The Kingdom of God
by Nathan Dain

“Rebecca.” Waking with a start, she opened her eyes and tried to look around the room. The dim lighting, combined with the fact that her cataracts had continually been getting worse, made the idea of seeing anything border on the absurd. However, putting all logic aside, she actually could see a figure at the foot of her bed.

“Rebecca, it’s time for you to go.” For that matter, her hearing had been going to pot lately as well… and here she was, listening to a beautiful, rich voice that filled all of her head. So vibrant. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d heard anything so completely.

Her heart was pounding in her chest. “Who… who are you?” As her eyes focused, the outline of a man (the voice certainly resonated like a man’s) coalesced into a striking form. Awe-inspiring, beautiful, heart-wrenching, all words that could just begin to touch on the presence before her. Even though his face had solidified into sharp contrast against the surrounding world, his body still seemed fuzzy. Not at all like her normal vision, this blur she saw was more like a fine, silvery gauze draping the man’s shoulders and wrapping his torso.

“My name is Soraphram, Rebecca. I am your angel. I am here to take you home.” And with the collapse of that last consonant, all apprehension slid from her. She was dying. A warmth filled her heart as the sensation of touch evaporated from her limbs. She certainly wouldn’t miss those aches that had plagued her these last years. Oh, to finally go home.

“How long will it take to get there?”

The smile of a sunrise christened his face. A liquid caramel chuckle poured from him, “Why, as long as it takes for us to have this conversation.” He leaned forward with interest for her reply. 

“And who will be there?” Her voice sounded groggy, but her mind felt sharper than in her youngest days of memory.

“Most everyone you love.”

“My husband. I’ve so missed him.” The warmth had completely enveloped her. Touch had completely left.

“Of course, your husband.” The beaming grin washed over her thoughts.

“Oh, and mother and father.”

“Ha ha. ALL of your family, even your children.”

Earthly fear stung at that moment. “My Children?! Has something happened to them? They were all alright when I last spoke with them!”

The encouraging smile looked as if it were about to let out another laugh. “They were fine for many years after you died. But Our Lord has very little use for time. You will be reuniting with your parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all with their families. All to be gathered in His arms.”

The warmth battled down the worry instantly. The glow of her angel suffused the room and cradled her like a mother her child. In a distant voice, she said. “My son will be there?”

“Yes, and his wife and girls. And the girls will have their families.”

She couldn’t help but smile. Soon.

“And my daughter?”

This time the laugh did poke through. “My is she a tough one. Always chose the absolute most difficult path, didn’t she? But in the end she always turned to Him for help. Yes, she’ll be there along with those of hers.”

At almost a whisper she could hear her voice. “And my baby. My youngest son. Will he be there?”

For a splinter of time, the brilliant shining angel tarnished. His glow flickered.

“Rebecca. You know the answer to that. Why must you make me say it?”

“Because it needs to be said. I have to hear it.” A tear formed on her fresh beautiful face. 

Without malice, Soraphram honored her wish. “No. He will not be there. He has turned his back on the Lord and there is no allowance for that.”

Tears ran freely now. “But he was a good man. He shone bright in such a dingy place.”

“He was good by the morals of an immoral world. These are not the standards of our Lord. Mankind is born into sin and your son was no exception. Your son and his wife turned from the Word time and time again, they spawned children who followed in their footsteps. I am sorry Rebecca, but he made his choices. You will not see him again.”

Pleading, her new energy reached out for the angel. Grief pounded at her as she tried to garble out anything to make her point. “But this isn’t right! It can’t be right! I Love him!”

“And he loves you, but that isn’t enough.” He paused with a profound look of sadness. “Rebecca. There is no sorrow in Heaven.”

“But My Son! My… my. I’m crying. Why am I crying? I thought... something was missing. I…”

“Rebecca, it’s time to go home.”

Absently, she smiled. “Yes. My family will be there.”

“Yes.” A little less brilliant, a little less sharp, the angel nodded. “Your husband, your son, and your daughter.”

Together, they turned from the lands of man and entered the Kingdom of God.

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