| A DIALOG WITH CONSTANCE How do I begin a to tell what took place one morning not so long ago. The day that I had a heavenly guest? I shall start at the beginning, as all stories should. On a typical morning just after watching the news I began to bewail the sore state of things in this world around me. �Lord,� I said. �How long must these disgusting things take place, how much more violence, suffering and foolishness must cover the earth before you stop this great mess?� Never expecting an answer I mentally went over the latest morning garbage on the news: Another celebrity killed his wife and will likely get off the hook. Another teacher has been charged with having sex with an under-age student. Two more car bombings in Israel. TV Preacher caught in a sex scandal, that news followed by the three politicians also involved in various scandals. Another TV Preacher, it was noted, has given his support to a Politician that he claims, �will make our country like heaven on earth.� I am so tired and disgusted with it all that I wonder at the wisdom of God giving mankind free will to do so much evil and foolishness. �How long will you complain? That is the real question?� said a voice from a being that startled me out of my reverie. She appeared to be a very tall and beautiful woman with shimmering white wings, wings that filled up my living room. I recoiled in shock and felt a sharp pain in my chest, �This is it�, I thought, �I am about to die.� �Calm down you anxious fellow,� said the lady of wonder. �I have been sent to answer some of your questions and to ask some questions of you.� �Then you are an Angel?� �Yes I am.� �I thought Angels were men, they seem to appear as men in the Bible.� �I appear as I wish to appear. I can appear as a man, or a bird, or even a dog if I so choose.� The Angel said. �But on this occasion I decided to appear in this fashion. Now if you are through with worrying about my appearance, maybe we can talk about your concerns of late?� �But I don�t know your name.� �My name is for me to know, but you may call me: Constance.� �I like that name,� said I, not really sure what to think, was I dreaming, having a vision, or just losing my mind? �My time here is short, so if you wish to ask some questions you should begin.� �OK, what about all this junk on the news?� �Be more specific.� �OK, what about TV Preachers? Are they on the up-and-up?� �You know that some of them are sincere,� here a stern look came over her face. �But you have seen enough to know that not everyone who calls Him Lord is a child of the Kingdom.� �That is true,� I said. �But why does He put up with the con-artists and thieves and liars?� �Because even with those His name is being proclaimed, even though they do it out of greed or ill purpose, there are people who are looking past them and seeing God.� �OK, I guess I can understand that, still I wouldn�t mind Him zapping a few of them, maybe a stray lightening bolt or something.� She laughed when I said that, not a �normal� human laugh, but something much richer and filled with music�my heart gladdened at the very sound of it. �Time is running out, what more would you ask?� I thought long and hard. But all that came to mind was: �Why does God let good people suffer?� �That is a better question,� she said, staring into my soul with eyes of liquid fire. �The simple answer is because they can.� �That doesn�t make sense to me.� I complained. �Consider this,� she said. �It is a weak and pathetic person who goes through life with no troubles. Only the good and wise can be trusted with adversity, and they grow in both goodness, and wisdom through their adversity. You should also know that often a rich person in material things, is the poorest person on earth in the most important things, because without their material wealth they have nothing. On the other hand, a person living in poverty who has God as his father�that is a wealthy person indeed, and it will be proven in the latter life, beyond heaven�s gate.� She tilted her head and studied me before continuing. �These answers you already know. But your memory grows dim. You have read the sacred scriptures and you know these things.� �If I know them why am I continually troubled by the injustice, arrogance of the rich and famous, suffering of the poor and afflicted. Why do I continually burn in my heart for God�s justice to come and set things straight?� I said in exasperation. �Because you are your Father�s child,� she said matter-of-factly. �Do you imagine that God is less angered or frustrated than yourself about these things?� I couldn�t answer, but finally shook my head negatively. �The difference between what you feel and what He feels is that He can see the whole picture, whereas you only see the mornings newscast.� She stepped casually about the room before continuing, and I nearly lost the train of the conversation as I was caught up in the beauty and regal majesty of such a being. And then I was struck as one dead by the delayed reaction of realizing�here is one who has stood in God�s presence. I nearly fainted. �Fear not young man, I was not sent here to punish you.� Well that nearly did it; I felt again a pain in my heart that hurt so badly I clutched at it with my hand. I hadn�t considered she might be here to punish me, her reassurance that that was not the case only frightened me even more. �Why do some Christians act worse than sinners?� I blurted out to get my mind off of the thought that I might be dying. �I mean, I have heard that Christians get more divorces now than non-Christians for example.� Really glad I thought of that one. I had read statistics to that effect. �You cannot imagine the grief such things cause the Father,� she said. Her face evidently reflecting the face of God and such a mood that a great groan escaped my lips and tears ran freely. �The Father sees much now that was not evident among those who claimed Him as Lord in years past. This is a strange age and your wonderment is not so wrong as you might now begin to think it to be. The Dark One has so blinded this world and so enamored the Christians with this world that they cannot see their own hard hearts and their own sinful behavior. In ages past the enemy would try to get Christians involved in things akin to Idol worship. He would sow strife and discord until many Christians would war against each other. Sexual sin is a tool he always used�but it is easier for him to use it now.� �Why is it easier now?� |