Continued from July 5, post –
Hope began to soar as they scrambled and clawed their way towards the shining object. When they finally reached the other side, they stared at another book that appeard to have a bright light eminating from inside its pages. Grace stooped down. “Discover God through His Attributes,” she read. She stared at the blue cover with white lettering for a long moment.
“Can I see?” Merci asked, moving to look over Grace’s shoulder. She read a highlighted section. “We have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the son of God, God lives in him and he in God.” Her eyebrows raised like golden arches as Grace stuck the book in her backpack.
With renewed energy Grace said, “Let’s keep going.” It felt wonderful to be in the sunlight again.
By late afternoon, however, their stomachs protested their emptiness, and their tongues stuck to the roofs or their mouths. “Let’s rest,” Merci pleaded. They sat down in the slanted rays of the sun and surveyed the barren area around them,
Grace shaded her eyes. “What’s that in the distance?”
Merci squinted. “I don’t have a clue, but it looks like something or other in some trees.” Curiosity got the best of them. They stood up, brushed off the dirt, and hurried toward the structure that seemed to draw them with an intensity of the day’s sunshine.
They approached a stone well. Something was sitting on the lip of the well. They quickened their pace.
There on the stone ledge sat a small basket of fresh bread, cheese and fruit. Next to the basket perched a pitcher of ice water and two glasses. In their haste to drink and eat, they almost overlooked something that laid just beyond the pitcher. It was a large book. They looked around but saw no one.
They gulpled the refreshing water and stuffed their mouths with bread and cheese. Then Grace took a deep breath and reached for the book. It was opened to an underlined section. “What does it say?” Merci asked, after another gulp of water and a handful of grapes.
Grace cleared her throat and read, “Jesus answered her, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give Him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
“What does that mean?” Merci asked.
Grace thought for a bit. “I think it means we’re going to be thirsty again.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Merci said, pouring another glass of water and offering Grace a refill. Grace shook her head.
“I think there’s a deeper meaning here – maybe something spiritual,” Grace offered.
“Well, what do you think?” Merci asked, wide-eyed.
To be concluded next week.