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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: CALL (01/14/16)
“I can’t believe you still want her.” Gabriel glared his irritation at his boss, wondering how a stately man could appear so gaunt in two days.
“I love her.” El said for the umpteenth time, his eyes red-rimmed.
“She’s cheated on you thrice before.”
To hide his agony, El turned away. The picture of his beloved wife with another man remained unbearable. The pain of her constant betrayals and the wrath his jealousy evoked was enough to tear their naked bodies into pieces. How was he able to control himself?
His love!
It was stronger than his rage. It had him bridled. His unquenchable love for his wife made him choose mercy instead of judgment. He would rather cover her sins rather than see her suffer. All he wanted was to have her home again with him, away from the filth she was used to.
“But why did she refuse to come home with you?”
El met Gabriel’s compassionate gaze. “Guilt! Shame! Fear!”
They had been together for a long time, yet she hadn’t really understood the depth of his love and how nothing was strong enough to separate them.
“Let her go sir,” Gabriel urged. He had been working as El’s Assistant for years and their working relationship had grown into a deep friendship that Gabriel never took for granted. “She doesn’t deserve your love.”
“I can’t stop loving her.”
“You can’t continue to let her insult you with her unfaithfulness.”
“I knew she was promiscuous when I married her. My intention was to transform her, but she keeps reverting to her old ways. She still can’t grasp the fact that I love her just the way she is and that if she remained consistently with me long enough, she would not desire any other man again, not…” His voice, heavy with pain, faltered.
“Well, you can divorce her and look for an honorable woman who will be worthy of your love and make you happy.
“Our vow is ‘till death do us part.’”
“Not after all she’s …”
“Don’t you get it?” El roared. “I gave my very life for her. It doesn’t matter what she does or doesn’t do, I will love her till the end.”
Gabriel gaped at him, amazed at his angry outburst and the strength of his emotions. After a long moment, El rose, determination etched on his face.
“I’m going to try one more time, just one more time, to make her come back to me.”
Before Gabriel could dissuade him, he strode out into the dark, misty night.

***********
“Precious!” El called.
The sound of his voice, like a gentle breeze, wafted into her ears and enveloped her with tenderness. It brought tears to her eyes, tears of regret and self-reproach. She held her breath and stared at the door.
“Precious,” he called again, “please come home with me.” It was an earnest and urgent entreaty but fear rendered her stock-still. “I’ll forgive you if you come to me. You don’t have to go through this alone, sweetheart.”
She held a hand to her mouth to hold in her sobs of shame. How many times would she ask for his forgiveness?
“Open to me, my darling, my love… My head is soaked with dew. My hair is wet with the mist of the night.” SOS 5:2 (ERV)
She rose from the bed and moved to the door, held the handle and then, stopped.
“Precious, I know you are there by the door. Open it. A tiny bit will do. I will do the rest.” He pressed his face to the door. “I will cover your faults and make you strong, you’ll see. Together, we’ll get through this, trust me.” After a moment’s silence, he added, “I love you!”
She muffled a tearful gasp, leaned her head on the door and sobbed. How could he still love her, after all she’s done to him? If she couldn’t forgive herself, how could he?
El waited for a very long time, but his beloved didn’t heed his call. With a loud sigh, he stepped away from the door and walked into the night.

***********
“I opened for my lover, but my lover had turned away and was gone! I looked for him, but I couldn’t find him. I called for him, but he didn’t answer me. The guards… found me. They hit me. They hurt me…” SOS 5:6-7 (ERV)

*Ephesians 3:17-19 (ERV)


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Member Comments
Member
Date
Francie Snell 
01/23/16
This was captivating from the start, but the constant POV shifts threw me all over the place. Keeping the perspective of one person is more believable. Thank you for sharing your gift. God bless.
Troy Manning
01/24/16
When the story of Hosea is is transposed into purely human actions, it exposes the our impotence against a reprobate human will. Where God, if He pleases, can transform the heart of a harlot, a person can only appeal--usually futilely--to it. Still we often choose a mate we see as fix-it project instead of a godly prospect (God does this w/ us, but we shouldn't in spouse-selection). Of course, if we're already married to the rebellious person, we should seek restoration. I don't think it would be in either person's interest to remain, however, if the adulterer has no intention of repenting. I think that was indicated in your having El say he was making a last effort. A thought-provoking analogy.
C D Swanson 
01/27/16
I enjoyed this very much!

God bless~
Michol Ludwig
01/30/16
A nice tie in to Hosea which I believe was your intent.

Your whole story could just as easily be about Jesus yearning for us to come back to him.

I see Satan asking Jesus why he continues to bother with sinners in the first section and Jesus calling to the sinner in the second section.

Critique- consider adding some spacing and paragraphs to make your story easier to read.