Amazing Grace

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

It was a Saturday in late May. The sun was hot and high in a brassy Colorado sky. Jonah Sims lagged behind his two golden girls, more like twins then mother and daughter. His wife, Sarah age thirty-two, was tall and slim with straw colored hair. Caitlin, age ten, had piercing green eyes and a gentle caring spirit.

The girls walked hand-in-hand in long, lazy strides across the parking lot toward the entrance to McDonalds. Their carefree, joyful banter floated upon the gentle midday breeze like thistledown. Caitlin, looking over her shoulder, playfully admonished her father for lagging behind, “Come on Dad, I’m starving!” The girls entered the fast food restaurant followed shortly by Jonah.

Jonah joined Sarah and Caitlin at the counter. Sarah placed her hand upon Jonah’s forearm sending a warm shock-wave through him as her touch always did. Looking up at him, she smiled, “Pick out a booth and I will get the food. My treat.”

Jonah found a table close by the play area so he good watch over his family as they ordered the food. The screams and raucous laughter of children at play washed over him unnoticed as he wondered if maybe, just maybe, he would wake up and all this was just a dream.

Sarah and Caitlin, food in hand and still giggling, joined Jonah at the table. He reached out and grasped their hands.

“Dear Heavenly Father I thank you for this day, I thank for your love and for the sacrifice of Your son on the cross for our sins. I thank you God for my family and thy bounty that strengthens and nourish us, Amen.”

“So, Mom,” Caitlin asked, her head inclined, “this is the summer we are going to Disney World, right?”

Sarah smiled secretly at Jonah, “I think that is up to your father.”

Jonah, in return, smiled conspiratorially at his wife as he addressed his daughter, “I will take you anywhere, my love.”

“Awesome!” she exclaimed. “I would love you even if you weren’t taking me to Disney World.”

Officer Pete Bolinger’s cell phone rang loudly in the close confines of the patrol car disturbing the lulling, hypnotic sweep of the wiper blades. Looking at the caller ID on the small screen, he recognized the name of the person trying to contact him. He unwillingly pressed the Send button.

“Hello, is this officer Bollinger?”

“Yes, Vince, what can I do for you?”

“I just wanted you to know that he’s back.”

“Who’s back”

“That homeless guy.” Vince responded impatiently. “You told me to call you if he showed up again and he’s back.

“So, what’s the problem?” Bollinger responded, his irritation visibly showing. “Let him get warm and then he’ll leave.”

“He’s singin’and prayin—scarin’ the bejeebies out of my customer’s. You gotta do somethin’ about him—and NOW!”

“What customer’s—it’s almost midnight?”

“Look, I want him GONE!”

“Calm down, we aren’t far away. We’ll be there in 15, 20 minutes.”

Officer Jenna Rose looked up from her paperwork, “You want to give up your break for Vince?” she asked.

“Some homeless guy is bothering his customers, just call it in.”

Jenna picked up the mic and informed the communications officer of the change in location. Hanging up the mic she turned to Bollinger, “I take it that this isn’t just any bum. Vince called you on your cell.”

Bollinger sighed, “The guy use to attend my church about ten years ago. I—I used to look up to him. He was a smart, savvy and successful man. He was chairman of the deacons and a leader in the church. He had it all. Everything! One day he lost his family. It threw him for a loop and he never recovered—he lost his house, his job—everything. Like Jonah of old, this guy’s whale was grief. Now he’s half crazy, living on the streets and sleeping under a bridge. Sometimes I wonder about God, I wonder why He allows terrible things to happen to good people.”

“I am with you there, Pete. I stopped having faith in Him a long time ago,” Rose responded.

“Just because you don’t always understand God doesn’t mean you don’t have faith in Him.”

Reaching over to the console, Bollinger flipped a switch, setting the light bar on top of the car ablaze. The cruiser pulled soundlessly away from the curb. The garish flashing light briefly illuminated the darkened buildings as the black and white slipped through the rain soaked night.

T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed

Oblivious to the world, the homeless man sat in a booth by the window. His body was bobbing and weaving as he alternately sang and prayed.

The black and white pulled up, headlights and light-bar blazing. Momentarily blinded by the light, the old bearded vagrant drifted back in time.

“Come on Dad, time we hit the road,” Caitlin chided as she stood restlessly by the passenger door of a pearl-white Escalade. Sarah looked lovingly at her daughter, amused by her impatient nature. Jonah pulled the keys from his pocket. Pressing a button on the key fob, he unlocked the doors.

Jonah slid behind the steering wheel, his seat belt already securely fastened in place across the seat, the buckle pulled neatly to one side.

“Honestly Jonah, how can such a handsome, brilliant and successful man be so utterly foolish? You could get a $75 ticket if they catch you.”

Jonah smiled indulgently at Sarah as he started the car, “I love you, besides, I’m rich!”

Sarah beamed in return as she securely fasten her safety belt. It was an old argument and she knew that Jonah would never change, he just didn’t believe in wearing a seat belt.

They hit the I-25 onramp and headed south toward Colorado Springs. About 45 minutes later a semi passed them just after the town of Monument. Suddenly, without warning, the big rig pulled into the fast lane leaving a scant ten feet between the truck’s back end and Jonah’s car.

“Whew that was close!” Jonah exclaimed as he applied the breaks to put more distance between them. Then, there was a blast of the truck’s horn and the big rig’s tail lights bloomed bright red.

“DADDY!” Caitlin screamed. “LOOKOUT!”

Jonah, still too close to the back of the big rig, swerved into the right lane to avoid hitting the back end of the truck and unknowingly moved into the path of a car that was attempting to pass him.

WHAMMM! The SUV was rear ended, sending Jonah’s car into an uncontrolled spin. The Escalade collided with the guardrail, riding it like a drunken sailor. The shriek of tearing metal and a fountain of Fourth-of-July sparks erupted up from the passenger side.

The guardrail came to an abrupt end and the SUV sailed into a steep brush-covered ravine. The Escalade hit hood first, buckling the front of the SUV... windows blew out... airbags exploded. The impact broke the engine mounts, shoving the motor into the passenger compartment. The driver and passenger seats were torn from their brackets... Unrestrained, Jonah fell through opening where the windshield had been. The vehicle bounced end over end down the eroded hillside.

Shocked and stunned, Jonah lay on the wreckage-strewn hillside helplessly watching the crushed and battered hulk of the Escalade stopping in a cloud of dust some thirty yards down the ravine. Jonah tried to get up—tried to reach the girls, but something was wrong with his legs. He clawed his way down the hard, sun-baked earth toward the remains of the car, the cries of Sarah and Caitlin filling him with an agony greater then the pain of his broken legs.

FURMMMP! The Escalade exploded, filling the air with hot smoking shrapnel and oily black smoke. Jonah watched in silent horror as a great fireball shot skyward, silencing the cries of his wife and child forever.

Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.

Officers Bollinger and Rose entered the restaurant. Vince, along with several staff, watched as the officers approached the homeless man. Bollinger knelt beside the vagrant, “Hey buddy, its Pete. How you doing?”

Lost inside himself, Jonah didn’t appear to see or hear Bollinger. Bollinger studied the lost and broken man, “Jonah?” he called softly. “You OK big fella?”
Jonah continued to stare blankly into the parking lot, the flashing light bar alternately bathing his slackened face in red, white and blue light.

“Are we taking him in?” Rose asked, in a soft voice that did not carry very far.

“I want him arrested,” Vince yelled from the other side of the dinning room. “For disturbing the peace.”

“We are taking care of it, Vince,” Bollinger warned. “Help me get him to the car, Jenna.”

Bollinger and Rose helped Jonah to his feet. Gently pulling his arms behind him, Bollinger loosely cuffed him.

“We’re arresting him?” Rose asked.

“No, we’ll take him over to the shelter. I just hope they have room.”

The officers led Jonah to the cruiser. Opening the rear door, Jenna placed her hand on the top of Jonah’s head and gently helped him into the back seat as the police radio crackled softly in the background.

“You can take the cuffs off,” Bollinger said. “The show is over.”

Bollinger got behind the wheel and turned off the light bar as Rose removed the cuffs from Jonah’s writs. Bollinger started the engine as Rose got into the front seat.

Looking over his shoulder, Bollinger began backing out. “Let them know we are making a run to the shelter.”

The black and white made a left at the exit to the strip mall. Bollinger drove a couple of blocks and stopped at a deserted intersection, the rain soaked street mirroring the harsh red glare of the flashing signal. Turning right, they disappeared in a curtain of rain.

The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.

The rain turned to snow as the black and white parked in front of the shelter. Bollinger got out and entered the building.

“How you doing back there?” Rose asked.

“I want to go home,” Jonah replied.

“Well, you may get your wish on a night like this.”

Just then Bollinger exited the building and entered the cruiser, “No room at the Inn.”

“So, what do we do with him now?” Rose asked. “Arrest him?”

“Take him home I guess.”

“I don’t think that’s such a hot idea, Pete.” Rose cautioned. “It’s snowing and the temperature is dropping. A guy like him could die out there on a night like this. Let’s take him in.”

“I want to go home.” Jonah demanded more forcibly from the back.

Bollinger’s fingers drummed the steering wheel as he wrestled with his thoughts.

“OK buddy,” Bollinger replied. “Home it is.”

Rose sighed as she fingered the mic.

The frost covered cobblestone embankment of the bridge glistened in the dawn’s early light. A thin dusting of snow covered the leafless branches of the Cottonwood trees and sidewalk that lined the banks of the Platte River.

In the tight frozen space between the top of the escarpment and the main bridge support lay an outline of a man sleeping under blankets and old newspapers.

“Jonah!”

Jonah awoke with a start at the sound of someone calling his name. Like an old grizzled turtle he poked his head out from under his blankets and newspaper. A shimmering woman clothed in a simple, golden robe stood on the sidewalk and the foot of the embankment.

“Jonah!”

“Who are you?” he cried looking and the golden apparition. “Are you Sarah?”

The vision became clearer, more defined as she ascended the embankment and knelt beside him. “I am of God.” She replied in a comforting voice. “Whom I look like to be does not change the message.”

“What message?” he pleaded, staring at the diaphanous, angelic face.

“God has sent me to tell you that your time of mourning is over. You need to let them go.”

“I can’t,” he cried in anguish. “They are EVERYTHING!”

“Jonah, God loves you and you have suffered enough,” she said reaching out with a golden hand and caressing his cheek. “God has instructed me to write these words upon your heart.”

A warmth engulfed him, as the message became clear she withdrew her hand.

“...seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you,” he solemnly whispered.

“Above all, Jonah, seek Him in all things,” she smiled, then vanished.

Jonah, filled with wonder, threw off his blankets and newspapers. He climbed down the embankment, and stood in the middle of the deserted, frost covered sidewalk, his breath shrouding his face in clouds. Suddenly the first rays of dawn touched him. He raised his arms in praise, slowly turning in the golden light.

When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.

The people passed by the usher who handed out bulletins of the coming worship service with a smile and warm words of welcome. They walk passed the stranger sitting in the front row near the center aisle praying solemnly with Pastor Smith. They stopped and leisurely greeted one another before taking their places in the pews. Soon the congregation settled down and patiently waited for the service to begin.

The ritual of worship, hymns and the reading of God’s Word came to pass, then the pastor ascended the platform and took his rightful place behind the lectern.

“I know the bulletin says I will be continuing in Mark this morning, but there has been a small change. I have asked brother Jonah Sims to share his testimony with us this morning. Not many of you were here twelve years ago when Jonah and his family were apart of our congregation. Only one or two of you might remember his great service as our chairman of deacons or the fate of his family. Please join me in welcoming brother Jonah to the pulpit.”

Pastor Smith extended is hand to Jonah, who had now risen from his seat. He ascended the dais and walked to the podium.

Looking out over the congregation, he cleared his throat and then, in a strong tenor voice, he began to sing:

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

Officer Pete Bollinger, dressed in a dark gray suit, stood and began to sing.

T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.

One by one the congregation rose and joined in. Soon the heartfelt hymn filled the worship center and began to sore beyond the walls.

---

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