Sunday morning Nathan woke early and met the cool air at his front door like an old friend he hadn’t talked to in a while. He hadn’t sat on the front steps and tied his running shoes in more than a month. The laces pulled through his fingers as he looped and knotted them. The first few steps down the street let him know that a shorter route was probably best. He had taken his street to the end of his block and turned left onto 3rd street, went two blocks south and then right on Elmhurst he found his endurance fading. He slowed to a walk and noticed that he was coming up on the New Covenant Church.
He saw the men and women dressed in their pressed suits and flowered dresses as they met Pastor Bill at the front door and then filed into the holy building. A young blond headed boy ran around the bushes while his mother tried to rein him in. A group of girls gathered at the side of the building, giggling and whispering together. It carried with it, the feel of a Norman Rockwell illustration.
He knew that he was underdressed and sweaty but when he left on his run this morning, he hadn’t even thought of going to church. Standing there now, across the street, he felt a tug, then a pull and found himself walking across the street and about to shake Bill’s hand.
“Nate.” Bill said with a soft grin.
“Pastor.” Nathan replied and walked in.
They sang hymns and prayed and then a man that Nathan hadn’t met, went through the announcements for the week. There was a pot luck dinner this Wednesday evening after midweek service. Mary and Allen Kline were celebrating their thirteenth anniversary. Then a prayer request for a local family who was having a hard time and a very special thank you to all who donated their time and resources to help them out.
When he had finished Bill stepped up to the pulpit placing his bible and some index cards on it. He leaned on the wooden structure with his hands on either side and looked at the bright and eager faces of his congregation. “I have taught you all I know up till now. I have tried to lead you to the light and away from the darkness. But, I have been soft.” He looked into the back row and met Nathan’s eye. “It has been brought to my attention that something is missing. I have realized that this might be our last service together.” A gentle whispering of surprise arose. “Listen, if you are here to ease your guilt, fine. I get it. If you are here to see friends or because you want others to think that you are something that you are not, then this is not the place for you.” he let that one settle before he continued, “but if you are in a relationship with God, or you want a relationship with God then you are in the right place.” He stepped around the pulpit. “If you believe that you have another tomorrow and another tomorrow and another - you would be correct. In fact, I can absolutely guarantee that you will never run out of tomorrows. But the question is, where will it be? There will be a tomorrow, there’s no doubt about that. What you might want to consider though, is this… Will you spend tomorrow here, or in heaven, or in hell. And if you are going to heaven, which I hope and pray is the case for us all, do we really want to face God almighty with the stench of sin on us? I don’t.
The word of God says in John 1:9 it explicitly says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And in Psalm 103:12 it is said, as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. And in 2nd Corinthians it says, therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. In other words, Stop acting as if your actions here on earth have no consequences.
Bill’s face started to flush as his voice grew louder. He was getting fired up as he walked up and down the aisle and some of the people in the church were getting fired up too. But there were a few that Nathan noticed who wouldn’t even look up at Bill. Then Bill lost his mind and started hammering down with the proverbial fire and brimstone. “If you are getting wasted after a long day of work, stop it. If you are committing adultery, stop it. If you are gambling your mortgage away each week, stop it. If you are abusing your spouse or children with your fist or your words, stop it. Get on your knees today and beg God for forgiveness now before you have to do it, in the presence of the Father.”
Bill walked up front and stood behind the pulpit gathering his composure. Then in a soft voice he said, “I wanted to be a pastor for most of my life. So for that to happen I had to study and do all the requirements to get the degrees that allow me to do this. Life is the school that prepares us for the next life. Some of us are doing a great job and I’m sure the father is very proud, but some of us have been squeaking by and some of us are failing.”
“But there is good news. We are children of the King and he is willing and just to forgive our sins. We can leave our old lives behind and start fresh. All we have to do is ask. I hope to see you all in heaven one day.”
As Nathan sat there looking around the church he saw Thaddeus and George and Alice. They were sitting with a man and woman. Then he noticed Patricia. He had to look twice as she wasn’t in her oversized garments but instead she wore a pastel flowered dress and her hair was brushed silky smooth. Then he scanned the rest of the faces to see if he recognized any other faces. He did. Daniel and his father, Joe along with whom he assumed was; his mother and brother and sister.
It was a beautiful sight to see all the familiar faces. After service he stopped to commend Bill on a powerful service but that was put on hold, when Joe and his wife walked up to Nathan. Joe shook Nathan’s hand, “This is my wife Crystal, and our children Bo, Rita and you know Daniel.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”
Joe placed his hand on Nathan’s shoulder, “Thank you.” Chrystal smiled sweetly and then they walked away with their family. As Nathan watched them leave, Joe took his wife’s hand and she took Daniels, then he took Rita’s hand and she reached for Bo.
Patricia came by next, “Hey Mr. Foster.”
“Hey yourself. Look at you. You clean up pretty good.”
She blushed, “Thanks.”
“So what’s new?” He asked her, still surprised at her transformation.
“Everything.” She said and walked away.
When all the people got in their cars and trucks and left the church, Nathan left to go back to his house and Bill went inside. He retrieved his bible and note cards and went to his office. The peaceful solitude of the rudimentary room was a comfort after the hustle and bustle of a Sunday morning full of activity.
He entered the room and placed his belongings on the desk as he gazed out of the modest window that over looked the rear parking lot. The last few vehicles were finally packed with kids and car seats and they too drove away. There was an air of satisfaction from the message he delivered today and he felt a sense of humility that he was the one called to deliver it. Of all the sermons that he had given throughout his ministry, this one had to be in the top ten best received. He took great pride in being able to inspire others.
He smiled easily and walked around his desk to take a seat. He faced his desk away from the window to hinder the day dreaming that often combined writing each week’s sermons with staring out of the window. He had become wise to the little things that robbed him of his concentration and time. He sat in his nearly antique brown leather chair, it moaned under the strain and he gasped when he saw a man sitting on the sofa behind the open door.
Bill jumped back to his feet and the man stood up. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” The man said stepping to Bill’s desk.
“Well you did.” Bill replied in a friendly but apprehensive tone.
The man was a bit intimidating to Bill. He wasn’t overly large or tattooed and pierced. His intimidation came from the directness and his blank appearance. He wore a boring grey suit and black dress shoes, his face was clean shaved and expressionless and his small black marble-like eyes stayed fixed on Bill’s. Bill didn’t recognize him from service and was fairly certain he had neve
r seen him before.
“My name is Stephen Baker. I am from the Department of Child Services.” He handed a business card to Bill. Bill looked at it and then placed it on the desk.
“Ok Mr. Baker, what can I do for you.”
“How well do you know Nathan Foster?”
Chapter 17
A Glimpse Of Tomorrow Page 20
