Chapter 26 - Despare

"Our Father who art in Heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen!!

Please Father tell me what I am to do. It says to cast all our cares and anxiety on You and You will sustain us. You will never let the righteous be shaken and provide strength to the believers. You oppose the proud but show grace to the humble. It says You will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out their days. Although I still do trust you and have utmost faith in You I can't help but ask you this one thing. Where are you? You say to resist temptations and stand firm in the faith because we know that a family of believers is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. If we do all of that the God of all grace who called you His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

How much longer do we have to endure this suffering before you finally come and restore us? Is there like a set limit; achieve five hundred points and you will receive your restoration award or something? I mean I have helped out a lot of people in lots of different ways but now with these frogs I came to them to 'help' them but I had no intention of everyone dying and then me having to shoulder everything myself. What am I to do now? Show yourself to me so that I can receive strength because I need it. Please give me a sign. Any sign I'll take."

"What seems to be ailing you dear?"

"Huh, who said that? I have a sword and am not afraid to use it. I'm warning you."

"If you have a sword then why aren't you actively using it?"

"What do you mean? I'm here aren't I?"

"Are you? Are you really? You are so happy to memorize verses and test your skills on quizzes head to head with people but when it comes to an actual battle setting you charge into anything thinking you showcase your skill then always get thrown back because of your unpreparedness. Croak was right when he said ``you people think you can just interject into others peoples stories because you think you know what is best for the situation but none of you take the time to actually find out where the person is at andwhat is going on."

"Are you afraid to show yourself? Cowarding in the darkness telling me how I should be handling the situation when you watch from the safety of the dark?"

"When I sent for you I thought you would keep everybody safe but I have been personally following you and it has come to a shock to me seeing that not only is my boy dead but also my husband, Croak and all the rest of the men. Do you care to explain how all of that went down or in your haste have you forgotten to check?"

"Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. Sorry for everything that I caused and sorry that I couldn't save your boys. I know you were expecting more but was disappointed when I showed up. Don't deny it."

"You feel alone...afraid….and at a loss my girl. Even though you were sent over I still trusted you. Maybe not with my life but with everybody elses. So, what have you learned so far?"

"Before I tell you; I want you to know that I've been through a lot and lived through a lot. Does that mean nothing? I've sweated, plundered, helped out in so many ways. Yea, you can thank me for saving Croak's life. Without me no one would have been able to make it this far."

"Is that supposed to mean anything to me and make you feel better that you did good deeds? None of that matters because at the end of the day everybody is dead. So are you going to keep them dead or help revive them. Status report now!!"

"I will have you know that I am not a robot that just goes around following my Fathers wishes and forcing His teachings on anyone and everyone I come in contact with. I am a human being just like everybody else."

"Ohh. Must've forgotten you people were HUMAN. Thought you Christians just asserted yourself into any situation regardless of who it was then spoke your mind; talked of how hard it was; transformed people and then boasted to others about the good deed that you did. Matthew 6:1,2,5-8 and 16-18, 'Be careful not to practice righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in Heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret wil reward you.

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep babbling on like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. When you fast do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have too received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father who is unseen; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. Shall I go on?"

"No mother. I think I got it. But what can we do about this now? I still have to find two more pieces and it's only us?"

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Shall I recount for you Matthew 6:25-34?"

"Ohh mom!! I still remember those verses. You used to tell it to us everythime we ever felt lost, afraid, worried, anxious or ever gave up."

"Why should this time be no different? Do you want to retell it together?"

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life; what you will eat or drink; or about your body and what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splender was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire; will He not much more clothe you..yee of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or, 'what shall we drink?' or 'what shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them but seek ye first the kingdom and His righteousness then all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough of its own."