Jacobs Ladder At The Swimming Hole

Angels and Prayer fight the darkness, a mental pictue of the workings of prayer

 

“And from where have you come?” The Father asked.

“My Lord, we have come from the man-child that we were assigned to.” The Angel named Hazel his guardian declared.

“But alas Great Holy Father, He is living life, for the moment, and has forgotten all about you,” Said Zadkiel the messenger angel.

“We have waited by his side for these twenty-one years, and only his mother offers us any hope.” Hazel spoke in a solemn tone.

“Yes Lord, she covers him nightly in her prayers, but to your throne he is silent.” Zadkiel said boldly.

“Just as it is written ‘I will command my angels concerning you to guard you carefully’; so you will continue to do so.”

Time yielded to the Creator as everything in creation does and with a moment’s notice, they again stood at the young man’s side. It was a shame that his heart was bitter for the Creator had molded him to be a gentle man of words. However, his tongue had become barbed and his days were bleak.

 

The sound of morning coffee brewing was steadily slowing and was quickly replaced with the nutty aroma of a mild breakfast blend. She filled her cup and rushed outside to her rocker and waited on the morning sun and fellowshipped with her Lord.

As the Saint prays: Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus, and in His name I thank you for this day. I ask you Lord to place a hedge of protection over our children and our grandchildren. Father, hide them for the plan of the wicked-one. Soften their hearts that they can hear from you. Do not let their lives be required of them until they have made their peace with you. Give me wisdom to know how to pray this day for them and give me a gentle spirit to speak wisely to those I meet.

And in the Heavenly: Wings of protection stretch out over the young man and all of his siblings.

Meanwhile: His phone beeps from his mother’s text that she sends to all of her children. ‘Love you kids and my prayers cover you.’ Part of him waited to receive that text, that came his way more days than not.

“I wish that woman would find something better to do with her life than pressure me about God,” and the angels remove their wings from his protection. Though her prayer is a shield unto him, his free will must not hinder it and the Angels stand at his side at attention.

His alarm sounds and he strikes his snooze button it is time for work but this is the first sunny day they have had in over fifteen days. His mind considers all the possible reasons he might have for staying home.

When Tommy and Beth call, “Hey man we’re going to the river, wan’na come?"

And in the Heavenly: His angel whispers "say no and go in to work."

“Dude, you are just what the doctor ordered. Count me in.”

“Great we’ll be by in an hour or so."

And in the heavenly: again he whispered to him, "Thou shalt not lie."

“Hello, Mr. Spencer, it’s Mike, I hurt my back last night and won’t be in today. If you have any questions when you get this message feel free to call.”

As Hell rages: “hurt your back did you,” the demon of destruction snarls and smiles as he collects the young man's lie and decides to tag along for the ride.

­­­

Three cars to go and lunch can be ordered, as her stomach growls and rumbles. When without notice or cause the rumbling stops and fear and nausea take its place. Moments earlier she was humming and singing and now she felt cautious, but about what or whom she did not know.

And in the Heavenly: Zadkiel whispered into her spirit, “Pray for him,” and within that thought she knew to pray for Mike. She pulled out of the line and parked in the far right-hand corner of the parking lot

As the Saint prays: “Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus my Lord. I stand before you covered in his mercies and made righteous by his rightness. Lord I feel compelled to pray for my son and as you are the Good Father I ask you to cover him with grace and protect him from the destroyer.

Meanwhile: Tom jumped out into the river, “come on Mike, your next!”

However in Mike’s heart he felt a check.

An in the Heavenly: Hazel whispered, “You should have gone to work, you should not be here. This is a mistake, don’t do it!”

“I don’t man it’s a bad idea we’ve had too much rain lately I think I’ll find another way, to bring the others down.”

“Chicken, Mike is a Chick-chick-chicken!”

And Hell rages: Jump boy, show’m who’s the best. Come on and Jump!” His sneer was vile like his breath and soul. The hairs on Mike’s neck stood straight-up as anger creped inside of him. And with that Mike yelled, “I’ll show you who is a chicken.”

And the Saint prayed: “Soften his heart that he can hear you.”

Meanwhile: Mike stopped in his tracks, “No dude I’m not jump’n just because you’re a fool the water is too high and we can’t see if there’s debris.”

And Hell rages: “Give Him a push, He needs your help he’s just scared, don’t let Tom call him a chicken.” The demon whispered into the friend’s ear standing by his side. Then the moment was sealed, set into motion Mike’s arms and legs flailed as he tried to regain control. Voices of laughter filled the air as everyone cheered and hollered. The dark waters of the river drank the boy right in. Mike felt like he barely made entry when he struck something with his tailbone horrific pain jolted through his body.

And the Saint prayed: Lord again I ask you do not let the Devour have him. Keep his soul safe until the day he is willing to return to you, in all of your glory. Arm his Angels with the weapons of Heaven and give them charge over his body and soul.

And in the Heavenly: This two Angels were armed with swords and shields. They rushed to the rivers floor and found the Devour had hold of his foot to drown him. The boy was fighting to swim to the surface but his legs would not work. His spine tingled like a stinger and his lungs were starting to feel pressure and the need for air. Panic was beginning to take hold.

As Hell rages: “You’re soul is mine, I’ve beat you all!”

And in the Heavenly: The sword of the living God struck the demons hand. The Devour recoiled in pain and anger as Hazel rushed the lad to the surface.

And the Saint prayed: “Father I know you have entrusted him to me Help me to pray for him as he needs and I entrust him back to you for you loved him first. Lay your hand of protection over him. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen”

Meanwhile: Mike gasped for air and though it was desperately needed the stinging in his back was now a violent pain. ­­­­______

A peace came over the mother; again she felt the need for lunch, although soon a late night call of trouble would come her way.

The entire SE corner of the state had the weather station on. They were expecting the worst night of storms they had seen all year. Three tornados had already ripped a path reaching across a 300 mile stretch. These storms were building and breaking one after another.

Two hours away in Tulsa it was 61 degrees, over in Tahlequah where her son was hurt and down south a bit near Daisy it was still 82. With each minute the sky grew darker with layers and layers of clouds, lightning rippled across the horizon and thunder clattered in the heavens. The wind was still out of the East but as soon the two fronts came together all hell would break forth. Travel was crawling to a stop. Truck Stops were filled with truckers and travelers of all sorts.

News Channel Two broadcasted: “Folks this is going to be a long night. We recommend everyone seek shelter the front edge of this system is driving 80 MPH wind gusts. Just behind the front is hail and torrential rain. We will keep you advised throughout the night.”

The mute button is hit as the phone rings. Her husband begins to speak. “I see, and where is he now, and you’re going to Saint Francis’s? Will the weather let you use Live-flight?”

“Who is it” the woman asks. “Honey what’s wrong?” and then she just knew “It’s Mike isn’t!”

“Yes Sir, We’ll be on our way.” His smile is weary; get your purse and coat, “Mike’s broke his back the ambulance is driving him to Tulsa. He hurt himself in a diving accident of some sort today on the river.”

“No!” tears began to build. He had just escaped a car crash three months earlier what else could happen to the boy. "Are they taking Live-flight?”

"No, the weather is too bad.”

“What was the boy doing on the river after all of that rain?”

“Sweetheart, I don’t know but we need to try and beat this storm.”

The woman cared not of the weatherman or his station. She laid a hand on the truck, “Lord, give your Angels charge over this vehicle and over us for we are needed in Tulsa. Father, my trust is in you and I command this storm to set on its heels and let us pass. Amen.”

The truest and deepest black covered the air around them, there was no depth to the sky above for the ceiling of clouds were low; but the black of night was infused with brilliant streaks of power that shot straight down on every side. The wall-cloud was massive and fanned the horizon. The night itself seemed sinister but our warrior gave no thought to the cloud, or to the wind and the hail that followed. But her lips were laced in prayer as they rushed to beat the ambulance.

“Father, I thank you for being with us always Lord I ask you to place your hand on his spine keep his spinal Colum safe and in tacked and give us wisdom as we walk through this trail.”

And in the Heavenly: Hazel smiled for he could see the hand of God and knew that all would be right.

 

Author's Note

part two of Jacob's Ladder

Reviews

[wordman]

looks like a winner to me,loved the story

[patricia]

you penned this realy well, captured those insightful moments when we know what has to be done and do it. Lovely. thanks.