Trouble hadn’t broken him; it had toughened him.”
–Ernest Haycox (New Hope)
“I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up.”
–Isaiah 49:11 (NLT)
Month: April 2017
The Daily Paine
This is holy week. No, the week and days itself are no holier than any other week, but the events that took place were touched by the holy One. This was the week that Satan and evil tried to destroy the Son of God. This was the week that they took Jesus to task, and tore at His human body. This was the week that sent Jesus to the grave. Jesus was dead; there is no question about it. It was sin that killed Him; your sin and mine. There are no thoughts in death, but the soul continues to live. After death–what then?
“Low in the grave He lay–Jesus my Savior!
Waiting the coming day–Jesus my Lord!”
–Robert Lowry
I cannot get my mind around the those three days in the tomb. The questions that must have been in the minds of the disciples. The events that were happening in the realm of the supernatural, what were they? I have read and heard suppositions of what took place, but we really do not know. Were the demons celebrating or were they fearful? Did evil really think they could destroy God? Did they think that by destroying the “God-man” they were victorious? Talk about Jesus taking something meant for evil and turning it around into glorious victory! Did they really think that by sealing the tomb they could stop Power itself?
“Vainly they watch His bed–Jesus my Savior!
Vainly they seal the dead–Jesus my Lord!”
I don’t think that Jesus laughed. I don’t think He even gave a shout. However, I do think that there was a supernatural explosion that took place. The earth shook when He tore the bars away. There was a shaking on the earth, but it was even greater in the supernatural world. Released in the presence of God were the saints of the old covenant. Their faith was in this day; the day the Messiah would claim victory. They had seen the types and symbols, but now, here He was in His splendor and glory. Was there a smile on His face? I believe that the supernatural forces saw the same picture of Jesus that John wrote about in the first chapter of Revelation–the supreme power of the universe–Jesus Christ, the resurrected Lord!
“Death cannot keep his prey–Jesus my Savior!
He tore the bars away–Jesus my Lord!
I seldom get to hear this song anymore. The church has become too enlightened, too sophisticated to sing this glorious hymn. However, it is my favorite and it is one of those that sends the shivers up and down my backbone. Victorious is our Lord and Savior for He arose the Victor from the grave, hell, and the dark domain.
“Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes;
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign,
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!”
We should go back to the greeting of those in the early church. When they would happen to meet each other one would say, “He is risen!” To which the other would reply, “He is risen, indeed!”
Echoes from the Campfire
There is a time when a thing in the mind is a heavy thing to carry, and then it must be put down.”
–Theodore Sturgeon (Scars)
“From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the [trail], some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. ‘Get out of here, baldy!’ they said. ‘Get out of here, baldy!'”
–2 Kings 2:23 (NLT)
The Saga of Miles Forrest
There was something funny about the one-eyed man. Walking over to him I could see that he had long, shaggy hair that flopped out over his coat. His hat was pulled down over one side. Could he be hiding something?
As I stood behind him I spoke, “Trenton.” He moved just a mite when I spoke the name and then slowly turned in his chair.
“You speaking to me?” he asked in a snarl.
“Mind if I sit?” I was relieved it wasn’t Trenton.
“Suit yourself,” again the snarl. Was he trying to act tough for my benefit?
I pulled out a chair and sat down. “You got a name?” I asked. It was not normally considered polite to ask a person his name, but I was not in a polite mood and this was official business.
“Depends on who’s asking!”
“How’s ’bout Deputy U.S. Marshal Miles Forrest,” I said with a little snap to my reply.
That brought a little smile to the edge of his mouth. “Wilmore, Jacob Wilmore. That suit you?”
“Does for now. I’m looking for a one-eyed man; sorta fits your description.” I laid the Greener on the table, pointed at him, and cocked it. That brought a rise to his eyebrows and I was certain now I had his full attention. “Do you happen to remember where you were two weekends ago?”
He smiled, “Right here or down at the livery. I do odd errands for the folks about,” he paused. “Mind telling me why you’re asking?”
I uncocked the Greener, but held onto it. “Seems as if there was a killin’ on the train from Durango to Denver. There weren’t no witnesses, but for some reason there is suspicion that a one-eyed man was the perpetrator.”
A scowl came on his face. “Why’s that?”
“The dead man had his eye cut out, plus an ear cut off,” I stopped and looked him in the eye. “Take off the patch!”
“Now there’s no need…”
“Take it off yourself, or I’ll lay this shotgun alongside your head and take it off myself!”
He smiled again and reached up to take his hat off. I cocked the Greener.
“You’re a careful one, ain’t you? I have to take off my hat to slip off the patch.”
“Figured so,” I said. “That other eye of yours never wanted to focus on me. Now tell me, why the patch?”
“‘Bout a week and a half ago, this man with one-eye, tall, slim gent, came up to me and asked if I wanted to make $50. Now, marshal, that’s almost two months pay, so I asked him what I needed to do. He handed me an eye-patch and said wear it for thirty days, and he paid me.”
“He still here?”
“Not that I know of. He said, most likely a man would be up this way looking for him. Fellow by the name of Forrest, and that would be you.”
“I don’t suppose he said where he would be going?” I asked.
“Mister Marshal, he rightly did. He said he was heading for California and planned on getting on a ship to one of them there islands out there and spend the rest of his days,” pausing and rubbing his eye. “He said he was your friend, and didn’t want to cause you no trouble.”
I nodded. “Well, Jacob Wilmore,” I put out my hand in a gesture of friendship. “How’s ’bout I buy you supper? I could use a cup of coffee.”