XCIII

CHOOSE FOR YOUSELVES THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE

JOSHUA 24:15

DEVIN EASTON (PART 1 of 2)

I know this may sound silly, but when Sevenia greeted me at that very instant, right when I had just finished telling her father that I had had major nightmares regarding his daughter, well, it was like my road to Damascus.

Not that I’m comparing myself to The Apostle Paul at all. I just mean it was the beginning of my real conversion, and Sevenia was the bright light God used. It was the slap upside my head I needed. But like the Apostle Paul, I was still blind, dazed, and confused.

Ironically, even though she freaked me out, Sevenia and I ended up hanging out that day for a long time. My nightmare, in the flesh, would become the instrument God used to turn on the light. That light would be the Light of Life, Jesus Christ.

Seven had asked his angel of a daughter to tell this little, but most significant chapter of my life, but she insisted I give my testimony myself. I reluctantly agreed, but said yes because, well, Sevenia is simply a hard little lady to say no to.

This road to real conversion started when I had had the worst night of sleep in my life. It was beyond fitful and plagued with nightmares that resulted in a major spiritual struggle. I feared I was demon possessed, especially after witnessing what my former girlfriend, Lexi Gomez, had gone through around two years ago.

(Lexi’s ordeal was told in the very first posts of this blog.)

So, I was standing with Seven Sallie on his deck relating my situation. I had just finished a part of my dream where Dalial, a supernatural being I had thought was holy, sliced completely through the neck of Sevenia. Before her head fell from her body, Sevenia gazed intently at me and told me to repent and be baptized.

Not even half a minute after I tell Seven about this, his daughter seemed to appear out of thin air and greet me with a sweet smile. This pleasant greeting from the five foot two, one hundred and ten pound young woman frightened me beyond belief. I reeled back, then tripped on the leg of a deck chair, and sat down harder than I had in my life.

I was simply stunned and in pain at first. Then I glanced at Seven. He had a hand clasped over his mouth, and his eyes bulged from suppressed laughter. I turned my gaze to his wife and daughter. Sevenia’s mouth hung open and her eyes were wide. Zella chewed on her lower lip with a look of concern. My pain was forgotten and I just felt embarrassed, especially when Sevenia rushed to my side and put a hand on my forearm. Her fingers felt cool, despite the warm summer morning.

“Devin, are you okay?” she asked. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I thought you saw me come up the deck stairs.”

“Oh, no, no, I’m fine,” I said and then fake laughed as I rose to my feet. “I just got done telling your dad something pretty heavy and my mind was, um, preoccupied.”

“Can I tell them about your dreams?” Seven asked.

“Knock yourself out,” I said.

I sat down carefully this time and patiently listened to Seven recount the nightmares I had related to him. I was impressed by how closely Seven had listened to me. I only had to correct his accuracy once.

“Do you think I’m possessed?” I heard myself ask Sevenia. We stared into each other’s eyes. I felt nauseous, and I couldn’t help swallowing down what felt like a pint of saliva. The guirk sound my throat made seemed to echo in Seven’s back yard. But maybe it was my overactive imagination.

Sevenia put a finger on her nose as she considered my question, and as the reverberation of my swallow faded, she said, “No, I don’t.”

Relief washed over me, yet I still felt anxious and uncertain.

“What’s happening to me then?” I asked.

Before Sevenia could answer, the Storm family of Destiny, Brock, and their two adopted daughters came into the back yard. They were followed by Captain Kirk and his brother.

“Look, I better let you go,” I said to the Sallie family. “I didn’t mean to just drop in on you all like I did.”

“Why don’t you stay?” Seven invited. “It’s Pastor Samson’s brother’s birthday, and I just invited them over for a little cook out. We have plenty of food.”

“No thanks,” I said with a forced smile. “I’m not very hungry.”

“Devin, how about you and me go somewhere private and talk?” Sevenia asked.

I noticed her father’s eyes raise in alarm. I couldn’t blame him since I had earned my reputation as a philander. It was something I have felt deep shame over ever since my daughter was born.

“Thanks, but I don’t want to get in the way of your plans,” I told her.

“It’s no big deal,” she shrugged. “I’d rather discuss spiritual issues any day, rather than sit around and eat.”

Sevenia must do a lot of spiritual discussing because she wasn’t very meaty. She did look fit and healthy though.

“Are you sure?” I inquired.

“Sure I’m sure,” she smiled. “How about we go to the creek behind the church? It’s only about a five minute drive.”

“Sweet Pea, why don’t you just go in the living room?” Seven asked with a concerned look on his face. “We’re all gonna be outside here.”

I recalled Sevenia having been assaulted at Cotton Creek by a male acquaintance. I didn’t blame Seven at all for not liking the idea of me being alone there with his daughter. I was actually surprised she herself trusted me enough. Just out of superstition, I wouldn’t want to go there if I was her.

“We’ll be fine, Dad,” she said with a shrug and then looked into her father’s eyes. “I think best there.”

Seven smiled at her and nodded. Not even ten minutes later we sat down on a big rock right by the creek. There was a canopy of about a dozen white pine trees. Beyond them were huge Cottonwood trees, hence the name Cotton Creek. Behind us, at least a football fields length, was their church, Cotton Creek Cove Fellowship.

The clear water of the creek burbled and gurgled over a multitude of rocks, and a breeze made a soft whistle through the pines. I felt myself relax already. Sevenia pulled off the red converse sneakers she was wearing, hiked up the light yellow sun dress she was wearing just above her knees, and placed her feet in the water. She moaned with satisfaction and looked skyward, her emerald eyes seemed to glisten.

It occurred to me just how beautiful Sevenia was. Yet it wasn’t an erotic beauty I was admiring. It was her character and personality. Sevenia had always just appeared to be a plain Jane to me. With her short, spiky hair, no makeup, and no jewelry, she was even a little like a tomboy. Is that even P.C. to say anymore? Sorry if it isn’t. But I say a little like a tomboy because she always seemed to wear dresses and skirts. Plus, she was simply too cute.

“Can I ask you something personal?” I asked.

“Sure,” she said.

“I know you were, um, attacked here,” I said cautiously. “And then the boy ended up killing himself shortly after he fled. As beautiful and peaceful as this place is, I think that would have ruined this place for me if I were in your shoes. I don’t think I could have set foot here ever again.”

“Believe me,” she replied. “In the aftermath of that ordeal, I most definitely felt like never coming here again. But on the other hand, I also had so many fond memories of this place to counteract that one horrific event. I guess kind of like the scripture that says ‘be angry and sin not’. (Ephesians 4:26). By that, I mean I was determined to not let that one ugly ordeal to steal a place I loved and had so many wonderful conversations, and also times alone with God. So I sort of angrily told myself, ‘no, girl, you still go there and trust what Jesus said: I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’” (Matthew 28:20).

“Do you have a scripture for everything?” I chuckled.

“I guess I don’t even think about it,” she shrugged.

“And I guess that’s why I wanted to talk to you,” I told her. “I think that’s why I had nightmares about you.”

“Sorry,” she giggled. “I never intended to give you nightmares.”

“Oh no, forget about it,” I said, waving a hand. “It’s not you. It’s me.”

“That sounds like we just broke up,” she said with more giggles.

I liked seeing her giggle. It reminded me that she was still a young lady. Even though I had a decade on her, Sevenia always seemed older than me. “I don’t think I’m your type,” I replied with a chuckle.

“True,” she said, and then her face became serious. “No offense. I’m actually not anyone’s type.”

“You had a boyfriend for a while, didn’t you? That guy that was kind of built like a junior Brock?”

“Yeah, but after a while I realized I wasn’t ready for romance. It was getting in the way of the call I felt to serve God.”

I nodded. There was a brief lull, and then Sevenia slapped her knees and said, “So, what did you want to talk to me about?”

“If I’m not possessed, why do I feel like I’m going crazy?” I asked her.

She studied me thoughtfully for several seconds and said, “It’s time for you to decide.”

(DESTINY’S BIBLE STUDY NOTES AND QUOTES)

(THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT PART 13)

“Forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us.” Luke 11:4

As we come to God, this is the condition which meets us at the threshold, that receiving mercy from Him, we yield ourselves to reveal His grace to others.

The one thing essential for us in order that we may receive and impart the forgiving love of God is to know and believe the love that He has to us.

Satan will lead us to think that our mistakes and transgressions have been so grievous that the Lord will not have respect unto our prayers and will not bless and save us.

In ourselves we can see nothing but weakness, nothing to recommend us to God, and Satan tells us that it is of no use; we cannot remedy our defects of character.

When we try to come to God, the enemy will whisper, it is of no use for you to pray; did you not do that evil thing? Have you not sinned against God and violated your own conscience?

But we may tell the enemy that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 17)

When we feel that we have sinned and cannot pray, it is then the most urgent time to pray. Ashamed we may be deeply humbled, but we must pray and believe.

We should not try to lessen our guilt by excusing sin. We must accept God’s estimate of sin, and that is heavy indeed. Calvary alone can reveal the terrible enormity of sin.

“He retains not His anger forever, because HE DELIGHTS IN MERCY!” Micah 7:18

“Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:13

Satan seeks to bring us into temptation, that the evil of our characters may be revealed before humanity and angels, that he may claim us as his own.

God in His great love is seeking to develop in us the precious graces of His Spirit. He permits us to encounter obstacles, persecution, and hardships, not as a curse, but as the greatest blessing of our lives.

Every temptation resisted, every trial bravely borne, gives us a new experience and advances us in the work of character building. The soul that through divine power resists temptation reveals to the world and to the heavenly universe the efficiency of the grace of Christ.

It is not safe for us to linger to contemplate the advantages to be reaped through yielding to Satan’s suggestions. Sin means dishonor and disaster to every soul that indulges in it, and it is blinding and deceiving in its nature.

The only safeguard against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness.

It is because selfishness exists in our hearts that temptation has power over us. But when we behold the great love of God, selfishness appears to us in its hideous and repulsive character, and we desire to have it expelled from the soul.

As the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ, our hearts are softened and subdued, the temptation loses its power, and the grace of Christ transforms the character.