As Carl and Myrtle sat glumly in their apartment (they had moved out of the Radisson when they discovered that Myrtle was pregnant) they spoke to one another with morose monosyllables. The two were filled with real despair, and their love for one another was all that there was – and this did not look like it was going to be enough to save John David.
Preuss had spent the previous night railing at God for making his son sick. Late into the night, he had offered a deal – with Preuss trading his life for his son’s. Not knowing the mechanics of prayer, he spoke to God almost as if God were in the room with him – which, of course, God was.
Finally, Carl called Gabriel over to the house and, when he arrived, asked, “Can’t you do something? My son is dying.”
Gabriel said, “Not without higher authority.”
Preuss stared at him for a moment and asked, “What kind of higher authority?” Preuss meant to do whatever was necessary to get his son helped.
Gabriel chuckled and said, “The kind that – now I don’t know about you –I’m sure that Myrtle already has.”
Preuss cocked his head and asked, “Could you explain that to me?”
Gabriel shrugged and said, “She has the absolute power to reject, out of hand, any infirmity that comes upon her and hers.”
Preuss asked, “What does she have to do?”
Gabriel said, “The illness is obviously part of the Devil’s attack against you. That bird comes after what is most near and dear to humans’ hearts.”
Quoting the Bible, Gabriel said, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
He smiled and said, “But, some two thousand years ago, the Devil was prohibited from harming God’s children.
All Myrtle has to do is to bind the Devil.”
Grasping at straws, Myrtle asked, “Just how do I go about that?”
Gabriel answered, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Preuss said, “That sounds like the Bible.”
Gabriel nodded and said, “Matthew, Chapter Sixteen – Verse Nineteen.
Preuss remarked, “Let me get this straight. If she were to command the Devil to do any thing – he would have no choice but to do it?”
Gabriel nodded and said, “Sure – as long as she does it in the Name of Jesus. Jesus has got the Devil’s number – and the Devil cannot stand against Him.”
Myrtle asked, awestruck, “You know about me and Jesus?”
Gabriel nodded and said, “The story I get is that you accepted Him about five years ago. I believe it was at a small church outside of Joliet.
I wasn’t actually looking at the time – but that’s what I was told.”
Tears streaming down her face, she asked, “I can save my son?”
Gabriel shook his head and said, “No – only He can do that, Himself.
However, you do have the power to take this leukemia from him.”
Without so much as a fare-the-well, Myrtle walked to her son in the bedroom. He was lying in the baby bed – and Gabriel and Carl followed her.
She walked over to the bed and said, “In the Name of Jesus, I command that this leukemia leave my son’s body and that the Devil leave my family alone.”
Immediately, her son stirred and shifted his position. He did not awaken.
Gabriel nodded and said, “That did it.”
Preuss, his eyes wide, asked, “Is that all?”
Gabriel shrugged and said, “Yeah.
Although characterizing what just happened as – is that all? – is kind of funny, actually. The most perfect Being in the universe died to make that happen.”
Preuss shook his head in wonder and said, “All my life, I’ve made fun of what just happened here.”
Gabriel, a twinkle in his eye, said, “That doesn’t exactly make you stand out as unique.
Man has a habit of ridiculing what he doesn’t understand.”
Preuss said, “I can understand God loving Myrtle and John David. I’m not sure how it’s possible not to love them.”
Gabriel laughed and said, “There’s no accounting for taste.
But the fact of the matter is that he loves you, too.”
Nonplused, Preuss shook his head and said, “Even God would have trouble managing that.”
Gabriel shrugged and said, “Like I said – there’s no accounting for taste.”
Frowning, Preuss said, “That’s impossible!
I’ve done everything possible to make Him reject me.”
Gabriel said, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Preuss snorted and said, “But, I’ve made fun of Him. I’ve committed every sin there is – I am beyond help.”
Laughing, Gabriel said, “Like I said – that’s pretty common.”
Preuss, tears streaming down his cheeks, asked, “Why me? All I’ve ever done is wrong.”
Gabriel said, “I can never figure it out either.
But, as it happens, you’re not exactly the first one that has ever done wrong. You’re actually pretty small potatoes in that department.”
Looking over at his wife, Carl Preuss asked, “Did you know this was going to happen?”
She smiled, through her tears, and said, “I wasn’t sure – but I was hoping.”
Preuss asked, “What now?”
Stepping back, as Myrtle came to her husband, Gabriel smiled.
Preuss had spent the previous night railing at God for making his son sick. Late into the night, he had offered a deal – with Preuss trading his life for his son’s. Not knowing the mechanics of prayer, he spoke to God almost as if God were in the room with him – which, of course, God was.
Finally, Carl called Gabriel over to the house and, when he arrived, asked, “Can’t you do something? My son is dying.”
Gabriel said, “Not without higher authority.”
Preuss stared at him for a moment and asked, “What kind of higher authority?” Preuss meant to do whatever was necessary to get his son helped.
Gabriel chuckled and said, “The kind that – now I don’t know about you –I’m sure that Myrtle already has.”
Preuss cocked his head and asked, “Could you explain that to me?”
Gabriel shrugged and said, “She has the absolute power to reject, out of hand, any infirmity that comes upon her and hers.”
Preuss asked, “What does she have to do?”
Gabriel said, “The illness is obviously part of the Devil’s attack against you. That bird comes after what is most near and dear to humans’ hearts.”
Quoting the Bible, Gabriel said, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
He smiled and said, “But, some two thousand years ago, the Devil was prohibited from harming God’s children.
All Myrtle has to do is to bind the Devil.”
Grasping at straws, Myrtle asked, “Just how do I go about that?”
Gabriel answered, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Preuss said, “That sounds like the Bible.”
Gabriel nodded and said, “Matthew, Chapter Sixteen – Verse Nineteen.
Preuss remarked, “Let me get this straight. If she were to command the Devil to do any thing – he would have no choice but to do it?”
Gabriel nodded and said, “Sure – as long as she does it in the Name of Jesus. Jesus has got the Devil’s number – and the Devil cannot stand against Him.”
Myrtle asked, awestruck, “You know about me and Jesus?”
Gabriel nodded and said, “The story I get is that you accepted Him about five years ago. I believe it was at a small church outside of Joliet.
I wasn’t actually looking at the time – but that’s what I was told.”
Tears streaming down her face, she asked, “I can save my son?”
Gabriel shook his head and said, “No – only He can do that, Himself.
However, you do have the power to take this leukemia from him.”
Without so much as a fare-the-well, Myrtle walked to her son in the bedroom. He was lying in the baby bed – and Gabriel and Carl followed her.
She walked over to the bed and said, “In the Name of Jesus, I command that this leukemia leave my son’s body and that the Devil leave my family alone.”
Immediately, her son stirred and shifted his position. He did not awaken.
Gabriel nodded and said, “That did it.”
Preuss, his eyes wide, asked, “Is that all?”
Gabriel shrugged and said, “Yeah.
Although characterizing what just happened as – is that all? – is kind of funny, actually. The most perfect Being in the universe died to make that happen.”
Preuss shook his head in wonder and said, “All my life, I’ve made fun of what just happened here.”
Gabriel, a twinkle in his eye, said, “That doesn’t exactly make you stand out as unique.
Man has a habit of ridiculing what he doesn’t understand.”
Preuss said, “I can understand God loving Myrtle and John David. I’m not sure how it’s possible not to love them.”
Gabriel laughed and said, “There’s no accounting for taste.
But the fact of the matter is that he loves you, too.”
Nonplused, Preuss shook his head and said, “Even God would have trouble managing that.”
Gabriel shrugged and said, “Like I said – there’s no accounting for taste.”
Frowning, Preuss said, “That’s impossible!
I’ve done everything possible to make Him reject me.”
Gabriel said, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Preuss snorted and said, “But, I’ve made fun of Him. I’ve committed every sin there is – I am beyond help.”
Laughing, Gabriel said, “Like I said – that’s pretty common.”
Preuss, tears streaming down his cheeks, asked, “Why me? All I’ve ever done is wrong.”
Gabriel said, “I can never figure it out either.
But, as it happens, you’re not exactly the first one that has ever done wrong. You’re actually pretty small potatoes in that department.”
Looking over at his wife, Carl Preuss asked, “Did you know this was going to happen?”
She smiled, through her tears, and said, “I wasn’t sure – but I was hoping.”
Preuss asked, “What now?”
Stepping back, as Myrtle came to her husband, Gabriel smiled.
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1 comment:
Very interesting. I think this is a great addition to this blog. It gives us something to look forward to. I'm ordering the book today from Amazon.
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