Angels of Humility: A Novel Read Online Free PDF Page A

glad
.
    At the back door shaking hands after the sermon, Paul tried every memory trick he knew to remember people’s names. He pictured an outhouse floating in the ocean when he met John Seas. Angela Carver became an angel sculpting a big piece of cheese. Sarah Edwards was easy; her name was the same as the wife of his hero, the fiery evangelist, Jonathan Edwards.
    For ten full minutes Paul basked in the adoration and compliments as the church members filed by shaking hands on the way to their Sunday dinners.
    “Great sermon, pastor.”
    “I enjoyed that a lot.”
    “I never knew the meaning of that one word in Greek; that’s very interesting.”
    If Kathy and Paul could have seen into the spirit world, they would have fainted at the sight of two tall, muscular angels with angular, chiseled features accompanying them to their small Toyota. Valoe had long blond hair and Saldu, brown. Their glistening white robes were girded at the waist with a belt of truth. Their enormous gossamer wings were folded behind them. After being in the throne room from eternity past, they literally glowed with celestial resurrection power. Hael, Jordan’s plump, jovial guardian angel, was waiting to get in the back next to Jordan’s car seat. Valoe and Saldu would fly along beside the small car. Even though these guardians had been with them for years, neither Paul nor Kathy were aware of their presence.
    The minute Kathy and Paul were in their car, before the key was even in the ignition, Paul turned to Kathy and asked, “Well?”
    “Well, what?”
    “What do you mean ‘well what’? How’d I do? What did you hear from the people?”
    Kathy rolled her eyes, “Just the same things you did when we were standing together in the back.”
    “I know what they said, but what did they
really
think? Did they seem to like it? Did they follow along?”
    “You did fine, honey. The sermon was very good; you know it’s one of my favorites.”
    “Were they nodding? What did their body language tell you?”
    “Honey, I was sitting on the second row. All I could see was you!” She patted his shoulder. “Take a deep breath and relax; you did fine.”
    “Kathy, I’ve got a good feeling about this,” he said, as he eased the car onto the blacktop road and back toward town. “I think this might be God. I can see us settling here. I can see Jordan growing up here. I can see me taking this church from 60 members to 300, and I know you think the parsonage is charming.”
    “After the seminary dorm, living in a department store dressing room would be charming.”
    “No, I’m serious; I think we have a future here. I have a good feeling about this. It has potential. It feels like it might fit.”
    “Honey, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you’ve got your cart way out before your horse. Relax and let God bring it about, if it’s even Him. If it’s not, He has something else. Just don’t force it.”
    “Listen to your wife,” said Saldu. “Realize the magnitude of your heavenly Father’s love for you. If you humble yourself, you can get filled to overflowing with love and acceptance from Him every day. Now your insecurities cause you to crave affirmation from people. You’re looking in the wrong place.”
    “Yes,” said Valoe, “God’s love truly satisfies. You could spill the excess over on Kathy and Jordan and the needy people around you. Instead you try to accumulate compliments to fill the bottomless dark pit in your soul. Without humility there can be no spiritual power, intimacy with God, or favor of God on your life.”
    Their 1993 Toyota stopped in the parsonage driveway. The engine dieseled for a few seconds after the key turned off and finally sputtered to a stop. Kathy shook her head.
    “This car! It won’t start when we want, and now it won’t stop, either. Maybe it’s demon possessed.”
    “Later this afternoon I’ll get some anointing oil, or maybe some 10W40,” said Paul chuckling, “and see if I can exorcise