Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: WHISPER (12/08/22)
-
TITLE: A New and Living Way Unveiled | Previous Challenge Entry
By Linda Lawrence
12/15/22 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Last Christmas she brought up Zachariah and read to me what “her Book” had to say about him and naming his son John. We then read the slightly different details from “my Book”—the Bible. I was eager to go into Gabriel and Mary’s story the next week, but Areej ended up making an unexpected trip home over Winter Break and that was the end of the Christmas opportunity.
We met sporadically after that, but one day, a banner hanging on my wall caught her attention—an appliquéd ark of the covenant with a cross on the mercy seat between the wings of the cherubim. She suddenly turned to me and quizzically asked about the words embroidered beneath the ark, “Is Jesus the ‘New and Living Way’?”
“Yes, oh yes,” I sighed, utterly amazed at what the Holy Spirit had just done. Her husband was waiting for her in the car so I hugged her and said, “We’ll talk about it next week.”
I put up my Christmas decorations that week—the creche, the tree with a manger in front of it with a stuffed plush lamb wrapped in a baby blanket, and other lambs gathered around. Sensing a whisper from the Holy Spirit, I put my model of the Tabernacle on the coffee table—the old and dead Way to approach God, hoping to segue back to Areej’s last breathtaking question.
Taking off her coat, the manger caught her eye immediately and her first question was, “What do sheep have to do with Jesus?”
I had to lean on the Holy Spirit to lead the conversation because I’d been given no words yet. I just kept breathing in and the Spirit kept whispering and the questions kept coming. Right when I didn’t know where to go next, Areej asked another question. Oh what a journey we took—starting at the tabernacle, the place where God wanted to dwell in the midst of His chosen people. But God’s holiness would have been the death of anyone approaching Him—UNLESS . . . Unless a lamb was offered, and received, as a substitute for the sinner’s death. Hearing about the priest’s role, Areej asked, “Who chooses the priests?”
“God chooses.” So we went back to the story of Abraham and watched God choose one man for our eyes to follow. I know the birth of Ishmael and Isaac are told differently in “her Book,” but when I told of the test of Abraham’s trust in God’s promises, she did not argue. “When Abraham was willing to obey, and sacrifice the son God had chosen and promised Abraham, what did God provide?” I asked. Areej knew at once. A sheep as a substitute for Isaac’s death. I wonder what the Spirit was whispering to her.
“Areej, do you remember us reading about Zachariah’s son, John? John was to prepare the way for the promised descendant of Abraham. Jesus insisted John baptize Him and as He came up from the water, His Father spoke from heaven, ‘This is my Son.’ And the Spirit descended upon Him like a dove. Then John pointed to Jesus and announced, ‘Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.’ Can you see, Areej, Jesus is the New and Living Way to God, who came to be our substitute lamb. And that’s what sheep have to do with Christmas!”
Does she see? She seems to absorb information like a sponge. But what is happening in her heart? I don’t know. But her questions have drawn my attention to the many times a lamb’s life was God’s choice for a redemptive substitute. I’m glad I was asked about the sheep, and not the Christmas tree.
Who is prompting Areej’s questions? The same whispering Spirit that’s opening our eyes and ears to the New and Living Way to the Father—through Jesus! The old story has become more precious through the new opportunity to tell it, making this my most joyous advent season ever. I love to tell the story—especially to someone eager to hear.
This is a sequel to Misconceptions Unveiled.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
