This sickness
is not unto
death,
but for
the glory
of God,
that the Son
of God
may be glorified
through it.
[John 11:4]
***********************
"Did JESUS
do any MIRACLES
that NOBODY
ever SAW,
LORD?"
[QUIET VOICE.]
"Why do
you ask,
My child."
(Shrug.)
"I DUNNO."
(Shrug.)
"Just WONDERED."
[PATIENT SILENCE.]
(Shrug.)
"Just WONDERED....
that's ALL."
[SILENCE.]
(Silence.)
(Pause.)
"SUPPOSE.....
like,
He was just
WALKIN' ALONG
A ROAD,
one AFTERNOON...
all ALONE?"
[NOD.]
"Yes,
My child?"
"And.......like,
He......eh...."
[SMILE.]
"Go on."
(Shout to the ceiling.)
"SUPPOSE HE SAW
A SICK ANIMAL,
JUST LYIN' THERE...
AGAINST THE ROAD?"
[NOD.]
"It was all SICK...
and DYIN'?"
(Squint upwards.)
"...Would HE HAVE
HEALED IT?"
[PAUSE.]
"Whose animal,
child?"
(Impatient shout.)
"I DUNNO!
JUST SOME ANIMAL!
A CAT, OR A DOG!
Or...a GOAT!
JUST SOME MUTT!
LYIN' THERE: SICK,
BLEEDING AND....
DYIN'....IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD!"
[QUIET NOD.]
"Ah.
I see."
(Irritable shout.)
"AH...WHAT?
I don't see NOTHIN'!"
[CALM VOICE.]
"You needn't
shout,
child."
(Shout.)
"'NEEDN'T' ISN'T
PROPER AMERICAN
ENGLISH GRAMMAR,
LORD! IT'S OLD
ENGLISH!"
[PATIENT SIGH.]
(Shout.)
"YOU REALLY NEED
TO PRACTICE YOUR
AMERICAN,
MORE!"
[PATIENT NOD.]
[CHUCKLE.]
(Squint.)
"What were we
TALKIN' about?"
(Stare at a bottle
of Orange Crush.)
"Oh, YEAH:
the poor MUTT!
Would He have
HEALED it?"
[SILENCE.]
"Even if NOBODY
was there to SEE it?
NOBODY?
No JEWS or GENTILES...
or TAX COLLECTORS?
Or GREEKS or ROMANS?"
NOBODY?"
[PATIENT VOICE.]
"Why do you
ask,
My kin'der."
(Shrug.)
"CUZ!
I think all those
MIRACLES were
just...
MEANT for SOMEBODY
to SEE!
JUST SO....
they'd get CONVERTED!
THAT was ALL!"
[PATIENT SIGH.]
"But....what about
if JESUS just saw
some poor
BEAST,
in the ROAD?
Would He have
just walked OVER it?
Just GLANCED...
and kept WALKIN'?"
[SILENCE.]
"You ain't* gonna
TELL me...
ARE YA?"
[TENDER VOICE.]
"Why do you
ask,
child?"
(Shrug.)
"Cuz,
Ya didn't heal
my CAT, today.
And,
she DIED."
[NOD.]
"Even though,
I ASKED Ya."
[NOD.]
"I ASKED Ya
to HEAL her....
and You just
IGNORED me!"
[TENDER VOICE.]
"I wasn't ignoring
you,
My child."
[SILENCE.]
[CRADLING A SMALL
BROWNISH-GRAY
KITTY IN HIS ARMS.]
[CARESS ITS SMALL
POINTY NOSE.]
[LISTEN TO ITS CRY.]
(Shrug.)
(Make a face.)
"Doesn't MATTER.
Just FORGET I
ever ASKED."
[SMILING DOWN
AT THE BROWNISH-
GRAY KITTY.]
[CARESS ONE OF
ITS SILKY,
POINTY, BROWNISH-
GRAY EARS.]
[GENTLE VOICE.]
"Asked what,
little one?"
(Irritated voice.)
"If Jesus ever
did any MIRACLES,
like THAT!
Just FORGET IT!
It was STUPID!"
[TENDER SILENCE.]
(Tearful glance
at the ceiling.)
"Just FORGET IT!
GO BACK TO
WHATEVER...
You were DOIN'!"
[SMILE.]
[RUB THE TINY
SOFT SPOT
UNDER THE KITTY'S
POINTY CHIN.]
[LISTEN TO ITS PURR.]
[TENDER VOICE.]
"Yes,
child.
I
will."
***********************
Jesus said...
I am the
Resurrection
and
the life.
He who
believes in
Me,
though he may
die,
he shall
live.
[John 11:25]
__________________________
*Improper Standard
American English:
used here for conversational
emphasis.
In memory:
a little brownish-gray
kitty I saw once,
in a cage,
ten years ago.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be! TRUST JESUS NOW
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