Lisa’s heart danced merrily in unison with the giddy butterflies in her stomach. She still couldn’t believe she was there. A place she had heard about on countless occasions but never believed in. Its name all too familiar as a mode of expressing anger and frustration. And yet, here she was. So, it had all been true! She couldn’t believe her luck. She’d done nothing to deserve this. Nothing! Worse still, she had often scorned at the idea of it; assigning the very notion as foolish and absurd. But in that moment, something had changed. As she breathed her last, she had seen a face that filled her with an overwhelming joy and hope. How was it possible to feel such a thing at a moment of ominous abyss? As her heart had yielded, finally saying yes to the one she’d always rejected, the blanket of fear and darkness that had enveloped her lifted. And now she was there. With Him. Face to face.
She didn’t know what to say. There was so much she wanted to know. So many questions. Why me? How could you possibly forgive me? What did I do to deserve this? Are you sure you chose the right person? What about all those terrible things I did?
“Take your time, we have as long as you need,” he said, as he sat on the gold, marble flooring. “After-all, we have all of eternity to get to know each other.” He chuckled. The smile in his eyes glowed with warmth and tender affection. There was an essence of peace about him that could only be described as a surreal tranquillity. Lisa sat opposite. To him! The one through whom all things were created. The one she now knew holds all power and sovereignty in the palm of his hands. And yet, the only thing that emanated from him was an indescribable love. Here she was, sat next to the King of kings, with all the time in the world to just talk and be loved.
“How come?” she said finally. It had to be her first question. She still couldn’t believe her luck.
“How come?” His eyebrows were raised, waiting for Lisa to elaborate.
“I mean, how come I’m here? I never believed in you. In fact, I used to put you down all the time. I constantly ridiculed you.”
“I know, I was there each time you did so.” He laughed, no sign of disappointment in his eyes.
“And you didn’t get upset with me?”
“Not at all. I love you, Lisa. And besides, that is the reason I sacrificed my life on that cross.”
“You mean … you knew me all those thousands of years ago?”
“Yes, I did. I’ve always known you – who you are, what you would do, and who you are now.”
Lisa shifted a little closer to him and looked him in the eye. Her heart skipped faster as the reality of who she was conversing with intensified once again. “I hope you don’t mind me asking this, and I’m sorry if it seems a little self-centred, but… did you think of me?”
“Think of you? I’m always thinking of you, Lisa.”
“No, I mean…when you were on the cross. Did you think of me then?”
He smiled, eyes lighting up as though Lisa’s question had triggered a fond memory.
“How can you be smiling? What you went through was horrible! How can you be smiling?”
“Because you’re here, Lisa. That is all that matters. It is the reason I did what I did. And yes, I did think of you; how much I love you, and how one day you would believe in me.”
“I…I’m sorry it took me so long…to believe in you, I mean.”
“There’s no need to be sorry. All that matters is that you are here now. It is not when you chose to believe in me that matters, but that you eventually did.”
“Did you know I would eventually believe?”
“Yes, I did. I knew before you were formed in your mother’s womb. You have always belonged to me, and my love has always been with you.”
“But how could you love someone who always put you down? Someone who neglected you time and time again?” She pinched herself several times, each time harder than before. It took her many seconds to realise she felt no pain. In that moment she realised that although her realisation of Jesus’s never-failing love and perfect patience should have paralysed her with guilt and remorse, the only emotion she felt was an inexplicable joy. A joy so finite and free that she suddenly began to recognise the needlessness of her questions. All that mattered was the here and now. The King of kings loves her so much that he gave his life for her. Allowed others to torture and nail him on a cross, so that she could now be with him. Now and forever. It was all that mattered. Everything else was irrelevant. But she couldn’t just leave it there. The ever-increasing waves of gratitude in her heart were bursting through her chest.
“I… still can’t believe you did all that for me. I… thank…”
“I know, Lisa. I see you. No more need to dwell on the past. You are free now. You are home.”