~
I pledge allegiance to
the Lamb
He knelt on bloody knees. His hands were folded and his head
was bowed. Without a sound his voice reached beyond the clouds.
“Stop that! NO prayer on government property. What makes you
think you’re above the law?”
The man raised his head toward the sky. His eyes so clear
and so steady…the guard looked too.
All that could be seen through the eyes of man was the filth
of a concrete prison. But, the eyes of
Love could see all the way to the gates of heaven.
The guard cursed and spit a black stream of tobacco
juice. “You Christians never learn…well
no matter. Your boy’s here.”
“M—my son?” The chains rattled as he struggled to his feet.
“Why…now?”
The guard shouted over the clanging of the door as he
entered the cell. “Last rights.” He laughed and jerked the man to his feet. “I’ll
be glad to get rid of you—that snot nosed kid showing up every day begging
and crying to see you was driving me crazy.” He unlocked the shackles and led
the man to a small room with a barred window.
“Dad!”
The man reached through the bars and held his son the best he
could. Neither could see the other for the tears.
“Why are you here? What happened? Can you come home?”
The father looked to the heart of his child. “Son, listen. It’s
my fault.”
“No, you never did anything wro—"
“That’s just it. I didn’t do anything. I’m here because I
did nothing. We did nothing. We were comfortable in our pretty churches and
cushioned seats. He warned us, He said we’d have tribulation. He told us to
watch. He told us to pray. But we sat quietly and did nothing. And little by
little they stole all our rights to worship away.”
“But Dad…they told me it’s not too late.” The young man of
eleven years old wiped his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. “They said you could
go home if you’d deny Him. They said it’s your choice—life or death.”
The man closed his eyes for a moment and nodded at his son. “Son,
remember this. Absolutes exist. The lines may need to be repainted from time to
time—but they never move.”
The boy forced into becoming a man much too soon nodded. “I
know you think what you’re doing is right, but Dad, they’ll kill you if—”
“When it comes to doing
right, considering consequences
causes confusion.” He smiled at his son. “I choose life.”
The guard leaning against a wall watching the two took a
step closer.
“Dad…life? Really?”
“Yes, Son. I choose Life—the kind found on the other side
of death.”
“Dad, but…but I’m scared. They said you could come home.”
“I love you Son.” His voice cracked. “Take care of your mom.
Pray like I taught you…and Son. I am going
Home.”
~
2 comments:
WOW! You grabbed me again. Made me think and process. I really like the title, too, BTW. It's filled with truthfulism. That's all we can count on.
I choose life. I haven't sat on the side lines. I fight for our God every day and our right to worship him.
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