Part XIX:

The Law,

 To Protect and Serve

www.ambassadorsforJesus5.com

     So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ~Galatians 5:16-18

     Alex drove as Reuben was clearly upset, “Alex, you know with that incident on Sunday I felt one of the greatest measures of God’s presence seeing me through. I know I still need to grow but a part of me felt like I had arrived. Oh, you know we are passionate here and our emotions can run strong. Now here it is only two days later and I feel like I am back to square one with my emotions running high.”

     “Don’t let the enemy lie to you Reuben, you are growing and it isn’t just evident to me, but we must keep putting our trust in Jesus and keep relying on Him so that we may walk in the Spirit and not the arm of the flesh.  

    Remember, God doesn’t change the old nature. We tend to think God wants to send our old man into a rehabilitation program but he cannot be rehabilitated, God’s law proved that. His sentence is death and believers have been, past tense, have been crucified with Christ so that we can experience and enjoy new resurrection life in Him.  We don't have to listen when our old nature calls...but don't mistake your unique God-given design for carnality.    

     God uniquely designed each of us for his and our delight.  How he made us is also his gift to others through us, like he specially crafted Eve for Adam.  As I have said before, that doesn't die, it was just tainted by our inherited sin nature at the fall.  When we enter in through Christ how He uniquely designed each of us goes through a rebirthing as our old sinful nature meets with death and we are given God's nature in Christ.  It's trading the nature of death for the nature of life, that's what changes, not our specific design.  Although, our gifts and strengths can also be used for ruin if we are acting apart from Him." 

     Reuben listened intently sensing he needed this.  He wasn't sure how well he could absorb it all now, but was grateful to have a distraction from worrying over what he may find.  Alex went on.

     "God isn't looking to change how He designed you, just don't let your worries and emotions get the better of you.  Emotions are just a reflection of what is going on within us.  It's the fruit of what our hearts and minds are found in, heavenly matters or earthly matters; the life of the Spirit or our natural lives.  

     Reuben nodded as he put a grateful hand on Alex’s shoulder. He then spotted his son and yelled, “There’s Junior!”

     They had reached the outside of the subdivision and it was just as Dolores had described it, a small riot. Jim and his homies, as Reuben referred to them, were in the street. From the car they heard them yelling names and accusations at residents in Alex’s neighborhood who just stood there looking from just inside their subdivision unaffected as if they were made of stone. Sarah’s words came back to Alex as she described a wall surrounding the subdivision, “It looked old and full of holes.” Alex felt he was now starting to capture what Sarah had seen.

     Junior was just a few steps behind the pack that was headed up by Jim. Alex parked and Reuben ran to his son.

     “Junior! What are you doing here?! Go home!”

     A young man named Brian overheard him and turned to Junior. “You see what we’re talking about?  They just want to control us and make us like them!"

     Reuben was fully aware that Brian did not have that deep, abiding love for his son that a father has for his child.  No, to Brian Junior was just a token and an allied in their crusade against their neighbors.  

     With an all-consuming, passionate love for his child Reuben quickly turned to Brian and sternly addressed him, “This is my boy, until you have spent yourself loving, caring, and providing for him you keep your mouth shut! You don't see me and have no idea what you are talking about!”

     Hearing the commotion the others then turned their attention to Reuben and began to close in on him.  Alex swiftly moved and stood in between them. “Get out of the way Alex!” Jim yelled, “Go back to your neighborhood. We’re going to deal with this traitor once and for all.”

     “You’ll have to get through me first,” Alex firmly informed him and his manner was also as one set in stone, but there was a different essence about it than the one coming from the residents in his neighborhood.  Jim and his group then directed their anger at Alex.

     Alex watched as Jim’s anger turned to rage at his response. He was so mad he took a swipe at him and Alex stood there allowing the young man to vent his anger out on him. He'd known him for some time for Jim used to live in his neighborhood.  Alex felt that unlike some, Jim’s intentions, like many others, were to do good, but it was poisoned by bitterness and resentment.  In this darkened state they didn't see their neighbors in the Light of Christ. The enemy, through some ill-intended residents in Reuben’s neighborhood, was taking advantage of their unhealed wounds.  Jim's leadership gift and skills were also being used to further his agenda.  Jim had lost his way and was in way over his head.  Alex could feel the Lord's great love and compassion for him, one that he shared.

     Just then the police officers who worked as guards on the premises arrived on scene and took the angry crowd to the side. Alex could hear Reuben talking to his son behind him.

     “Junior, look at this. How Alex and I have given of ourselves to help them and they turn on us. Is this what you want? Is this what you want to be?!”

     Junior was clearly shook up by the whole thing, “No,” he said in sorrow, “I don’t want that,” then after a pause he continued more aggressively, “But you treat me like a kid always telling me what to do. Daddy, I’m not a kid anymore!”

     Wearisome of this short-sighted vision that had also impaired his son from seeing him, Reuben was now clearly trying to keep his anger in check.  “You want to be a man. You want to be a man!  Well then, I’ll let you be A MAN but with it you will take the responsibility of A MAN and pay the consequences like A MAN.” Reuben then turned and yelled at the officers, “Hey, you forgot one over here!”

     “Daddy,” Junior was alarmed, “What are you doing?! I don’t believe this.”

     “Well, you said you don't want to be treated like a child and with adulthood comes greater responsibility. You ready for that part of being a man?”

     “Ok, ok, you made your point. Can we just go now?”

     “In a minute, now please, go to the car and wait for us.”

     Officer Cassidy then approached the men and addressed Alex, “Hey Alex, another eventful night I see.”

     “Yes it is Dan. Sorry for all the commotion.”

     Dan was nonchalant, “Hey, it keeps me in business. Between Sunday and tonight, think I may end up with some overtime. I was just on break reading the sports section on the upcoming Superbowl when I got the call. As I was driving up I saw Jim strike you. You’ve got a witness. Do you want to press charges?”

     Alex shook his head, “No, just see that they’ve cooled off and settled down before you send them on their way so they don’t do anything stupid.” Alex then turned to Reuben and asked, “That sound good to you Reuben?”

     “Yes, that’s fine.”

     “Reuben,” Dan greeted before asking, "Está todo bien?“

     “Yea Dan, just a disagreement with my boy.”

     Dan gave him an understanding nod, “He reminds me of you. Hey, you remember the run ins we had when you were that age?”

     “Oh do I. “Helped me see the Light.”

     They both laughed at the memory, Dan then asked, “You still rooting for the Packers?”

     “You got that right!”

     “They’re going down,” Dan jokingly mocked.

     Laughing in turn at what he saw as a most ridiculous prediction, along with Dan's steadfast certainty, Reuben shot back, "We’ll see about that!”

     Dan then addressed both men, “We’ll hang close tonight while the dust settles. Go in peace.”

     “Thanks Dan,” Alex said.

     “Hey, no problem.  You know the guys are still hoping you'll rejoin the force Alex.  It isn't always easy finding those who won't abuse their position and stick within their jurisdiction.  That whole Martyr thing you had going doesn't look very appealing.  Sure you won't reconsider?"

     Alex let out a hearty chuckle before replying, "You know I have a great respect for the position and we did some great work together.  Where would society be without the law?"

     "That's right," Dan commended, visibly pleased with Alex's response.  "Not everyone recognizes the role we've been assigned in society as a good one, but you've been on our side and see the good work we do.  Others see it when our services protect them by imprisoning those driven by the lusts of the flesh...and then there are those like Reuben, who get tired of imprisonment and opt for a better life.  Isn't that right Reuben?"

     "Yep, you're pretty fast for an old geezer," Reuben threw in for old times' sake.  That's what Reuben used to call him back then when he would mock Dan. 

     Dan couldn't help but chuckle at the memory before turning back to Alex.  "I still remember how you would rack them in.  You have a gift for it."          

      "Yes," Alex reminisced, "but I am where I'm supposed to be at this stage in my life. I appreciate the invitation though."

     Dan nodded, then looking back at the others he said, "It doesn't look like we'll be forced into retirement just yet.  You know how to get a hold of me if you change your mind." He then changed the topic as he addressed them both, "You guys are going to join us at the main clubhouse for the big Superbowl bash this Sunday night, yes?”

     “Absolutely,” Reuben emphatically replied, "I wouldn't miss seeing you eat your words when the Packers sweep the scoreboard.”

     Dan chuckled at that, “I see you’re still a dreamer Reuben. See you then."  He then started walking towards the others.

     Reuben was now the one laughing, then as one who would have the last laugh, he shouted, "Hey Dan, my dreams are coming true!"

     Turning around Dan smiled and gave him a thumbs up, "If you ever need help with your boy feel free to give me a hollar.  I may be an old geezer but I haven't lost my touch yet."  He then caught up with the other officers that were still with Jim and his group.

     Alex once again drove as Reuben spoke with his son, “Junior, I don’t want you breathing a word of this to your mother, ok? We can all discuss this tomorrow after we’ve had time to sleep on it.”  

     Junior nodded in agreement.

     “Do you need time before we go back into the house?”

     “No, I’m ok dad,” and after a moment added, “Thank you.”

     “I love you Junior, don’t you forget that. Some day you will see things from my side…and don’t forget to thank Alex too, he didn’t have to put himself in danger like that you know.”

     “Thank you Alex.”

     “It’s going to be ok Junior, you’ll see,” Alex reassured him.

     They walked back into the house where Maria and Danny were in the living room, “Junior, you’re home early,” she noted in surprise.

     “Yes mom.”

     “You want some of Alex’s cake. I saved you a piece.”

     “Sure.”

     “Watch your brother while I go and get it. He’s getting cranky but he doesn’t want to sleep.”

     “Where are the rest of the kids?” Reuben asked while scooping up Maria's piece of cake that was sitting on the coffee table and taking a bite.

     “Upstairs playing video games…and leave that piece alone, I have a big piece for you in the kitchen, and for you too Alex.”

     She then went into the kitchen while the guys settled in on the couch. Reuben hugged his son. “I love you Junior, don’t you forget that.”

     “I know dad,” came his hushed reply. He then added impatiently, “But stop that, I’m not a kid anymore.”

     Reuben let the boy go and threw his arms up in defeat.     “What?! Nothing wrong with that."  He then turned to Alex and gave him a hug while saying, “I love you man,” to prove his point.

     Alex and Reuben proceeded to put on a show making a pretense of crying as they hugged and repeated, “I love you man."

     Junior couldn't help but laugh. He then put his arms around them and joined in.

     “Now that’s the character of a real man of God,” Alex said, “One that loves.”

     Junior was smiling.

     Danny then walked up to his father with his arms open wide and began to cry.  Reuben immediately scooped him up in his arms and gave him a hug that swallowed the young boy, "I'm going to relish every moment of this because one day this one too may look at me and say, 'SSStttoooppp, I'm not a kid anymore.'

     "Daddd," Junior whined, "Why do you and mom have to be so dramatic about everything?  You know I love you."  He then leaned over and kissed Reuben on the cheek.

     "Because we feel deeply," Reuben answered his son wholeheartedly before turning to Alex. "See that, all that other stuff for a slice of heaven but when that slice comes, it's so incredible the rest is lost in the love and joy...Ring a bell?"

     "Oh yeah," Alex replied emphatically.  They both then said in unison, "Partaking of His sufferings..."

     Alex went on, "How God's Heart must also grieve when we misinterpret his love...another golden opportunity to enter into intimacy with Him."

     Maria's steps were heard approaching and as they turned they watched her re-enter the room with cake for all.

     “Maria, you’re a saint. Reuben is blessed to have you,”

     Maria was clearly complemented. “Gracias Alex, I know how you feel about having a wife but I been praying that if it is God’s will that he will give you a helpmate too…maybe this Sarah is it,” she said hopefully.

     Alex smiled and nodded before adding more solemnly, “Maria, you know I can’t have children.”

     Maria looked at him with those big, brown eyes of hers that were often filled with compassion and understanding. “Alex, if the Lord has a woman in mind for you then it won’t matter. You know that.”

     “I know,” he agreed. “Maybe I just haven't believed this was for me, but I'm open to it now.  Thank you Maria for the reminder.”

 

Part XX:  A Radiant Covering