Abby sat drinking her morning coffee as she flipped through a magazine. Glancing at her phone she noticed the time. "Crap", she said as she jumped up and gulped down the last of her coffee. After placing the mug in the sink, she grabbed her keys off the counter and headed for the door. It was then she heard the knock at the door.
Stopping, she listened for another knock. Only a few seconds passed and there was yet another knock.
"Hello, who's there," she asked.
" It's me, Jesus," a voice replied.
Abby, slightly confused replied, "Ok, what do you want?"
" I want you to open the door and welcome me in," Jesus replied.
After letting out a frustrating sigh she said. "Listen, I would love to stand here and chat but if I am late for work one more time, I am going to get fired."
"Give me just a few moments of your time and I promise that you won't get fired.”
"Alright, fine, now what do you really want."
" First," Jesus answered, tell me about your plans for this evening."
"Are you kidding me?" Abby said as she shook her head in complete disbelief, "I am going to be late for work because you want to know what I am doing tonight?"
"Please Abby, this really is a matter of life and death."
" A matter of life and death, how is me going out with my friend Dana a life and death matter?"
"She is more than a friend to you, correct?"
"Well yeah, so what?"
"Homosexuality is a sin," Jesus replied.
"Oh, here it comes," Abby said as she sarcastically rolled her eyes. The moral police are here to lock everybody up, well I can't help it, I was born this way."
"Abby, define for me the word sin."
" The word sin means to do wrong," she replied."
Alright, now what color are your eyes?"
"My eyes are blue, but what does that have to do with me being gay?"
"Do you have any control over what color your eyes are?"
"No, but."
"Is it a sin to have blue eyes, Jesus asked?
"Of course not," she said. "That would be totally unfair."
"So, if in my word it states that being a homosexual is a sin, would it be fair for me to allow you to be born that way and then punish you for it?"
“No, I guess not.” Walking into her living room she plopped down on her sofa leaned her head back and stared aimlessly at the ceiling.
Suddenly, Abby had more questions than answers. Since she was in her teens she questioned her sexuality. Only recently had she felt that she had resolved and come to terms with the matter but now she wasn't so sure.
A moment'passed before Abby asked, “Jesus, are you still there?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Tell me, if I wasn't born this way then how do you explain the strong feelings I have?”
“Satan, uses the way people feel as a way to justify sinful behavior and lure people away from me.”
“A lot of what you are saying makes sense, but I still do not understand how this is a life or death issue.”
“ I am not referring to a physical death but a spiritual death. A spiritual death would result in you spending an eternity in hell and forever separated from Me.”
Abby could feel her eyes welling up with tears and a knot beginning to form within the pit of her stomach. She never took that much of an interest in religion or God but this conversation had stirred up in her feelings she had never felt before. The thought of spending eternity in hell really frightened her.
After wiping the tears from her eyes, she sat up straight. “Ok, so how do I get rid of these feelings and do what is right?”
“All you need to do is get up, open the door and welcome me in.”
“Will that make these feelings go away?”
“ No,” Jesus replied but you will always have Me there to help you not to act upon them.”
“What happens if I mess up, will you turn around and walk back out the door?”
“No, I love you and I understand there are going to be times when you make mistakes and I will always forgive you but once you open the door and welcome me in, I will never leave you.”
Abby slowly stood up and walked over to the door and after taking a deep breath she opened the door.