The Making of a Preacher's Family - Prep

November Marks Matthew

"Lord, You said you wanted me to win the lost and shepherd the saints, but how is that possible, now? Joe Biden won the Presidential Election by a squeaker, and now he's going to shut the country down. I won't be able to talk with anybody, but my own immediate family."

Head in hands, Matt flops on the couch, weeping with abandon. An hour passes without abatement. There is no word from Heaven. There is only distress, lack of hope, lack of peace.

"Lord, now we will be the enemies of Israel, your people. They will be hated by America, the very condition, that You promised to curse. The babies will be murdered en masse, through idolatry, known as abortion. That very sin caused the Tragedy of 9/11. Your servants will, no doubt, be forced to populate prisons and concentration camps, merely because we name Your Name. How could You do this to us, Lord? How could You do this?"

More weeping, more accusations, more "sucking wind" through parched lips.

Tear-ducts now dry, Matthew wrestled with his heavy body in the daily battle to escape the couch's grasp. The wobbly figure lumbered through the front door. Leaning on the porch banister, he listened. Mockingbird's trilled through every page in their songbooks. Crickets chirped, "The Creator still lives." The frogs croaked in harmony, "Wake-up, Man. You haven't croaked, yet."

"That's really good advice, Dear One."

Though disconsolate, there was no mistaking of that voice for Matthew. "Lord Jesus! I was just thinking about You!"

"I know. I had to get out my umbrella."

"Oh, that. I'm sorry about all of the tears, but it doesn't seem fair what You've done to our country."

"Oh, that. Well, have you considered, that everything does seem a little unreal? You might want to wake up from this dream, and look at the daily news. I'll see you on the other side in the land of wakefulness."

The blaring, raspy tone made Matthew fall out of bed onto the cold concrete. "WOW! That was the scariest dream I've ever had."

YouTube was littered with news clips about the ultimate victory of Donald Trump for a second term as President. "After weeks of wrangling, the US Supreme Court certified Donald John Trump as the United States President for four more years." "In a 6-3 Decision, SCOTUS Proclaims Trump President." "Hillary Clinton Was Admitted to Milledgeville in Georgia After She 'Lost It' Over the SCOTUS Decision." "Major Cities are Burning." "Republicans Cheer as Democrats Rage." "President Re-elect Trump Declares the Country Fully Open." "'I survived COVID-19 with the new vaccine,' smiled Trump." "With the New Vaccine COVID-19 is No More of a Threat Than the Common Cold." "Masks Are Not Necessary Any Longer." "Florida State Has an Amazing Turn-Around. Defeats Clemson for the National Title."

"What must I do now, Lord? When I thought the Democrats had won, life was over because Freedom was gone, but now, that I know President Trump has been reelected, the country is in severe turmoil. Is there any hope, even yet?"

"Now, shalt thou see what I will do. Exodus 6:1 is the account of my Strong Hand, that controls the heart of the king, the Pharoah, and certainly the President. You will now see great gentleness in this man because He doesn't need to campaign for election anymore. He knows He has the power I've given him to clean up and to correct many offenses in your nation. Vandals will be jailed. Felons will be forced to clean and restore the very statues they tore down last spring. Abortion laws will be overturned. Repentance and return to righteousness will make great strides as the Leader of the Free World shows this by example."

"Can these things possibly be?"

"Who is God?"

"What can I do?"

"That, which I called you to do at the very beginning, is available to you, now. Bring souls to salvation. Heal the racial divide. Show the atheists, the former abortionists, the people of every social, political stripe of every kind, that I am here to do you good, if you will simply turn from your sins, accept my Gift of Salvation, giving me the opportunity to be better for you than you could ever have imagined."

"Will they believe me?"

"Did Pharoah believe Moses? Did Israel believe Moses? Did the people of the first century A.D. believe the Apostle Paul? Is there ever a case in which all humans believe what they are told to be the truth, regardless of the reliability of the speaker? Your job is to obey me. My job is to deal with the consequences. I will set things right when the time is right. Rest in me, Dear Saint."

"Alright, Lord, then I will."

Later in the day, Matthew saw a group of young men on the courthouse lawn. They looked rather downcase. So, he approached them cautiously. "Good afternoon, Gentlemen. I would like to tell you about Jesus, the Messiah. Have you heard, that He died and rose, again, to save you?"

"Have you heard, that we think you should die, you flippin' preacher?"

This, of course, was nearly the last thing, that went through his mind.