Children of the Sanctuary

by David Pollitt

  Chapter 22

  Passing The Gauntlet

  The kids tucked themselves away in the long houses for the night. The teenagers helped by supervising the younger kids and got it to a manageable chaos rather than a free-for-all. They all got to sleep about midnight. Cole stayed behind while the last part of his group left late that night. Enya with Nash had their own tent and staked out a spot near the woods 100 feet on the far side of the rock arena away from the children. Cole had his Boy Scout tent set up on the other side of the arena in plain view of Nash and Enya’s. Irish asked, for some reason she didn’t explain, that Anne and Carey, as well as Keel and Hunter, separate themselves into their own tents on either side of the long houses nearer the arena. From the front of their tents, they could see the arena 75 feet away. The telephone pole cross was 25 feet away on the other side and behind the cross by their respective long houses.

  There was a unified decision to hold worship services on Wednesday. That’s when they were to be visited with help from Sewanee. The Daughters of the King were coming, and there was rumor that some priests wanted to come to share in the services. No one determined who would do the services, but it was accepted that Cole and Nash would.

  Enya and Nash prayed for the children much into the night. Their main question was simple, "What next?" It was hard for Enya to leave the kids for only one night, even to be with Nash. Everyone insisted on it, including the angels. She reluctantly, then delightfully, accepted.

  She became close to several of the children. One was Freckles, one of God’s Dozen. He was always finding other kids who needed Enya’s special love, attention, and bringing them to her. He was her right-hand help in anything she needed. After a couple days, they became inseparable.

  He summed it up late on Monday evening, "Can I call you Mom?" His need spoke so great that she dared not refuse him.

  She answered while hugging him, "Of course, Freckles, of course." How could she refuse? She said in afterthought, "If I can call you son."

  Enya could tell Freckles was feeling the clout of his own parental abandonment. She wanted to call all the kids by "son" and "daughter." When Freckles asked, it made her feel deeply needed, and it struck her to the core and answered her own deep need of wanting to give love and receive it back unconditionally.

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  The Great Crosier

  The mountain silence settled on Sanctuary. It was two in the morning when Nash woke in a start after having a very eccentric dream. In the dream, God spoke to him saying, "Give your authority to Keel. Pass your authority to him."

  He saw the Bishop’s Staff, the Crosier, in his hands, and he was handing it to Keel. Only the Bishop carried this Shepherd’s Staff. It was hewn and fashioned from beautiful woods, normally around seven-foot tall, and startlingly important—a true sign of church authority.

  He spoke in his dream. "God, where can I get the Shepherd’s Staff to give to Keel? Tell me what to do."

  God spoke again, "Wake up and go to the woods. I’ll show you there."

  Nash woke up and shook his head to clear the sleepiness. He wondered for a minute what it meant. He thought about the word authority and remembered what others had told him of Keel’s battle with the dark angel. He heard that Caleb told Keel to use his authority, and he did. He had the authority of the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. This dream meant something more than that. It was an authority that he must give to Keel. What else could it mean? What authority did he have to give Keel? Didn’t Keel already have the authority as an anointed believer? The Shepherd’s Staff was a clue. It was something about Keel’s position over the children. That must be it. God must be choosing Keel to rule as the true spiritual leader over the Sanctuary. He kept thinking about Keel only being a kid. He felt the rebuke and conviction of God against his thoughts.

  He remembered what Joseph said, "Keel is someone God chose long ago to anoint with great power and authority for a time like this."

  There it was again. Keel was chosen by God. The staff must mean the authority over, not only the kids, but of Sanctuary. Nash took authority in God’s name to get the kids here, now it was Keel’s turn to take it from here—kids shepherding kids. Nash got up and left Enya sleeping. He could tell by her snoring that it’d take an earthquake to wake her. As he stepped outside, he felt a strong urge to go to the woods, just as the dream told him. There was enough moonlight to see his way, and he moved towards one the nature trails. As he entered the woods, even the birds and insects stopped their racket. It was so quiet that he could hear every squeak his bare feet made in his tennis shoes. Suddenly, he felt the need to stop. To the left, deep in the woods, he saw the angels. There was Aaron, Isaac,

  Joseph, and Irish standing around this old tree. Each was about 20 feet from it. They weren’t speaking, just standing.

  Nash moved carefully through the woods while coming up behind Aaron. Aaron didn’t turn around and never said a word. Their eyes were fixed on the hollow of the tree. It was a big oak, which was hit by lightning years ago with half the tree was open, exposing the charred center going up some 15 feet. The other side flourished and grew as if nothing happened. As Nash approached, he saw what they were looking at. Nash caught his breath and gasped. It was beautiful, the curve of the handle of the Shepherd’s Staff made of handsome, polished woods, standing a full seven feet. It was poised and perfectly inserted into the tree so the bark and the staff looked contrasting opposite of one another but one. He wondered how long it had been there or was it just now in place. He thought it didn’t matter. God was making quite a big deal about this. He knew he had to give Keel the authority over the Sanctuary and his own authority as leader of the children—he had to pass on the gauntlet. This was the children’s Sanctuary, and everything was for them. Whatever part grownups played at Sanctuary was only a special privilege from God. This was definitely a new era, a new age of God’s dominion.

  The angels never moved. Nash went towards the tree, then pushed back some thick vines and placed his hands on the surface of the staff. He felt the warmth of the presence of God coming from it, and he looked carefully for a finger hold around it. It seemed embedded in the tree where nothing could pry it away. He placed his fingers on a narrow crack with his fingernails almost clawing at the staff. He lowered his head in prayer and worshiped God, praising Him. He felt his fingers passing through the wood. He had hold of it with his right hand and with his left held a sturdy branch for

  Leverage, but there was no resistance. There was only the weighted feel of the staff; and soon, he was standing in front of the tree as he looked up at its tall, curved hook. It was so immense that he felt it was for angels not men, and he felt a sense of its importance. He turned away from the tree to show the angels, but they were gone. He knelt for a long time praying for the kids while wanting more clearly to understand what he was supposed to do.

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  The Liturgical Sash

  Cole woke from his sleep as he heard a clear voice. It wasn’t loud but perfectly understandable. "Give Keel your clothe?"

  Cole knew without any additional help exactly what the voice meant. The clothe, the sash, was his priestly colors that he wore for the church seasons. Like the beautiful, purple sash that he wore during Advent or the red of Pentecost. It was his authority as a priest as well as the sign of the yoke of the ministry. It described the priest as broken before God to serve and minister in love.

  The reason escaped him so he bent in prayer beside his bedroll asking, "Why?"

  The answer was simple enough, "Because Keel has been given the authority as Shepherd over this flock." Something else about the way he heard it gave him images of Keel leading the children in communion, praying for healing, and even baptizing them.

  "He’s only a kid," said Cole.

  His head jerked backwards as if he was slapped on his face, which he felt more than heard, "This is My Sanctuary for the children. I desire the ch
ildren lead the children." He continued to pray for better understanding.

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  The Perfect Puzzle Piece

  Keel and Hunter woke up at the same time. They said together, "Did you hear that?"

  Keel said while rubbing his eyes, "It sounded like a trumpet. I wonder if anyone else heard it?" They peeked their heads out of their tent and saw Anne and Carey yawning and stretching in front of theirs. "They must have heard it too. Where did it come from?"

  When they came out of their tents, they looked towards the arena where a fire was burning. A lone man was kneeling and working with something in his hands. He looked familiar, but none

  of them could place him. They knew they needed to go to him but didn’t know why. Beside him were a basket and an earthen cup (goblet) with a matching pouring pitcher and a wash basin.

  "Who is it, Keel?" Hunter asked while trying see better, but couldn’t.

  "I don’t know, but something about him is familiar. I know we need to go to him." Keel felt a peace that made him feel confident, and he knew that there was nothing to fear. The pairs slowly made their way towards the arena from different directions.

  Fifty feet away, Keel grabbed Hunter’s arm. "You’re not going to believe who I think it is."

  Hunter kept staring until the fire blazed down a little. He saw this very Arabic looking man with dark brown hair and a beard. He looked plain enough, and his beard was unevenly kept, almost straggly in awkward lengths by the way his hair fell unevenly just above his shoulders. He wore simple blue jeans with a casual, white, long-sleeve shirt with a button-down collar, and a towel draped his shoulders. He was slender, definitely not an angel, then he looked up at Hunter and Keel.

  "I know too, Keel. It has to be," said Hunter. The girls were discussing the same thing, except Anne was the skeptic.

  When Carey turned to her and said, "It’s Jesus," Anne turned her around and spoke straight into her face.

  "What do you mean, 'It’s Jesus?' How do you know? Have you ever seen Jesus before? Do you have a photo album or something?" Anne was upset because it really might be, and she was shaking inside.

  The man motioned to each group to come closer. The closer Hunter and Keel got, the more convinced they were that he was the Lord. The closer Anne and Carey got, the more nervous they became. What do they do if it is Jesus?

  The Lord turned to Keel and motioned to a flat rock beside him, "Sit down, Keel, right here. Sit Hunter, Anne, Carey. Don’t be afraid. Sit down. I just want to talk with you."

  The Lord’s eyes were so penetrating that nothing escaped His understanding. He felt into the depths of each. He understood every fiber of what made them. He felt their faith and doubts. He felt their insecurity and mild confidences. He felt their souls and saw them as dazzling lights of his love. He still didn’t say anything. He finished baking some bread, then wrapped it in aluminum foil and buried it in the coals, then began filling a basket with loaves.

  Keel was awestruck. He wanted to bow before Him, but he knew it wasn’t what Jesus wanted, not now. He wanted to talk. "Did I surprise you a little?" he spoke softly, not wanting an answer. "You've met my angels, and I have to admit that you've become quite accustomed to their abilities and presence. I’m glad. I knew you would. Keel, you used the authority that I’ve given every anointed believer to defeat a dark angel. You’ve openly shown what my anointing can do."

  The Lord bent over the breadbasket while arranging it in an orderly fashion, then put it behind him. He spoke to them as close friends and family. "I want your help, Keel. You must lead the children. I want you to take the Shepherd’s Staff with its authority from Nash. I want you to take the priestly authority from Cole." He fixed His eyes on Keel’s, and Keel was stunned while feeling the importance and burden that was being given to him.

  He felt compelled to speak, "I’m not ordained or educated. How can I lead anyone?"

  Jesus smiled knowingly, "You already have. The children know you are My chosen. They see it in their minds and hearts. My kingdom is not made up of man’s blessings and education. It is an ordination of the heart and mind by My Spirit. Those who worship me, worship me in Spirit and truth. Those who serve me, serve me in Spirit and truth."

  Jesus turned to each one and spoke, then waved his hand over them all, "I choose you four to be my children’s disciples over this Sanctuary. I give you the authority by my Spirit to break the bread of life for me, to baptize in my name, to heal the broken hearted, and bring healing by driving out all sickness and pain."

  As he said this, they swooned, gently groaning, and felt the presence of God moving on them. They closed their eyes while feeling the moment, and soaking up the texture of the seconds, then they immediately breathed the "white anointing." Hunter and Keel held each other like they were keeping each other from falling, not speaking. The girls did the same, except they embraced and cried.

  "Listen to me," Jesus said. "I want you to prepare the children for worship on Wednesday. I want all of you to partake in the Eucharist. I don’t want you to let anything stop you. If you receive resistance from anyone, use My authority to stop them. You must not allow them to disturb my children or stop what I’ve asked you to do. I want you to immediately baptize the children. Before I go, I

  want to break the bread of my own body, and share the blood of my covenant with each of you."

  Immediately, Jesus took some bread from the basket, brushed off the ashes, and removed the foil, then broke off a piece for each one, saying, "Take, eat; this is My body." Then, he passed the goblet of wine saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

  Jesus kneeled before each one and poured water over their feet, drying them with a towel saying, "If I then, your Lord have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. I tell you that he who accepts Me; accepts Him who sent Me.”

  The kids were spellbound, and none could speak. This was too much for them to take in. Their Lord was here, giving them his communion. Now, he washed their feet. They were dizzy with His presence, and tears streamed down their faces. As He spoke to them, their hearts broke inside.

  He moved in front of each one where they sat and put the sign of the cross on their foreheads and kissed them. He kissed them three times. On their left eye, forehead, and right eye saying, "In the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost, I sanctify each of you to serve me. I will continue to anoint you for what you have to do."

  Over the top of the arena, Nash came carrying the Shepherd’s Staff, and Cole came over the other side carrying his clothe. With a synchronized ability, they arrived on either side of Keel and placed their hands on his shoulders while looking into Jesus' eyes saying, "We surrender to you our authority, so children will lead children. In Jesus’ name."

  Nash handed Keel the staff, and Cole put his green clothe around Keel’s shoulders. Jesus looked at them and smiled. The sky above them was covered with the lights and images of millions of angels lining the horizon. Some had blazing chariots of fire, others with swords of fire, others sang and praised Jesus their King. It was a chorus of Alleluias. They were singing "Amazing Grace."

  Nothing could have had more meaning right then. Instantly, everyone was gone except the kids with Nash and Cole. No one moved. No one spoke. How could they? Each left to separate places to be alone. The gauntlet was passed, and the new end age continued.

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