Another scene this time of a tavern came to life around me as the women faded from view. I jerked as the newly revisited memory assailed me.
"I see you remember this place well. You should. See the boy lying at your feet? He died because you were too drunk to save him oh self-righteous and faultless one."
I stared down at the boy on the floor as tears ran down my cheeks. I wiped at them as I replied, "I never said I was faultless. I have many faults, but I have been forgiven and I've moved on ever seeking to be a better man than I was the day before."
"How can anyone be forgiven of such a missed opportunity as this boy's needless loss of life?"
"Well do you know the One by which forgiveness for wrong deeds came. How dare you suggest Jesus's redemptive sacrifice is not inclusive over all sin!" I hotly retorted.
Scene after scene played on of my long life and I grew weary of living, but not of my righteousness of purpose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maria walked out toward Elon in the center of the courtyard, but the panicked storm of darkness driven into a frenzy was between her and him. She was beaten down to the ground as every past wrong and guilty thought that she had ever had was railed and accused against her. This was wrong.
"Enough! I am redeemed! I am forgiven and through my Savior's strength I am more than a conqueror!"
The dark waves peeled back away from her and she started to get up to continue to go to Elon, but the sound of a voice of majesty stopped her as all creation seemed to stand still, "Well spoken daughter of my Father and heir of My redemption of all mankind."
Maria's head turned to see the truth of the presence she felt, even as her spirit leaped for joy as the rest of her trembled in awesome fear of Holiness personified in living form. She would've fallen back to the ground, but a scarred hand steadied her and pulled her up into an embrace that was peace itself.
"The years have been hard Zora, but now is the beginning of a time of peace within the storm that has been your life."
At the sounding out of her real name Maria could do nothing but cry at the completeness of how much God knew of her. Nothing was secret from Him and she was both glad and humbled by it.
"Come." Jesus said, as He took her by the wrist and brought her along as He came up beside Elon, who was no longer caught in fire or captured by the bonds of the serpent nor poisoned by its bite. Instead the dark spirit choked and pleaded within the grasp of Elon's hand.