half were drug related.”

“Sir, that’s not your fault.”

“Isn’t it?” he replied in such away that I couldn’t tell if he was being humble and meek, or sarcastic. But sarcasm wasn’t becoming of the good Pastor.

“How many times have you told me most people don’t want to hear truth?” I asked. “In the recent prophecy lectures I gave, you told me at the start to look at the effort as planting seeds and not to expect anyone to accept the truth right away. In a similar fashion, your Chaplinian influence probably benefited hundreds.”

“Chaplinian?” Captain Kirk said and then chuckled.

“You know what I mean,” I giggled.

I wanted to keep the pastor talking. Like a lot of war veterans, Captain Kirk rarely talked about it. I wanted to understand more of what he went through. I wanted to know why the most Godly person I have ever known, a man who led countless souls to the Lord, felt like he failed.

“Let’s pray, Kiddo,” the Pastor petitioned.

For the first time ever, I felt something like disappointed to pray with him. The reason being, when he and I prayed, a back and forth exchange always ensued. He would think of someone to pray for, then I would, then he would, then I would. Plus we would also pray for situations, strength, stamina, and wisdom. I felt we would get sidetracked, yet I knew in my heart that praying was far more important than satisfying my curiosity.

When we finished praying, the good Captain glanced at his watch, and I felt myself tense. Marcy had rode with me to church, and I told her I would be chatting with Captain Kirk for only a few minutes. It had been almost an hour. With Pastor being so troubled, I lost track of time. I dashed to the window. Only the pastor’s car and mine remained.

“What’s the matter, Sevenia?”

“Oh no!” I groaned, putting my face in my hands for a couple seconds before I walked briskly to the door. “I forgot about Marcy!”

As I stepped from his office and into the corridor, I saw Marcy at the end of the hall. Her finger was on a painting. I stopped in my tracks, and Captain Kirk bumped into my backside. The painting she was looking at was a beach scene. In the middle of the picture was the famous poem called ‘Footprints.’ At the heart of the poem is the fact that Jesus takes our burdens, and often even carries us.

Judging by where her finger pointed, it was at a single set of footprints in the sand, representing Jesus carrying us. She knelt, bowed her head, and silently prayed. I turned to look at Pastor. He smiled and nodded. When she finished, the good Captain and I walked toward her.

“Oh, hi,” she said, smiling sweetly.

She looked so much like a younger version of Destiny that it always gave me pause. To see her smiling sweetly, her long blonde hair in a French braid, and wearing a gingham dress, she was such a vision of wholesome innocence that you never would have guessed that she had recently escaped from a life of forced prostitution. A victim of human trafficking.

“Marcy, I’m so sorry,” I told her, aiming a warm smile at her. “The Pastor and I have a way of losing track of time when we get together for a talk.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” she said with a chuckle. “I actually fell asleep on that comfy sofa over there. I just woke up a few minutes ago.”

“We couldn’t help noticing you looking at that painting of a beach with the ‘Footprints’ poem,” Captain Kirk mentioned. “Do you like it?”

“I love it!” Marcy cooed. “As a matter of fact, I was looking at it before my nap, and it triggered the most wonderful dream. That, along with recently reading the e-book ‘Knight Storm.’”

“Really? Do tell,” I said with a grin. She suddenly looked embarrassed, so I said something and instantly regretted it, thinking Captain Kirk wanted it kept between him and me. Not only that, but Marcy also played a role in our dreams. “The Pastor and I were just sharing dreams we had with each other.”

“Do you want to tell us about your dream?” the Pastor interjected so quickly, I was certain he didn’t want me mentioning our own dreams.

“I guess so,” she said shyly, as she twisted her fingers nervously. “Well, you know the role that old railroad bridge played for Oralee and me.”

“We do,” I replied, answering for Captain Kirk and myself.

“So, Dee let me read ‘Spoiled produce’ and ‘Knight Storm’ on her phone. I’m sure you both are acquainted with those stories, and the role the bridge played?”

“We sure are,” Pastor said cheerily. “Jack and Mary Gold Weston have been part of Cotton Creek Cove fellowship for 35 years.”

“So tell us about your dream, Marcy,” I said.

“Well, it was strange and wonderful at the same time,” Marcy began timidly. “Destiny, Brock and me were at the bridge. It was like, three times higher than reality, and I was super freaked. But Destiny was insisting we needed to cross to the other side where it was safe. Safe from what I don’t know. I was super scared, so Brock had me climb on his back. When we reached the other side, there was beach and ocean on both sides, but it was really cool. I looked back and saw just Brock’s footprints, and no sign of Destiny. I panicked and called out her name.”

Marcy snickered and hung her head bashfully.

“Did you find her?”

Marcy nodded. “When I didn’t see her, Brock told me to call her Mom. So I did, and I saw her. She was smiling at me as she stood at the gate of a garden. It looked like the garden right behind this building. She told me to come join her. I know there are just a bunch of weeds in it now, but in my dream there were all kinds of pretty flowers mixed in. You and the pastor were there, Sevenia. You asked me to come and help separate the flowers from the weeds.”

“Wow, like the wheat and tares of the Bible,” I interjected.

“Yeah,” she said with a shrug. “But I was hesitant to help. I was worried I would pull up flowers by mistake. But then Pastor Samson insisted, in a nice way, that I come in and help. So I did, and the funny thing… I was…”

Marcy blushed and hung her head. I petitioned her to finish, but then regretted it, fearing it might have been something perverse, stemming from her time in sex slavery.

“I was calling Pastor Samson Grandpa,” Marcy concluded quickly, and meekly.

“Oh, dear child, that’s beautiful,” Captain Kirk declared. “I’d love it if you called me Grandpa.”

“You would?” Marcy asked hopefully.

“Indeed I would! That is, as long as you feel comfortable doing so.”

“I guess so,” Marcy said with a sweet smile and a shrug. “I mean, I’ve never had parents, let alone any grandparents. But I would like you to be my, um, grandpa. If you would have me, that is.”

“Of course I would be honored to have you as a granddaughter! Splendid! From here on out call me Grandpa.”

For a few seconds, I was tempted to be jealous, childishly thinking, Captain Crunchy Bunch is mine! But by the grace of God, I was beyond happy for Marcy. She was such a sweet, troubled soul who had been through more hardships than was fair for many lifetimes. Besides, I had four real grandparents. That’s why I never thought to call Captain Kirk Grandpa, even though I had become closer to him than any of my biological GP’s.

Then the green eyed monster briefly reared its ugly head one more time with what the pastor said next.

“I was about to explain one of my most difficult war experiences to Sevenia. It was a devastating period in my life, but you’re welcome to join us if you would like.”

“I’d like that,” she replied quietly.

I knew that the Pastor had a twofold intention with his invitation. He wanted Marcy to feel she belonged to something, like a real granddaughter. Plus he wanted her to have an example that she wasn’t alone in experiencing horrific circumstances in life.

I smiled warmly at her, took hold of her hand, and gave a little tug. She smiled back and followed.

(FOOTPRINTS)

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonged to him, and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life passed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. “Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.”

The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.

(DESTINY’S BIBLE STUDY NOTES and QUOTES)

Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.

Jesus endured struggles and torture of soul. His humanity made prayer a necessity and a privilege. He found comfort and joy in communion with His Father. And if the Savior of men, the Son of God, felt the need of prayer, how much more should feeble, sinful mortals feel the necessity of fervent, constant prayer.

What can angels of heaven think of poor helpless human beings, who are subject to temptations, when God’s heart of infinite love yearns toward them, ready to give them more than they can ask or think, and yet they pray so little and have so little faith?

Prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse. Without unceasing prayer and diligent watching, we are in danger of growing careless and of deviating from the right path.

The heart must be open to the Spirit’s influence, or God’s blessing cannot be received.

Another element of prevailing prayer is faith. “He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

If we come to God, feeling helpless and dependent, as we really are, and in humble, trusting faith make known our wants to Him whose knowledge is infinite, who sees everything in creation, and who governs everything by His will and word. He can and will attend to our cry, and will let light shine into our heart. Through sincere prayer, we are brought into the mind of the infinite.

Perseverance in prayer has been made a condition of receiving. We must pray always if we would grow in faith and experience.

Unceasing prayer is the unbroken union of the soul with God, so that life from God flows into our life.

There is necessity for diligence in prayer, let nothing hinder you. Make every effort to keep open the communion between Jesus and your own soul.

It is impossible for the soul to flourish while prayer is neglected.

We should have the door of the heart open continually and our invitation going up that Jesus may come and abide as a heavenly guest in the soul.

We need to have more distinct views of Jesus and a fuller comprehension of the value of eternal realities.

We may keep so near to God that in every unexpected trial our thoughts will turn to Him as naturally as the flower turns to the sun.

You cannot burden Him, you cannot weary Him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent to the wants of His children. “The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” James 5:11.

Take to Him everything that perplexes your mind. Nothing is to great for Him to bear, for He upholds worlds.

There is no chapter in our experience to dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity to difficult for Him to unravel.

“He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

The relations between God and each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share His watch care. Not another soul for whom He gave His beloved Son.