THE HUMBLE CHURCH

The righteous and elect will be saved on that day,

and they will never again see the face of the sinners and unrighteous.

The Lord of Spirits will abide with them, and with the Son of Man will they eat,

lie down, and rise up with Him forever.

The righteous and elect will rise from the earth, and cease to be of downcast countenance, and they will be clothed with garments of eternal life.

Book of Enoch

Chapter 62

The Second Coming.

Lizzie Downs was fortunate that she owned her own home.   Her father had bequeathed the now shabby detached victorian house to his daughter but sadly the money heating and maintaining the property would soon run out.  Lizzie considered she could hang on for just a few more years.

Nearby neighbours with their renovated properties and expensive cars just hoped Lizzie would pop off soon, the property would then be sold and the eye sore would hopefully receive a designer make over.   After all the area was considered highly desirable by young city professionals with its double driveways and spacious gardens.   Nevertheless they had little spare time to observe any activity or show any concern for the old lady's welfare.   Perhaps only when there was a really bad smell,  swarms of bluebottles crawling up the windows or festering milk bottles on the step would someone passing by realise something was amiss.

Lizzie watched from her lounge window as Ted approached her driveway.   He was apprehended by a   smartly dressed woman who enquired "does the elderly lady that lives in that house  have any friends, rumour has it she is a christian but I have never seen her in my church or at any of the interfaith meetings.

"Yes she is and no you won't" came Ted's terse reply "she has her friends and they wouldn't put a foot over a church threshold teaching twisted doctrine.

"So they don't keep the Sabbath holy" suggested the rather irate interviewer.   

"Actually they do, but the Sabbath is Saturday, not Sunday."     

"She's not Jewish is she?" enquired the pedantic interrogator her face flushed with rising irritation. 

"No" replied Ted.   Thinking to himself - keep going - and mentally putting on the whole armour. 

"Fascinating" said the woman completely ignoring Ted's statement "then presuming she is a christian, she is already breaking one commandment, to keep holy the sabbath" the patronising woman smiled triumphantly considering she could win any argument.

"Have you read the bible?" Ted enquired "where does it mention anything about a building be it church or temple, whatever,  in the second commandment.   God said you are supposed to rest - as He did from the work of creation.   Christian traditions invented by the early church imposed their will on others and when that didn't work were happy to abuse and silence anyone who questioned their authority.   Religion has caused more wars and bloodshed than anything else on this planet.   Lizzie is a born again christians, she follows Christ.

"Well" replied the irate woman hardly able to conceal her disgust  "the Pope has suggested they are bonkers"   

Ted raised his shield and sword replying "the head of your church walks on thin ice -  dangerous words.    But then the catholic church will clutch it's rosary bead having knocked Almighty God off the throne and replaced Him with a blond, european version of Miriam (very different from the real mother of Jesus,  a simple Jewish virgin whose unopened womb would receive the embryo of the Son of God) just one of the many false idols they worship.   A den of vipers and hypocrites who nurture the abomination of sodomy in their ranks, prey on innocent children and persecute their victims.   But soon, very soon they will thrash the air in in despair, choke on their own vomit and ride in scarlet robes straight to hell.

"Well really" spluttered the intimidated woman clutching her handbag almost as though she expected physical violence at any moment "you are obviously not a Roman Catholic"

"Lady - I thank God I am not" said Ted turning into Lizzie's driveway.

Lizzie watched the figures standing at the bottom of her driveway and recognised Ted.    "Ah Ted" she contemplated "what a fighter"    She remembered their first meeting.   He had fallen asleep on the local train which had arrived at the end of the line.   "Sorry mate" said the guard "terminus, we don't go any further."    She was amazed at her boldness "just give him a minute" she said to the guard "I think he was deeply asleep, its lovely and warm on these coaches."    

Ted glanced at her and wondered why anyone would bother to notice him in his present predicament.

His clothes were grubby, his face covered in stubble.   He struggled to get out of the seat stiff from the journey grabbing his dirty backpack. 

Lizzie stood watching on the platform.   The village lay at the end of the line.  Unless the man was visiting friends he would be on a return journey to the city,  everyone knew everyone in  Heldon and would view the stranger with considerable suspicion although the area was heavily covered by surveillance cameras and the local police were often in attendance from the local town as the area was well known for the luxurious gated second homes of those in the halls of power.

The man enquired as to the next train back to the city and shuffled into the waiting room.   Lizzie called through the open doorway.   "Excuse me, please don't take offence, but I couldn't help wondering if you needed help.   I have a large house not far from the station and you are quite welcome to stay overnight if that would help.   We don't have any hotels as such here, there's a pub but that's it.   

"Thanks" said Ted "but I need my money to get a ticket back to the city" He glanced at the woman and wondered how anyone could lay themselves open to a complete stranger.

"My husband is hardly new age" said Lizzie laughing "he manages a boiled egg and knows where the tin opener is but that's it, but I did prepare a meal in my slow cooker before I left home this morning.   You are very welcome"

Ted observed the woman through half closed eye lids.   A meal and a warm bed would be a blessing but this kind of woman didn't exist in his world.   The women he knew were takers and when they had taken everything he was swiftly evicted.  He seriously hoped she wasn't a holy roller and that he would be told Jesus cared for him.   "Yeah right" he would reply.   How many times had he heard that one from the street workers.   "Swop places with me then" he would say but he knew it was all talk.   It made them feel good about their comfort zone, just handing out a few sandwiches and a drink, but    somehow he knew this woman was different.

They arrived on the door step of the old house, it seemed rather out of place with the surrounding properties but the smell of food and the sweet aroma of oil of orange was welcoming.

"Hi Jack" said Lizzie "we have company for dinner.   I picked this young man up at the station, he fell asleep on the train.   I think he needs our help.  Jack tore himself away from his favourite programme on the T.V.   One look at the stranger said everything.   Lizzie was at it again, trying to save the world one at a time.

"How about a long hot soak and some fresh clothes" he said pointing to the stairway.   Size 15 collar okay.?   

What's the catch Ted pondered as he followed the man to the bathroom.   The fittings were old but spotlessly clean and Jack started to run the bath pointing to the numerous soaps and deodorants that were held in a small oak cupboard beside the bath.    

"Help yourself" he said "I'll get you some new gear and leave it on the chair.   Shaving stuff on the side unless of course you are growing a beard"  He smiled at the youngster considering he was probably about forty years old.   Maybe younger.   Living on the city streets men become old before their time.

Ted found his way downstairs and through the open doorway into the dining room.   "My oh my" declared Lizzie "don't you look just fine"   The stubble had gone, his hair tied back in an elastic band and although Jack's clothes were slightly on the large side he was hardly recognisable.   

"Dinner's ready" shouted Lizzie from the kitchen "pull up a chair and tuck in"   As he ate the meal he felt the strength returning to his body.   Still he considered why were these people so kind, what had they to gain from sharing their home with a complete stranger.   He was more used to people kicking him as he slept on a cardboard box.   Rats lived down the drains out of sight, but people managed to sleep walk past the homeless in denial, no place for losers in their world.   When Ted ran out of money the cold chips and curry sauce were a feast he shared alongside the rodent fraternity.   In safe comfortable surrounds Ted was able to tell his story, sadly all too common in an uncaring selfish greedy world.    Lizzie and Jack were used to helping others and were already planning to help the young man. 

"Stay with us" said Jack "there's not much work in the village, but you can help me in the garden and we will start putting feelers out with people we know in the town who might be able to use your skills.   Phillip will be back on Friday.   Lizzie explained they had another victim of the callous world

and he will tell you his story.

Saturday night he sat with Phillip in front of a blazing fire enjoying a pint and Phillip recalled his nights on the London embankment totally destitute.   From a top executive in a blue chip company with a beautiful wife, detached house, all the trimmings to abject poverty.    He bore the scars of rejection and Ted wondered what sort of a wife could suddenly stop loving her man because he had been made redundant and was struggling to find work.   "Well" replied Phillip "that was something I had to work out for myself.   She has the house, car, yacht and flat on the Costa del Sol.   Now three marriages later she is a very wealthy woman using either death or divorce to her advantage.   He showed Ted a cutting from the local newspaper of an immaculately dressed peroxide blond with a predatory icy blue stare.  Phillip continued "if it hadn't been for Lizzie I would have probably given up, but she took me in and gave me a home.   Now I am back on my feet but a warning light goes on when someone starts getting too close.   I am not going there again.  

Ted made a rapid recovery.   His confidence grew in their sheltering kindness.   They were good people and he often wondered why their simple lifestyle was so full of happiness.   They had sufficient.   God had provided for them and they could bless others.   He came across an old bible in his dressing table drawer and started to read it.    If everyone followed the rules in that good book it would surely be heaven on earth.    Still there was nothing outwardly religious in the household, no statues, no bible bashing.   Just a handful of guidance here and there.   As Lizzie put it "I don't follow any church leadership, I follow my Master and what He taught us"

Ten years later and Lizzie was a widow.   The loss of her lifelong friend and husband was hard but she knew she had to accept God's will.   Sometimes Ted would hear her mutter "he's better out of it"

Ted was back on his feet.   He had a flat in the nearby town and his newly acquired joinery skills were constantly in demand, financially he was well placed to buy his own home.    Every week he would visit Lizzie and  make sure she was coping, but she was getting weaker and finding the large house a struggle.

She confided in Ted "I would really like this house to be of use to those who have fallen through the net.    With the latest cut backs thanks to the new "iron lady" it's getting worse.   You have become the son we wished for, but never had.   I will leave the place to you because I know I can trust you to turn it to good use.   When you came to us you were "on the edge"  We believe everyone responds to love and support but we also realised some you lose, some you win.   You can carry the flame on for us.   

       
The memory of their conversation faded as Lizzie opened the doorway noticing Ted's ruddy cheeks signalling an abrupt rise in blood pressure.

"Ted was that woman annoying you" she said noticing he was clearly aggravated. 

"They make me sick" replied Ted remembering in awful detail the days he spent in a catholic orphanage.   Perhaps his role as an altar boy gave him a slight edge but he wondered where this God was when he witnessed abuse and cruelty.   No - he would never believe He existed.

Lizzie knew his painful past so she kept praying.  Lord, open his eyes and his ears.   But her conversations with Ted were more about sowing, she might never see the harvest.   There was time for a quick coffee before he would drag the old lawn mower out of the outhouse and cut a wide path down the long garden to the annexe and air raid shelter still hidden behind brambles and bushes at the very edge of her boundary fence.   The overgrown garden was a mixture of all things naturally seeded.   Flowers identified by man as weeds, pretty flowers in their own right and plants that resurrected every year to bloom again in all their splendour.

"Right Lizzie, done and dusted, it should last a couple of weeks" said Ted as he walked into the breakfast room.   Lizzie sat in her favourite chair watching a news report.      "Oh" he exclaimed "don't tell me they are at it again Putin bashing, what are they trying to do start World War 3.   That will bring a few to their knees." 

''Yeah" said Lizzie throwing her hands in the air in joyful anticipation.   "When they are standing in the rubble of their houses, have run out of food and that satanic box in the corner of their lounge  has been smashed to smithereens, their precious idols crushed, perhaps then they might realise who they have been following and that dark Lord's agenda.

'Slipped up there' thought Ted grinning.   Every opportunity and she's in there.   Lizzie put her arms around Ted remembering he was once a victim who needed to know his Saviour before the healing could begin.

"Can you come round Friday night" Lizzie enquired "I need to get you up to speed with the group, when my number is called I would like you to keep supporting them.  It's going to get very dark and they will need protection from the coming storm.

"Not Dad's army revisited then" said Ted laughing.

"No" replied Lizzie wistfully "next time around it will be annihilation and for those who don't know the Lord the END.   Full stop.    The annexe was a regular meeting place for the small group of born again christians who refused to bow the knee to Baal.   Ted was working full time turning the house into self contained flats ready to provide sanctuary for the broken.

For a while things ran smoothly then one late summer evening the doors to the annexe had been flung open to let in the cool air.    The sound of singing reached the ears of a neighbour who complained "what the heck is that racket - I don't pay my rates to listen to that after a hectic week, I'll put in a noise pollution complaint next week.    Receiving a rather cryptic letter the next morning Lizzie wondered exactly what lay ahead but she was ready for a fight.

TERMINUS

I crawl over the bedrock of my life,

hearing screams of the wounded,

seeing tears of the oppressed.

My body cumbersome, unlovely,

dodging the waiting predators,

sensing that this time is but brief.

They are blind, deaf, arrogant and presumptuous,

not knowing what little knowledge they have is God given,

and they feed on the innocents.

With each choking breath I struggle, afraid to leave this space,

then suddenly I hear Your voice, feel Your love and peace,

I shrug off this burden, dead weight,

I am light,

unseen as mortal breathed air.

All dreams and visions now reality,

brother and sister souls skimming space and time,

returning home.

Into your hands Father God,

I commend my spirit.

Talitha Hills

Copyright 2003

Must life be a failure for one compelled to stand still in enforced inaction and see the great throbbing tides of life go by?   No; victory is then to be gotten by standing still, by quiet waiting........................

It requires a grander heroism to stand and wait and not to lose heart and not to lose hope,

to submit to the will of God.*

* J.R. Miller - In Green Pastures.