Nora and Patty

Nora smiled. She had just lied admirably. Or so she thought. They were asking her about her educational qualifications. Inflating her grades and achievements seemed so easy to do. "What if they go back to the University and check?" a single thought flickered for a while in her mind. But she quickly brushed it away. She was so used to live a life of lies. But deep in her heart, she detested the lies and the dark web she was in. How do I get out of this whirlpool? she wondered off and on. But she found it hard to behave otherwise, strangely.

                                                              Hearing a knock on her door, Nora got up and opened it. Her friend Patty had arrived. "Hello Patty", she said as she smiled sweetly. But Nora was thinking, "I hate the very sight of her. She is such a braggart!"

Patty, Nora's classmate, was a sincere girl. She asked, "The University is calling for interviews to take up credits in this new semester, Nora. What are you opting for, Nora?"

                                                              Nora thought to herself, "Oh! this pest will cling to me and take the courses I am planning to take. Let me take her for a ride."

                                                              "Hm. Let me think. Perhaps I will take Philosophy and Fine Arts with some Humanities. What about you, Patty?" Settling down in the comfortable armchair in front of Nora, Patty replied, "Just the same Nora. How close we are. I was thinking of the same courses, dear."

                                                              Nora walked to her kitchenette. "Would you like to have some coffee?" Hoping that Patty would refuse. But Patty wanted some. As the percolator was burbling, Nora brought out some cookies on a tray and put them on the table. Both of them starting munching on them as they talked.

                                                              Looking tenderly at her, Patty asked, "How are you coping with life Nora? You don't seem to open up with me, these days." Nora felt like saying, "What does that matter to you? Mind your own business, you Nosey Parker!"

                                                              But she smiled and lied, "Am coping well dear. All is hunky-dory with me."

                                                              Patty was silent for a while. She thought, "I feel that Nora is hiding from me. But why? I just can't understand. I feel in the dark when I try to talk to her heart to heart. Is it just that she doesn't like me? How shall I reach out to her?"

                                                              They continued to chat for a while listlessly, each in her own thoughts. Rarely speaking out what they are thinking.

                                                              Back in her own room as it was getting late, Patty opened her Bible to read a passage. She happened to read from the book of Psalms.

                                                              "Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you. But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield."

                                                              As she knelt down to pray, Patty felt that the Lord was talking to her. "Dear Patty, Nora needs me. She is far from me. You are my servant. You have to bring her to me."

                                                              "Me, Lord?" she asked, "I myself feel that she is acting in front of me. How can I bring her to you? I feel inadequate to do it. Isn't there anyone else? "

                                                              "I have ordained you to reach out to her. Show her that I am the light. That will bring her to me and I will redeem her from the darkness which envelops her now. Go and do it my child, Patty, I am with you."

                                                              Feeling reassured, Patty resolved to fast and pray that week and approach her friend the next week with the gospel. She prayed sincerely. On that Friday she spent more time with the word as she fasted and spent her free time focusing to pray for her friend Nora. She asked God to help her to reach out to her.

This was her prayer, "Lord, you speak through me and help me to reach this your child. Help me to help her seek, and find you. Only you can make it possible, dear Lord."

                                                     This time they met at a cafe. Patty, apprehensive, arrived early as the butterflies gathered in her stomach. She ordered some coffee for both of them. Sitting at a table with a view of the entrance, she kept looking for Nora. Minutes before the time they decided, she saw Nora approaching the cafe.

                                                     Like Nehemiah of the Bible, Patty sent an SMS prayer to God. "Help me, Lord!"

Then she started smiling, "Hello Nora! How are you?"

                                                     Nora was looking a little lost. She mumbled, "Oh hello Patty! Am doing okay. How are you?"

                                                     "You look a little lost dear, can I help you?" she asked. A middle-aged waitress brought their coffees and left the tray on their table as she dragged herself away.

                                                     Nora sipped her coffee and did not respond. Both of them silently sipped their coffees. Patty looked at Nora. She seemed about to take a decision. Having second thoughts, though. Patty decided to wait. She was calm and smiling as she drank her coffee. Putting her cup down decisively, Nora sighed deeply. Looked like she came to a decision. Nora looked into the eyes of Patty and said, "I would like to confess to you, dear Patty."

                                                     "I was deep in darkness, spiritually," she continued, "All these days I was dabbling with the devil, well almost. I used to hate you and your approaches. I was distant from God. In my innermost being, I hated you and all others like you. I lied constantly and lived a lie as it were. What I was in front of others, was just a facade. I was into all types of evil things in my inner being. This tension is breaking me apart. I do not know what to do. I thought I can at least share with you. What do you think I should do Patty?"

                                                     Nora seemed so sincere and vulnerable. Patty was moved. She sighed a prayer of thanks to God.

                                                     She rushed to her side and embraced her. With her arm reassuringly on Nora's shoulder, she began talking, "My dear Nora, I have been praying for you for a long time. Ever since I came to know you. From the last semester, I have been somehow concerned about you. In spite of your flippant attitude, I realized that you are in some trouble., spiritually. So I started praying for you.

                                                     It is very simple dear. All of us, including the greatest men and women, all are in the dark pall of sin-sickness. We are depraved totally, right from the time of our forefather Adam. We are in the dark as it were. God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to earth for this purpose. To be a sacrifice for our sake on the cross of Calvary. He died on the Cross for your sin and mine, for all the sins of all people on earth then and now. It was a one-time sacrifice. It was possible because he was the only sinless person on earth, ever.

                                                     So now, as you realize how you are, you need to repent from your dark nature and come to the Lord Jesus Christ. He loves you so much that he died for you, remember. So He will take away all your darkness and sin. he will fill you with His light. And He is the light of the world. You will shine once you pray and accept the free offer of pardon, and a new life.

                                                     Her eyes shining with tears, Nora looked deeply at Patty. "Is this true dear Patty? Really? Is it so simple for me to come out from my darkness into true light?"

                                                     "Yes, indeed. Yes, and Yes Nora!" affirmed Patty as she embraced her tightly.

                                                     "Then I would like to repent and come to Him right now. Can you help me pray?"

                                                     Right there in that cafe, they both knelt down in prayer. Patty led Nora in a simple prayer of repentance. With all her heart, Nora repeated the prayer. As they got up from their knees, Nora was full of joy. "I am so happy Patty. Thank you for loving me, caring for me, and sharing this good news with me. I feel as if have walked out from intense darkness into a bright new day of light! Ohh, Thank you, Jesus!" she shouted.

                                                     The other clients in the cafe were looking strangely at these two women. So they paid their bill and went out into the bright sunshine.