Angel Academy

As Lucy glided through the door, her feet touched a rush of cool water. The door closed behind her. She looked up and saw big mountains surrounding her. She was standing in a fast flowing river, and could feel the hot 90 degree sun on her skin. She knew exactly where she was, and it was always her favorite place in the world. Her grandparent’s ranch in Mexico. This was the very spot she and her siblings used to play at when they were children. They would spend all day long swimming in the river, playing in the mud, and running around barefoot all over the ranch. They would eat fruits off the trees, wild berries from the bushes, and explore the land all around them. Their imaginations were the limit.

Lucy always felt extreme comfort from this land, and felt like there was something very magical and mysterious about this place. It was her place of peace. The summers they spent here were always her best memories. Even though her grandparents were strict, she knew she was loved by them. She liked being somewhere her and her siblings weren’t slapped around, talked down too, and treated like the lowest of the low on earth. This place was Heaven to her. She took in the smell of the wild flowers and vegetation around her. The warm wind was comfort, flowing through her long hair. She closed her eyes and was taken back to her childhood memories. It’s been about 4 years since she was last here, since her grandparent’s died 2 months apart. They were married 53 years, and were buried under their favorite mesquite tree. The tree was estimated to be over 200 years old, and was massive. Lucy loved it too, and again, she thought there was something great and mysterious about it.

When she opened her eyes, she saw a figure standing on the other side of the river. It was Jesus himself, waving to her. She ran across the shallow end of the river as quickly as she could to reach him. He met her a few steps in the river himself. She embraced him with a full blown tackle of a hug. He caught her in his powerful embrace, and held her for a few seconds.

“I’ve longed to see you, my daughter. “I’ve missed you,” said Jesus with a warm smile.

Lucy was caught off guard, and stopped and looked up at him. Her heart was longing to be in his presence again, since they last saw him at The Academy.

“You missed me…my Lord?” she said surprised.

“Of course I did, Lucy!” said Jesus warmly, “I long to be in all my children’s presence. I long for all of your company.”

He stopped and looked around, closed his eyes and felt the warmth. He looked down at his feet in the river.

“This water feels really good!” he said smiling.

“I’ve always loved it here,” said Lucy looking around too.

“I know you have, daughter. That’s why I brought you here.”

“Why did you bring me here Lord?” asked Lucy.

“Because I want you to talk to me and to trust me. Tell me what’s on your mind. I AM here to answer your questions,” Jesus said lovingly.

They started to walk down the river bank, and off towards a favorite hill she liked to climb as a girl. You could see most of the ranch from atop of that hill. She thought long and hard for several minutes. Jesus walked along her side respectfully, as she thought.

“Why do my parent’s hate me?” she finally said aloud, tears welling up in her eyes. “I could take the slapping around, but my brothers and sisters were innocent. They didn’t deserve it. My mom never stuck up for us, she just watched quietly in her little world. The more my father drank, the more he took it out on us. Going off to college was the best thing that ever happened to me. But they’re still there, having to endure it without me. I guess my question is simply, why?”

“You were always strong, Lucy,” said Jesus with kind eyes. “You are also compassionate, loving, nurturing, and have the spirit of a champion. You’ve always fought to know truth, put others first before yourself, and sacrificed yourself for your siblings. You are quick to forgive your mother and father, and would always encourage your siblings to keep loving them. This you got from me. You always knew I was there, even though you didn’t understand it. Even when you questioned my Father’s existence, you knew deep down I was there.”

Lucy looked long and hard at him, dissecting every word he spoke to her.

“I didn’t want to believe,” she said honestly. “I was a little angry and bitter with you. I thought surely life didn’t have to be so hard and cruel. I searched long and hard, trying to disprove your existence. But the more I searched, the more you made yourself known.”

“That is true wisdom among the wisest on Earth,” said Jesus. “Your conclusions were correct to say that the universe could not be held together without The Father. But you are only scratching the surface. God’s majesty and mysteries are infinite. Mankind was never meant to understand it. People get smart, and think they can outsmart their Creator. Deep down though, they all know the same thing. They just choose not to accept it. They would rather spend an eternity in pride, than accepting truth and giving themselves to a higher power. Proverbs 25:2 says: 'It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings (NIV).'