Chicago was glowing with the city lights Miranda had loved all her life. It was no Big Apple, but it was home, and there were only two things in the world she loved more than her city. She pushed her curly, auburn hair out of her eyes and slipped her cell phone out of her pocket. Dialing the number, she held it to her ear.
“Matthias? Matthias, are you there?" The connection was bad, so she walked around a little, her amount of bars slowly rising. Eventually, his voice came in.
"Hello, dear."
His voice still gave her goosebumps, and that extreme happiness that came with the knowledge of him being hers. "Hello, Love. Are things with Elisabeth all right?"
He sighed. "She keeps crying. I mean, right now she's sleeping, but she cries a lot."
"I—I know, Hun, I’m sorry I left you alone with--"
"I mean, I'm a guy, Mira. Taking care of babies is not my thing, why did you leave her with me?"
Miranda huffed, the magic of his voice gone. "Matthias John Walker, I was pregnant for her for nine months, was in labor with her for five hours, and spend every moment of her six months on this earth by her side, do not complain about three days."
His voice became sheepish. "You're right, I'm sorry, Dear."
"Yes, yes, it's alright. I’m going to get some dinner now; I’ll be home tomorrow."
"I love you, goodnight."
"I love you, good night to you too.”
Miranda sighed and rolled her eyes, dropping her phone into her purse. The fact that she had spent her first night away from her little Beth crying into her hotel pillow would remain a secret from her husband. She quickened her pace as Rock Bottom Café came into view, her nose picking up smells before she thought was humanly possible.
Rushing into her favorite restaurant, she stood, her mind as impatient as her stomach, as she waited to be seated. Her stomach growled as she sat down in the booth, not even bothering to look at the menu. The restaurant was empty; the only person in there was a man, alone like herself, seated on the other side of the building. Her orders for an iced tea and a burger were taken as soon as her butt hit the chair, and the food came all most as fast. After a bite or two, she flinched with guilt and muttered a quick prayer over her food.
Mom would be so proud, she thought sarcastically, remembering how they prayed over every meal, take-out, homemade, or in a restaurant. She laughed bitterly, the other man’s presence long forgotten, as she remembered her last encounter with the one she once called “mom“.
“Devil child!” Her mother had screeched as she packed her clothes and “necessities” into a small bag on the side of her bed, her boyfriend waiting in his car below. The boyfriend that had gotten her pregnant at seventeen.
Miranda toyed with her fries and thought of her two loves in the entire world, Matthias and Elisabeth. She brushed off memories of teenage years, though she giggled and fingered her hair when she remembered shaving her head during sophomore year, her first movement of teenage rebellion. She nibbled on her burger a little, her appetite gone. The tall man who had been waiting on her returned to her table and she asked for the check, but he shook his head.
“That man has paid for your dinner, ma’am.” He responded, gesturing towards the man on the other side of the building. Miranda blinked and sputtered, somehow managing a thank you to the waiter while staring at the forgotten man.
“Wha-What was his name?”
The waiter rolled his eyes. “He signed the receipt Yahweh.”
He’s probably some do-gooder who thinks I’m some poor teenager, all alone, she thought, putting her wallet back and smoothing down her blue dress, I should go pay him back.
Doing her best to look mature, she rolled back her shoulders and strode over to the mysterious, generous man. She tapped his shoulder faintly, not sure what to do in an encounter like this. He turned around, eyes bluer than her own putting her in a trance. His brown hair was short, but a little messy, and his beard was neat.
“Sir, you paid for my dinner, and I came to repay you.”
He looked at her with those blue eyes and kept his hands in his lap. “There is no need for that, it was a gift.”
Miranda started to pick at her fingers, and squirmed. “I don’t need your charity, sir. I’m married, I have a job, and I’m capable of paying.”
He smiled and shook his head. “This is one of the problems with the world today, a simple act of kindness in the name of the Father is disregarded as charity.”
Miranda blinked and searched her mind for a retort, but couldn’t find one. “Well, thank you…Yaw--yeweh--”
He put up his hand and stopped her from mangling his name. “You can call me Joshua.”
She felt her face go hot, and she knew she shouldn’t have attempted his name. “I just, the waiter told me…”
He nodded and gestured at the seat in front of him. Miranda closed her mouth, and slid into the cushioned booth, finding herself overcome with trust for this strange man. Parts of her mind told her not to just sit by a stranger like she was a pole dancer in a strip bar, but other parts told her he was trustworthy, and besides, it was quite obvious this man would not even go inside a strip bar to ask directions. He seemed to have this serene aura, or maybe just a lot of charisma. Either way, she felt more at peace than she ever had in her life.
Joshua sipped his beer quietly, and Miranda couldn’t help but stare at him. His short sleeve, button down shirt was a paler hue than her dress and his khakis were clean and crisp. A flash of brown hung around a neck, and after staring at it for a little while Miranda figured out it was a small wooden cross. The silence was comfortable, but she was willing to break it to learn more about Joshua.
“Are you a pastor, Sir?” She asked tentatively.
He smiled at her kindly and nodded. “I am the pastor. I am the Shepherd an the world is my lamb.”
What a strange answer, she thought, the gears in her mind working overtime trying to figure out this man.
“And what of you, Miranda? Are you a follower of Christ?”
The faint wondering of how he knew her name was quickly disregarded as she wracked her mind for an answer. “I--I believe there is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit…” She started, searching his eyes for approval. He nodded and motioned for her to continue. Miranda rubbed her arms and spoke again. “I don’t know how to explain it,” She responded with a frantic laugh.
“Try.”
“My mother says I’m going to Hell,” She whispered, “She says God hates me, God hates my decisions, and God hates adulteress’s. I am unforgivable.” Tears welled in her eyes and she trembled. After a minute she had to force herself to look Joshua in the eyes. The weirdest combination of emotions filled them; hurt, pity, compassion, even love.
“Miranda, do you believe and trust in the Lord our God, and are you sorry for your sins?”
“Yes,” She spoke in the quietest voice possible, “I am more sorry than anything, but--but I don’t…I wish I had waited. I don’t regret my decision, I regret that I didn’t wait until I was married.”
“Miranda, God loves everyone. God forgives, and God doesn’t want anyone to go to Hell. He is perfect, and He made you. He loves you, and He forgives you. Miranda Emily Walker, you are forgiven for your sins.”
Miranda's jaw fell open as she stared at Joshua. "That's--that's impossible, my mother said that when I got pregnant I lost all hope of ever inheriting the kingdom of God."
He looked at her, amused. "Do you always listen to things your mother says?"
She looked down to mask her red face. "Who are you?" She muttered.
"I am who I am."
Images of a burning bush lit up behind her eyes and Miranda gasped, looking Joshua in a completely different way. Normally if someone said that, she would give them a funny look, or scoff, or do things that were much more rude, but when the words came out of that man's mouth all truth was revealed.
"You--you're..."
He nodded. "I am Emmanuel, Son of God, The light of the world, King of Jews. I am the lamb of God, Logos, Rabbi, Son of Man. I am Yehoshua, Yeshua, Yahweh, Joshua. Jesus."
"You are the shepherd."
Miranda had no idea why she was so accepting of the fact that she was sitting across from Jesus Christ, it just felt so natural.
"Does this mean--is this the Rapture?"
He shook his head. "No, not yet. That time will come, but the time is not now."
Her eyes widened as another thought floated into her mind. "Then am I dead?"
He took her hand and shook his head. "No, you will live to see your husband and daughter, and you will live to see her children, and their children."
An involuntary sigh escaped her chest as he spoke those words. "Why did you come then? Why did you meet me?"
"They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick."
"Mark 2:17." She responded, smiling.
"And true. Every word I spoke when I was here on Earth was true."
"I know...I guess I never thought of it that way though. When I was younger, I read and memorized the bible so much it almost lost it's meaning, almost like it was just there for rote memorization."
He nodded and looked sad. "Yes, there are many people like that now of days. The word of the Father means nothing to a man if he believes it with his mind and not his heart."
Miranda nodded, her brow scrunched together. "I understand."
"So you know what you must do?"
She nodded hesitantly. "At church, the phrase 'born again' was repeated over and over, and I never understood. I do now."
She bowed her head and closed her eyes. "Dear Lord, " She looked up. "I'm sorry, it feels weird praying to you with my eyes closed when you're right here."
He nodded and looked her strait in the eye. Encouraged, she continued. "Please come into my life. I accept you as my savior and I ask forgiveness for my sins. I know you raised from the grave to save me, and I know you are the Lord. I trust and believe in you with all my heart and soul."
He smiled and squeezed her hand. " How does it feel?"
"Different. I'm not sure yet, but it feels good."
"Every time a child of God is saved, I feel it too. Every time, I'm filled with so much joy, knowing that one more person has escaped Satan's clutches."
They stood up, and Joshua hugged Miranda. "Go spread the word of God."
