It was 9 am on a Saturday, when Pamela bounded up the stairs of the tenement building. She went up to top floor, the landing with the stairs that led to the roof door. The building and apartment 20, with the large wooden cross on the door, were not at all unfamiliar to her because, for as long as she could remember, all her family members, at one time or another, had visited the residence on the west side of the city.

The person that lived there, Mrs. Burgess, was a woman of God. Mrs. Burgess could get a prayer through when nobody else could. On different occasions Mrs. Burgess had interceded on behalf of her and other family members and whatever the nature of their problem…it was resolved. They were grateful to God for Mrs. Burgess and they didn’t know what they would do without her.

Pamela eagerly knocked on the door and, somewhat impatiently, waited for it to open. When she heard the click of the lock, she was flooded with relief.

“Hi honey, how are you?” A round pleasant face greeted her.

“I’m fine now.” she responded.

“Come on in, dear,” the woman stood aside, “how’s the family?”

“Everything is fine, they all send their love.”

“I haven’t seen anybody lately,” the woman remarked as she led the way to the small living room and sat, “and you sure didn’t sound like ‘everything-was-fine’ on the phone.”

Pamela sat across from her. “Well they are doing just fine and that’s because we know you’ve been keeping us in prayer,” Pamela smiled and added, “I’m sure glad that God listens to you.”

“He certainly does and I’m glad about that too,” the woman responded, “so tell me, what’s the problem?”

“I got that new job you prayed about and well, to put it on the line, my supervisor doesn’t like me. As far as he’s concerned, I can’t do anything right and he said, if I don’t improve, he’s going to let me go.”

“That was a trainee’s position wasn’t it?”

Pam nodded.

“You just started a new job with new duties and responsibilities…you’re learning, but he sounds as if he expects you to already know the job. What exactly did he say to you?”

“Oh, he didn’t say it to me, one of my co-workers overheard him talking about me and they told me.”

“How long have you known this…co-worker… Pam?”

“Ever since I started, she’s my age and she’s been working there for nearly three years, she knows everybody there and…”

“I’m going to pray about it Pam,” Mrs. Burgess interrupted, “but until your supervisor personally addresses you with a problem, act like you never heard anything.”

“But… -”

Mrs. Burgess stood but grimaced and almost sat back down.

“Mrs. Burgess…!” Pamela went to her aid, “are you alright, what’s the matter?!”

“Haven’t been feeling too well lately, I was lying down when you called.”

“You should have told me, I could have talked to you on the phone…as long as I heard your voice it would have been alright.”

“No matter,” she responded, still slightly bent, “but you run along now and I’m going to pray about your job situation.”

“Thank you and I’m going to let the family know that you don’t feel well.”

Pam dropped a few bills in the ‘donation box’ and left. When she arrived home she met her mother walking up the block, she was pulling a folded shopping cart.

“Mrs. Burgess is sick!”

"Sick...how?”

“When I was leaving her apartment she attempted to stand but was almost unable to, and she said she hadn’t been feeling well.”

“Really…?” she responded with concern, “did she walk with you to the door?”

“No, and you know that’s not like her…she just stood there and watched me.”

Her mother shook her head. “That’s certainly not like Mrs. Burgess, maybe we’ll go by later on,” she began to walk away, "make sure you let mama know.”

“I see you’re going shopping, would you please buy some fish this time?”

“Where’s the fish money?”

“I just started working…you know I don’t have it.”

“Well I guess you had better wait until you do have it before you start telling somebody what to buy. Now go on and tell mama like I told you.”

When Pamela entered the house she found her older sister there with her baby.

“Oh my goodness,” she picked up her nephew, “he’s getting so big and fat. And he’s looking more and more like Arnold every day.”

“Don’t even mention that man to me…please!”

“Oh, oh…what’s the matter now?”

“I don’t know…but I haven’t seen him in three days! I’m on my way over to Mrs. Burgess right now…she’s got to pray about this for me, he’s getting ridiculous!”

 “Mrs. Burgess is sick.”

“What do you mean…sick? I spoke to her right before momma left out and she said to come right away. In fact, she told me that you had just left.”

“She’ll tell you to come, she told me to come too, but she’s not well. When I was leaving her apartment she tried to stand up and almost didn’t make it.”

“Well, I’m going anyway…I need her to pray for my husband and our marriage!”

“I’m telling you she’s sick…!”

“Who’s sick?!” Pamela’s grandmother came into the front room.

“Mrs. Burgess.”

“Who told you that?”

“I was there today, I saw her.”

“What’s wrong with her?”

“I don’t know, but it seemed like she was in pain because when she tried to stand up I thought she was going to have to sit back down. I asked her what was the matter and she said she hadn’t been feeling too well lately.”

“Is that right...?” her grandmother thought for a moment, “let me give her a call.”

She dialed her cell phone. After a few moments she clicked off and dialed again. She waited a little longer before clicking off the second time. “There’s no answer and her voice mail didn’t click in, but I know that sometimes her voicemail doesn’t work.”

“Maybe she’s sleeping,” Pamela said, “I always call her before I go to see her and she told me that she had been in the bed before I called this morning.”

“Well that’s probably what it is…she’s sleeping.”

“But I spoke to her,” Pamela’s sister insisted, “and she seemed fine and told me to come right over.”

“Right over…?” her grandmother answered, “and you still sitting here? But, just the same, if she’s not feeling well and she’s asleep, you don’t need to go over there and disturb her…let her get some rest, leave her alone!”

“But I need her help, what am I going to do?! Arnold is acting crazy!”

“You’ll just have to wait and that’s all there is to it!”

The older sibling put her baby in his stroller and left in a huff.

When her grandmother went into the kitchen, Pamela followed. The young woman sat and watched as her grandmother stood at the sink and peeled potatoes.

“Do you want me to peel those for you grandma?”

“Nope…gives me something to do.”

‘Grandma?”

“Yeah?”

“How long you have you known Mrs. Burgess?”

“All my life…we were girls together, our mothers were friends. Why?”

“Just wondered when you found out she could pray for people and God answered.”

“It’s always been that way, even as a youngster we could tell there was something kind of special about her.” She laughed softly. “My momma told me something and to this day, I’ve never forgotten it, though I never pursued it. But I remember asking her why God didn’t listen to my prayers but He listened to Alvena…,” she paused and smiled at her granddaughter, “you didn’t know her name is Alvena did you?” Pamela shook her head. “…Anyhow, my momma said that the only thing different between Alvena and me was that she had more faith in God than I did. Now, like I said, I should have heeded that wisdom and begun to build up my faith but instead I decided that Alvena had enough for both of us…and I just left it like that.”

“Well, she sure is a household name in this family. Whenever any of us has a problem or a need to be prayed about…we go to Mrs. Burgess and she takes care of it just fine…doesn’t she?”

“Hmmhmm.” Her grandmother agreed, concentrating on her potato peeling.

“Like when you were diagnosed with cancer…she prayed and you were healed. I know you remember that, don’t you?”

Her grandmother nodded.

“Then there was the time that Uncle Frank needed a new car so he could get back and forth to work but couldn’t afford it. He went to Mrs. Burgess, she prayed about it and he got that new car. And I don’t think I’ll ever forget," she paused a moment, "when daddy died suddenly,” her voice changed, “and it seemed like momma was going to lose her mind, but Mrs. Burgess prayed and momma got better. I don’t know what we would do without her to pray for this family and…I just hope…”

“Shut your mouth girl!” Her grandmother turned around and looked at her, “God Himself knows how we depend on Burgess and nothing’s going to happen to her, she’s going to be fine! I’m going over there tomorrow and evaluate her condition for myself… you might be making a mountain out-of-a ant hill, for real.”

“I’m not, grandma, you know I don’t exaggerate like that.”

“Yeah, well...I’ll find out for myself." Her grandmother responded turning back to the sink.

A little while later, her mother returned with a full shopping cart and the rest of the day passed pleasantly.  About 8:30pm Pamela left her room and went downstairs. Her mother and grandmother were watching TV in the front room as she headed for the front door.

“Where are you going?” her mother asked.

“Out.” She grinned.

“Okay, I know you’re now eighteen and I don’t have you on a leash, but it’s always good to let someone know what you’re doing. And also...if you’re going on a date, he could at least pick you up from your home.”

“I’m not going on a date, I’m going to see how Mrs. Burgess is doing, that’s all.”

“That’s a good idea, honey,” her grandmother spoke up, “I tried to reach her twice since this morning and still haven’t gotten an answer…call me a let me know.”

“I will, grandma.”

When Pamela arrived at the building she went up the stairs to the top floor. As she stepped up on the landing the first thing that caught her attention was the fact that the roof door was open. In all her years of visiting Mrs. Burgess the roof door had never been left open. Then she looked at the apartment door and noted that the large cross was not there. She knocked and waited but no one came to the door.  She was about to knock again when she heard a slight noise. It came from the roof and she wondered, had Mrs. Burgess gone up to catch some air? She moved towards the staircase and peered at the open door. Only able to glimpse the sparkles in the night sky, she began to ascend the stairs…

“Mrs. Burgess?!” She called out.

When no reply came, she stopped and was about to turn around when again she heard a rustling sound from roof. Taking the stairs two at a time, she thought...oh God! Is she hurt or something?! When she reached the top of the stairs and tore through the open door her eyes frantically scanned the entire area…but there was no one there! Yet, she was absolutely sure she had heard something… someone! She moved cautiously towards the fence that surrounded the roof’s edge and then she felt it…a presence behind her! She quickly looked back over her shoulder and her eyes could barely make out a figure that stood in the shadows.

For some reason, she didn’t know why…she was not afraid when a young man, whom she assumed was a tenant, came forward and stood a little distance from her.

She looked into eyes full of…what was it?...she didn’t know…perhaps, kindness?

“I…I didn’t see you when I came out.”

“I know…you were looking for Mrs. Burgess.”

She nodded, “Yes, I was.”

“Mrs. Burgess is dead.”

Pamela stared at him in disbelief. "How do you know?!" she demanded.

"I was here when they carried her out on a covered stretcher."

The reality of his words hit the young woman like a ton of bricks! For there it was, verbally, what her mind had been steadily trying to deny ever since she stepped up on the landing and saw that the cross had been removed. The impact of the truth engulfed her and the weight of the sudden loss brought her to her knees with mournful anguish sweeping over her, and she cried out…

“She gone!…she gone…our only true friend!” She screamed, “she was the only help we had on this earth and now she’s gone!! Oh Lord!” She yelled, “oh God, what are we supposed to do now?!” The waters gushed from her eyes and would not stop! “Who?! Who can we turn to now?! Who will fix our problems and make everything alright?! No! No! No!” She lamented, “not Mrs. Burgess! Not our only guide through everything …not Mrs. Burgess!!” Pamela threw her head back and opened her arms wide as she screeched to the heavens, “Why? Why didn’t you take me Jesus!? Why didn’t you take me!? My...my family could do without me, but not without Mrs. Burgess!” She wept bitterly. She wept long and hard, not caring about anything! All she knew was that…her lifeline…was no more!

How long she was there like that…she couldn’t tell, but when she finally came to herself she was lying on her side, curled in a fetal position.  As her tears subsided the trembling of her body ceased and she was still.  Though she was aware that the stranger was still there, at that moment, she felt so alone, so utterly deserted.

Did he sing…or did he speak? She didn’t know but with a voice full of tenderness like she had never heard before…

“Sit up…Pamela.”

She knew that the stranger shouldn’t know her name, but, strangely, it was unimportant and she slowly sat up in a yoga position and watched as he sat beside her.

“Beautiful night.” His eyes gazed at the starlit heavens.

And when she followed suite, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath… “Yes, it is," she exhaled, "….I guess.”

“Nothing,” he was still gazing upward as he spoke quietly, “can change what God has set in place. The greatest travesties of our lives or even the world cannot change what God has mandated. Wars and calamities may rage but…the heavens will still be the heavens, the air will still be the air, the waters will still be waters and the dust will still be dust.” He looked at her. “God is like that…He does not change.” He smiled. “Times and events change…people change, they live and they die…but God? He never changes. He is...always was...and ever will be, God! He made you, He made me and He made Mrs. Burgess. She was not made to live forever…no human being is.”

“Bu…but He gave her to us,” she said, “she was a gift, she did good things, she healed my grandmother of cancer and…”

“She…healed your grandmother of cancer?”

“Well, she prayed to God and…God,” Pamela looked at the stranger and went on in a tone that could hardly be heard, “God…healed my grandmother of cancer.”

“Then it wasn’t Mrs. Burgess,” He said softly, “…it was God.”

“But Mrs. Burgess prayed and asked Him to.”

“If your grandmother had prayed and asked God to heal her, and it was His will to do so, do you think He would have healed her?”

She shook her head, “No.”

“Why not? The Word of God says, the prayers of a righteous man avails much and His Word also tells us that when we pray, even before we finish praying…He hears and He answers.”

“My grandmother…my family is not like that, I mean…we are not righteous.”

“None are righteous of themselves, but all are righteous through Jesus Christ. And He responds to us according to the amount of faith that we have in Him.” He touched her hand lightly and she began to understand. “Do you recall a conversation between you and your grandmother earlier today where she told you that her mother said something to her about faith…something that she never forgot?”

Again, this stranger knew something about her that he shouldn’t, but still she felt no alarm. She nodded.

“What did she tell you?”

"She had asked her mother what the difference was between her and… Alvena,” she looked at him, “why didn’t God answer her prayers too, and her mother told her the only difference was Alvena had more …faith.”

“Her mother was absolutely right.”

“How does somebody get that kind of faith?” She repositioned herself to face him.

“God’s Word,” he answered, “says that those who seek it, who pray for it, who search for it…diligently…with all their hearts, souls and minds, will be rewarded with it, for without faith we cannot please God. Now God already knows that no one is perfect for, all come short, but all should…try. And it pleases God when the young or old at least...try. But when one doesn’t…please God…the separation is felt. Like your grandmother who wanted to know why she couldn’t be like Alvena. And, the fact is, the majority of people do as your grandmother did, as she erroneously has taught her family to do. They begin to look to something or someone that they think is more qualified spiritually than they are. They seek a light in someone or something else, unaware that they already have a light in themselves that simply needs to be developed. So it is, without realizing, whomever or whatever a person chooses to put their faith in becomes greater than God in their lives. And gradually, they will find themselves looking to that object first, before looking to God thus, we have …the making of an idol.”

“An idol?!” Pamela, stunned, jumped up! “How dare you?!” She spoke angrily, “we are not idol worshipers! My grandmother did not lead us to believe in false gods! We know that there is only one God and we do not worship figures and objects and things in place of God! How in the world did you go there…?! Nobody comes before God, we know this and we are not idol worshippers!!!”

“Pamela…?”

“You’re wrong!” she yelled, “dead wrong and I won’t listen to another word!” She headed for the roof door.

He did not rise, nor did he look around, but he spoke. “When you needed prayer about your job, who did you turn to first,” his voice was calm, but it was like a loud-speaker in her ear, “Mrs. Burgess…or God?”

Pamela stopped.

“Did your grandmother first go to God with her illness…or to Mrs. Burgess?”

She didn’t answer.

“When your mother’s grief was affecting her mind, to whom did your family turn to first…God or Mrs. Burgess?”

When she slowly turned around tears welled in her eyes and only then did he stand to face her.

“Your sister is having marriage problems, did she go to God about it…or was she trying to get to Mrs. Burgess?”

A single tear cascaded down her cheek, “we…we didn’t know!”

“Idols can be anything…,” he went on gently, “anything that we place before, above or have more faith in...than we have in God. Human beings are full of frailties. They are after all, only flesh and blood which is just that...flesh and blood, that will one day perish. Your grandmother, though she certainly didn’t mean to, turned Mrs. Burgess into an idol for your family. And you are all perishing, as His Word says, for lack of knowledge.

Remember, God is no respecter of persons and as His word indicates He doesn’t love any one person above another…for what He’s done for one, He’ll do for all. But He comes first! In His ten commandments, the first thing He lets us know is that He is a jealous God…He wants no other gods before Him! And that can be anything! Be it in the heavens or on earth. That is... wood, stone, flesh and blood, iron, steel, moon, stars or whatever…for anything can be fashioned into an idol."

He now had her full attention.

“Thus, never forget to be careful when praying for others, as Mrs. Burgess was not. Flesh can easily take over especially when one begins to enjoy the notoriety and certain compensations. It is at such times, that it becomes easy to foster self-adoration and one can fail to do one’s duty, which is to simply steer each and every person into their own personal relationship with God! One should not encourage dependence but rather should encourage independence by letting others know that they are more than capable of praying to God for themselves!”

“Thank you.” She whispered to the stranger.

He smiled, “To God be the Glory!”

She turned to leave and then looked back, “Aren’t you coming?”

“No…I think I’ll stand here and enjoy His,” he gazed up, "...night lamps... for a few more moments. But, you should hurry along…you’ve got a job to do.”

“Good night.” Pamela said.

“Good night.”

She was halfway down the stairs when she met a guy with  keys and a flash light coming up.

“How did you get the door open?” he stopped and asked.

“It was already open. I came to see Mrs. Burgess, I didn’t know that she had passed and the roof door was open…so I went out.”

“Yeah…nice lady” he momentarily reflected, “she died earlier today and I was going to check the apartment. I’m glad I did because management doesn’t want anyone on the roof…the door should not have been opened,” he proceeded up the stairs, “I’ll lock it right now.”

“There was someone out there with me…he’s still there.”

She watched as the young man went out onto the roof and came back to the door.

“Did you say there was someone out here?”

“Yes, I just left him.”

“There’s nobody out here, I’m going to lock it up.”

“Wait a minute,” she protested, “he’s got to be there!” Pamela ran up the stairs and went out onto the roof and looked all around…the stranger was not there! “Can I borrow your flash light?” she asked.

“Sure.” He turned it on handed it to her.

The bright light illuminated every inch of space …the stranger was no place to be found!

“I...I’m sorry" she stammered, "I guess I was dreaming.” she handed him back the flashlight and hurried down the stairs.

Once outside she walked quickly refusing to let herself think. When she was almost home his last words to her rang in her ears,‘…you’ve got a job to do…’ She heard it so clear that she stopped and turned to see if he was behind her.

It was then that she was filled with the assurance that she had not imagined it!  The encounter with the stranger had happened and though she could hardly understand it all, she was convinced that one day she would come to fully comprehend as to what had taken place on the roof. She felt a warm confidence in herself as she reached home and entered.

The house was unusually crowded with family members and she could tell from the look on everyone’s face that they had already heard about Mrs. Burgess’ death. Eyes followed her as she made her way to her weeping grandmother and her mother who was trying to comfort her.

“Grandma…,” she began, “I…  - ”

“You didn’t call.” She looked up at Pamela with a tear streaked face, somewhat accusingly.

“I know, grandma, but I thought it was better if I spoke to you in person.”

“What are we going to do now?” The old woman lamented with a bent head. “What in the world are we going to do without…Burgess?” She began to rock back and forth as she shook her head from side to side. “I don’t know what to do!” She looked up at Pamela, “I don’t know what to do…!”

“I guess,” Pamela heard herself say, “we’re going to have to …go to God for ourselves now.”

“What are you talking about, child?” Her grandmother’s face carried a slight frown and a look of confusion, “we’re not…like she was! We don’t have the power that she had! Why that woman could say a prayer one moment and we’d see the results within a day, if not sooner! You’re way out of line, Pam, please…not now!”

“That’s right! Get out of her face and let her alone!” Came the various harsh comments from her family “Go somewhere, girl…sit down!”

“Pamela,” her mother said tolerably, “sit down, honey.”

“I will not sit down!” She turned and faced her family, “I’m going to tell you what’s in my heart and let you know what I’m going to do from here on out…for the rest of my life!” She felt strong and she moved to the center of the room. “Mrs. Burgess was a good woman, she was a praying woman and we’ve seen the results of her prayers that God, in His Mercy and Grace, gave us. But guess what? Mrs. Burgess was flesh and blood…just like you,” she pointed, “and you, and me! The word of God says that our God is no respecter of persons, which means what He’s done for one, He will do for another! The power in Mrs. Burgess?  You want to know what it was? It was…faith! That’s all it was, that’s all it is! But… faith is…an awesome thing! So awesome that the Word of God says, without it we cannot please Him! But, if we seek it diligently, which means with every bit of our being…He will reward us with it! God does not change, He is not a liar, He does not go back on His Word! And, if He said it…it’s true !” She turned and went to her grandmother and knelt before her as she took her hands, “grandma…your mother, she gave you words full of wisdom and truth and you, being young, didn’t grasp the knowledge she was giving you. Just like she said, the only thing different between you and Alvena Burgess…was her faith.! And…--”

“Pamela!,” her sister interrupted her harshly, “it doesn’t make sense what you’re saying! It doesn’t make sense because I do have faith…I had faith in Mrs. Burgess and …”

“Hold it!!” she yelled! And her sister froze!

Pamela rose and moved to stand in front of her sister. “Repeat what you just said!” She demanded.

“It doesn’t make…”

“Not that…the last words you just said…repeat it!”

“I had faith in Mrs. Burgess and…”

“Stop right there…now repeat it again!”

“I had faith in Mrs. Burgess!”

“Again…!”

“I had faith in Mrs. Burgess!" She went on screaming, "I had faith in Mrs. Burgess! I had faith in Mrs. Burgess! I had faith in Mrs. Burg….” suddenly, she stopped.

“Say it again…!” Pamela demanded.

This time her sister slowly repeated, “I…had…faith…in….” she stopped again.

“...Mrs. Burgess,” Pamela finished her sister’s sentence, "but Mrs. Burgess is no longer with us. She is gone...dead! So tell me, who...are you going to have faith in now?!"

Her sister was silent and every eye was on them.

“What about…God?!?" Pamela went on, "what about you…praying for you?! What about you going to God and praying on your own for your husband and your marriage and your child?! That faith that you put in Mrs. Burgess? How about putting it in God! He always answers His phone, He’s never asleep! He never gets sick, tired or too busy, and He will not desert you or…die!”

Her sister stared at Pamela before grabbing and hugging her tight. She was rubbing her wet cheek against hers when she whispered… “Thank you, thank you! You’re right, so right! Thank you!”

Pamela turned and scanned the solemn faces of her relatives. “Can anyone tell me what an idol is?”

“It’s when" someone answered, "we worship something and reverence it like it’s God.”

The voice came from behind her and she didn’t have to turn to know it was her mother.

“Thank you, momma.” She again looked around, “can anyone else tell me what an idol is?”

“It’s when we have more faith in something or someone, than we have in God.”

She turned to look into the eyes of her grandmother.

“Thank you, grandma.”

She began to slowly make eye-contact with every person present...not missing one. Then...

“Our idol is…dead! Mrs. Burgess was a good person, but she didn’t do what she was supposed to do, she erred. She led us to lean on her instead of encouraging us to lean on God. Now she has taken the path which we all, as humans, must one day take.  She’s gone…no more will she walk this earth! So, what now?” she hunched her shoulders, “what are we going to do?”

Every eye was riveted on Pamela.

“Are we going to run around like a chicken with its head cut off…looking for somebody else to trust, to believe in, to lean on? Are we going to frantically search for someone else to have complete faith in, to…pray for us? Or, are we right now, in this hour, going to turn to Almighty God, praying with all our hearts, minds and souls…begging for His forgiveness and pleading for His guidance in every area of our lives?”

“Oh, God!…have mercy Jesus!” Pamela swung around to see her grandmother standing, crying out with raised arms, eyes closed, and tears flowing. “Forgive me, O God…forgive me! I did this, I did this! My whole family followed me, and I led them astray! Help us, Oh God…forgive us Oh God! Nothing, no more will be between You and us! I promise You, Lord…nothing no more, nobody, nothing! Absolutely nothing will ever be between You and us, Jesus!” She began to walk amongst her family…touching and encouraging them, “Pray, children…pray! God loves you, He Loves you! Pray to God, children, pray for yourselves! It’s like Pamela said, the power…the faith is in you…it’s in all of us! Let’s walk in it, children. Pray, cry out children…pray for yourselves, encourage each other to pray! Pray to God, children…pray… pray for yourselves!”

At first tongues…mouths unaccustomed to reaching unto the portals of God… hesitated, stammered and searched for the words to say to a God they did not know in a personal way…for themselves. The hum of their voices in the house was low and sporadic. Hands began to rise but only got to the chest and then, being unsure, went back down. Mind, spirit and tongue did not know one another…were not familiar and could not come together.

But grandma…she kept coaxing, and cajoling… kept prodding and encouraging, “Come on children,” she continued, “come on now…pray, pray! You can do this, God says you can! Call on Him, my children…call on Him! Jesus,” she yelled, “help us!” And...the hum…slowly began to change into distinct and clear, murmurings! Then the murmurings became louder and louder and at last…voices! Clear voices!  Loud voices! Not halting, not stammering and not unsure, but knowing what to say! Their voices steadily rose, higher and higher… reaching high into the heavens!  Voices...desiring, wanting, needing to do what they hadn’t done before for themselves…communicated with their God!

Tears gushed, noses ran as they fell to their knees, some stretched out prone, others began to jump and scream as the Spirit of the Lord filled the house! The prayers that were personal and private stayed that way, for nobody heard anyone else’s prayers so connected to their own! Each was in the presence of Almighty God for themselves and He belonged to each alone! The sound was so loud that it was noised…abroad! That is, it spilled out into the streets and those passing by heard it!

It lasted for as long as it took for every soul present to repent and truly accept God as their personal Lord and Savior…with nothing between. It was in the early hours, as the sun began to rise on a new day, that Pamela’s family began to exit the house with a new confidence in God and themselves. When everyone had gone Pamela’s grandmother embraced her granddaughter long and hard.

“I was so full of myself that God had to send the message through you…otherwise I would have never seen and corrected my grievous mistake.”

“I couldn’t accept it myself grandma, not at first, but an angel…he talked to me and…”

“A what?!” Her mother interrupted.

“An angel.” And when Pamela related the entire roof encounter to them, her mother and grandmother stood agape.

“Oh, my God,” her mother said, “oh, my God! The Lord saw our intentions, momma,” she looked at her mother, “He saw what we were about to do!”

“Yes, He did and He stopped us in our tracks!” She turned and spoke to Pamela.  “You don’t know what transpired before you came back last night. You see, after Alvena’s niece called me with the sad news, I called the whole family and that’s why they were all here.  After we talked the family decided that everyone was going to be on the look-out, sort of speak, for another healer…another person…who would take Burgess’ place and to whom we could take our problems. Our idolatry was going to go on Pamela, but God stopped it…Praise Him! He used you to stop it!”

“I thank God that He did grandma and now I see why He allowed everything to happen. He wanted His Divine Will done; that this family should be set free from the error of holding anything in reverence above Him. For the ‘making of an idol’ can begin with the most innocent intentions…but can only end with terrible results."

Pamela would pray for many in her lifetime but she would always remember to encourage each person to seek their own personal relationship with God and to have the faith to pray to Him for themselves. 

 THE END

       PS 146:3-6, PS 118:9, 1CORN 10:14

COPYRIGHT; JMSBELL-9/10/2017