Chapter Ten: The Journey Home

Grace jumped out of bed and ran to embrace Forgiveness. "I just want to go home," she said, "but I’m afraid to face Him." "I know," replied Forgiveness, "Repentance is a hard step to take, but you know it is the right choice. Come, take my hand." With that the two stepped out of the room and walked through the house to the front door. "Are you ready?" asked Forgiveness. With a whisper so quiet it could barely be heard, Grace gave her timid answer: "Yes". The companions stepped through the door that led to the heavenly realm, and entered the Maker’s kingdom.

As Grace and Forgiveness took their first step in the Maker’s kingdom, Grace fell to her knees and began to sob. "Oh, how good it feels to be free from flesh and sin," she said. Tears of joy, stained by a broken heart, streamed down her face. She felt a heaviness on herself that had never been present in that place before, and she knew then what she must do. "Thank you," she said to Forgiveness, "but I must finish this journey on my own. I will go to see the Maker now, and I must go alone." Forgiveness smiled an understanding smile and released Grace’s hand. She turned away and walked towards her home. Now standing alone, Grace was overwhelmed with her situation. She could not believe that she was finally home, yet it did not feel the same to her. She knew that she was burdened by her sin and that the only way to become truly free was to kneel at the Maker’s feet and beg for forgiveness. With those thoughts in her mind she began to walk down the familiar streets towards the Maker’s abode. She was terrified, but something inside of her was pushing her to do the right thing. She knew where her mistakes had lead her and now was the time to turn the other way and choose life. That was the force that drove her now, a strong desire within her heart to experience life and freedom. She concentrated on these things as she approached her destination.

All was quiet on the streets as Grace neared the Maker’s home. She walked up the sidewalk with fear and trembling, but a quiet assurance within her told her that she was making the right choice. Suddenly, she looked up to see the Maker with a broad smile on his face, running towards her with open arms. Before she could react he had caught her in a full embrace and swept her off her feet. He swung her around in the air as tears of joy streamed down his face and he repeated "My daughter was lost, but now she is found!" Still holding her in his arms, he walked up the sidewalk to his home and through the front door, placing her in her favorite purple linen chair in the living room. Grace leapt out of the chair to her knees and began to weep, her tears mingling with his as he reached down to embrace her once again. "Forgive me," she said, "Oh, can you ever forgive me?" "It is done," he said. With that he took her hand and lifted her to her feet. Now standing face to face the two embraced as father and daughter, master and servant. "But after all that I have done, how can you forgive me so quickly, without a thought?," she said. "I don’t remember what you have done. It has been cast to the depths of the ocean, to be remembered no more." Grace returned to her seat, and the Maker sat across from her. She felt the heaviness lift from her and her heart become truly free as she accepted the Maker's forgiveness. "I believe we have much to talk about," he said. "If you are ready, my child, I have an assignment for you." "But what if I fail again?" she said. "How can you trust me again so quickly?" He replied by saying, "It is not a matter of trusting you now. I love you with all my heart, and I want to give you a chance to earn my trust once again." "I will go wherever you ask me to," she said. "Unto the ends of the earth, I will serve you. Your words will be mine and your thoughts my thoughts." The Maker replied by saying, "Here is your task. You will be sent to the home of those gracious people who took you in not very long ago, the parents of the lost child you encountered in Chicago, and you will guard their home and protect them. You will be my vessel to bring healing to their family and hope to their hearts. This is the task I give to you." Grace was overwhelmed with the Maker’s acceptance and love, and when he finished speaking she again fell to her knees at his feet. "It will be done, my king. My heart is forever bound to yours, and what you desire, I will do." They stood and embraced once more, and Grace left the Maker’s abode to return to her own home after a very long journey.

Copyright © 2005 by Jamie Madera. Reproduction is forbidden without permission. Contact me at jamielynne87@yahoo.com.