Carl sat at
the doorway
searching
for those in
need, his
hands
trembling
cold as an
arctic blast
cut through
the late
night air.
“Hurry in,
please hurry in,” he said. More and more people hurried along.
Some nearly
crushing,
Carl as they
pushed into
the building
in
desperation
to feel the
heat inside.
“More
blankets
honey,” Carl
cried out,
“More
blankets!
There’s hot
soup ya’ll,
so please
eat up!”
As the last
one made his
way into the
homeless
shelter,
Carl closed
the door
tight. Up in
years and
overworked
for little
or no pay,
Carl
surveyed the
expansive
room. Over
at the end
of one table
sat a family
of four. The
mom hunkered
near her
youngest,
rubbing her
daughter’s
hands. She
smiled to
cover the
shame and
pain.
Carl looked
around
carefully,
so dearly
wanting to
make
everything
all right
for
everyone,
unaware that
he was
sharing his
heavenly
Father’s
heart to
love and
console
others. He
hurried over
to the woman
and child,
bringing
warm
blankets
handed to
him by his
devoted
wife, Edna.
“Here, here
you are,”
Carl said,
“Please get
warm.”
The mother’s
eyes looked
up. She
embraced the
warmth of
not only the
blankets,
but the
godly man.
Hot soup,
warm
blankets and
a night away
from the
bitter cold,
something so
many take
for granted
all across
this world.
As soon as
everyone in
the room had
been served
their bowls
of soup,
Carl asked
permission
to say a
word and
then pray.
He began,
“Tonight,
you are all
here by
invitation.
These doors
are always
open and all
you have to
do is walk
in. Please
take a
moment and
look around.
This has
been a
banquet
dinner and I
call you
all—friends.
But this is
nothing
compared to
what you
will be
offered.
There is
even now, a
banquet
table being
prepared.
Your
invitation,
I have right
here in my
hand.”
Carl opened
his Bible
and began to
read John
3:16, “For
God so loved
the world
that he gave
his only
begotten son
and
whosoever
believes
upon him
shall not
perish but
have
everlasting
life.”
Closing the
Bible he
slowly gazed
at the
sorrow-filled
eyes all
around the
room. “I beg
you all to
hear me. I
hope I don’t
start to
cry. Do you
want to know
when your
invitation
was sent
out? The day
Jesus died!
While
you were yet
lost in sin,
lost in a
cold cruel
world, Jesus
died for
you. But
three days
later, he
rose from
that grave.
When He did,
doors flew
open and a
meal started
to be
prepared.
It’s called
the
“Marriage
Supper of
the Lamb.”
Please don’t
be
overlooked.
Tonight
sitting here
in this
humble
banquet
hall, please
hear this
old man.
Please, let
Jesus write
your name in
his accepted
book, the
Book of
Life.”
In deepest
humility,
Carl called
everyone in
the room to
the cross.
Asking them
to pray,
Carl
observed the
forlorn
faces in the
crowded
room.
Respectfully
bowing their
heads, the
group
together
prayed
following
Carl’s lead.
Outside that
same
evening,
little Maria
sat beside
her mother.
“Mommy, I’m
so, cold.”
Shivering to
the core,
the
youngest, of
two children
clung to her
mother’s leg
trying to
hide her
face from
the wind.
The mother
observed at
the
desperate
look in her
husband,
Jimmy’s
eyes; beaten
down and
hopeless—trying
to withstand
the bitter
chill of the
strong
winds.
Bankruptcy,
foreclosure
and medical
bills to the
max found
their way
onto this
dad’s
shoulders
and on this
night, its
total weight
had come
crashing
down. They
were
homeless,
helpless. In
desperation,
He cried
out, “Dear
God, if
you’re up
there PLEASE
HELP!”
Leaning
against a
heavy
concrete
wall, their
young son,
Brandon,
bowed his
head in
despair, “Oh
God, why
can’t we be
like
everyone
else and
have our own
place?”
Jimmy picked
up his son
with both
arms and
walked
toward the
shelter. His
wife
followed
behind,
their
daughter
tightly
wrapped in
her arms.
Trash from
the street
was blowing
all around
them. The
howling wind
sent an
eerie
message of
abandon.
Up ahead
they saw a
door with a
sign that
said,
“Welcome
Shelter.”
Jimmy began
to knock on
the door as
if his very
life
depended on
it. His
family’s
heads were
all hanging
in shame. At
life’s most
hopeless
moment the
door flew
open and
Carl began
to urgently
usher in the
weather-torn
family.
“Hurry in,
please hurry
in,” he
said.
“Hello, my
name’s
Carl,” as he
shut the
door for the
night. He
called out
to his wife:
“Honey, more
blankets
please.”
Then turning
to the
family he
said, “Wow,
you came
just in
time, we
were ready
to shut this
place down
for the
night.
Please have
a warm
blanket.
Soup’s on
the stove
and you’re
sure welcome
to eat.”
The
family of
four huddled
up by an old
table. It
was a
“treat”
already to
just have a
table to sit
at and a
warm room to
escape to.
Wind chills
outside were
below zero.
This family
was happy to
see clean
cots all
around, and
steaming hot
soup served
to warm
their hungry
stomachs.
WHY?
Jimmy
wondered…would anyone do this for so many strangers.
Then as they
were eating,
friendly old
Carl began
to
speak—sharing
the gospel
again, “You
are all here
by
invitation…but
let me tell
you, of a
future
feast…”
The night
was cold and
chilly, but
when Carl
finished his
plea, the
entire
family heard
and answered
that altar
call. Almost
immediately
after…the
shout came,
“COME UP
HERE!”
They had
been made
ready!
Footnote:
This is
the eighth
in my series
of short
stories, Preludes to the Rapture collection. Please feel free to download
the stories
as formatted
and use them
as
witnessing
material.
Tim Cameron
timcameron@centurytel.net