Grace instead of a Party

There was once this young woman called Anna. She loved music, watching tv shows, netflix, working out, singing...there was a whole lot of things that she loved- but deep down inside she was just an ordinary young Anna.

She turned down a Halloween party, but something was going to happen that day, that would change the way she thought about the world.

She didn't go to her halloween party. Her closest friend Jane had invited her. She didn't go because she didn't have something nice to wear. 'Attend the party' was the best friend Jane's advice- 'even if you just wear jeans and a t-shirt, just don't miss out! You hardly attend any parties- at least attend this one!'

Anna said 'Its warm at home and I'm not feeling too well'. She lied. She did this at most parties. She really did love the feel of home...

Her parents were often the irritating sort, but when she tried to reason, by thinking their way, it all made sense. Probably when she reached their age she would know why.

Besides she had her own room. Why did she ever have to think about anything other than her laptop and her favourite music? A natural introvert, she was always absorbed in her own little world.

So fate had it that Jane attended the party. She dressed rather decently as a receptionist. Everyone else was dressed up as some fantasy character or the other. Jane however wanted to be different. That was Jane!

And so she spent all the time in her room, doing what she normally did-until suddenly she heard a voice saying:

YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

'Wha...who, who said that?'

GOD

'Really- is that you God?'

'Yes, I've been watching you- and everything you watch on your phone, young lady and I must say, your skills at avoiding the things that pressure and stress make people watch are immense'

'Really? God -tttt telling me that? Why thank you! How, How did you know? This is a secret I don't even tell myself! '

Anna was crazed out of her wits. She didn't know whether it was really God or whether she was hearing things. She took a while to calm down because usually when people had visions they apparently took a while to come out of it. She knew it because even though she liked punk rock and prided herself on being asexual she did sometimes read Christian Literature.

She went to bed that night and slept really well. She went to school the next day and met her friend Jane as always. Jane had taken the same classes as her and she loved going to school just to be with her friend.

Unfortunately Jane was a little upset and avoided her the whole day. Anna wondered why. After school they met - 'Why are you avoiding me?' Anna asked. 'You didn't show up at the party yesterday?'

'I'm sorry that I didn't come. But you know, the strangest thing happened to me last night?'

'What happened?'

'A voice told me that I needed to change my life'

'Really - that could have been God?' Jane said looking at Anna with intent.'I guess it doesn't happen all too often. A ghost would never say that. I think it happened to my Grandmother as well. I suppose there are some people that tend to hear God speak!'

They both went home. Anna got home, and returned to her room. She didn't speak all that much to her parents. She knew that over involving herself with older people would sometimes invite intrusion on her privacy. That was some budding wisdom, Anna reckoned.

Suddenly the voice

'Anna'

'My Peace is with you'

Anna felt cold sweat again. But she was a little overjoyed because she was starting to grow familiar to the voice. She decided to read the Bible. She was positive that this was the voice of Jesus Christ.

She read psalm 91, something inside told her to. She did. It was quite lengthy. But there was a particular line that stood out:

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name."

'I wonder if God would do that for me?' Anna wondered.

She decided to call up the best friend Jane, to ask if she ever read the Bible. Jane admitted that she did read the Bible, but she was too scared to tell Anna, because she thought it was best kept a secret. To her it something very private for fear of what people might say. She felt it helped because it gave her solid principles to live by.

Anna couldn't keep the truth inside.

'Jane, I heard the voice again'

'What did it say?'

'It said My Peace is with you'

'That sounds alot like the voice of Jesus Christ'

'You know what Jane, maybe these are the end times? With the pandemic and other things that have been happening, maybe this is a voice I need to listen to. I feel so blessed that I heard it and maybe I'm happy that I didn't attend that party. Maybe attending was not a bad idea because we knew all the people there and stick to our turf. But you know the jarring music, people dressed like zombies? Not a very Christian thing.'

'Maybe ours can be a Godly and prosperous friendship and we need to do things like attend church more and read more of the Bible. Maybe it was God that prevented me from attending that party. Maybe what I did today, calling you and telling you everything that was in my heart, was something God wanted. Maybe we can start thinking about our purpose in life rather than living just for the sake of existing.'

'I recently read this in the Bible 'But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.' John 8:23.' Anna, it so applies to you, And to us. Because there is a realm above us called Heaven that is God-ordained. And if there's any other realm, He knows it. Here's another verse I think applies even though I'm not sure why.'I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?' John 3:12 . So in conclusion Anna I just wanted to say that perhaps we are avoiding the reality of the burning chasm, which is might be close because these are indeed the end times.

'Jane I think that there you have it- the divide between the realms of fantasy and reality. Fantasy- the pleasurable, the easy merry making path and the Reality which is a bit difficult, and we consciously choose to adhere to discipline, and carry our crosses in Life so that we avoid the burning Chasm in the end. Maybe we're not dumb people who deserve to be ignored, which is what people from the world think of us. Perhaps there's a reality that God is trying to indicate to us, and his idea of Reality is different!' Anna said.

'Love you for this Jane. Thank you for having an open mind'

'Pleasures all mine'. Jane replied.