Jenny expected a visitor, so as moonbeams danced through the curtains, she welcomed the day.

She opened her Bible, which was to her the best love-letter ever. “Speak to me, Lord,” she whispered. Her thought meandered to the Bible Study she’d attended two days ago. The leader had asked God to enable them to reach someone trapped in a cult religion that week.

“My Jesus,” Jenny said, “Am I prepared should You choose to send this visitor to my door? What should I share that will make a difference?” Doubts invaded her thinking. How could she say anything that would break the mental chains of a cult? Jenny then expressed her deepest fear, in thoughts too scary to speak aloud, What if this person draws me into cult thinking? Could they could trick me? Jenny was educated, but she knew the cult was too.

Jenny felt she should read Romans 8:35-39. She spoke it as a prayer. “I am Yours, Lord Jesus. Nothing can separate me from Your love. Not tribulation, nor distress, nor persecution, nor any other trial can separate me from You.” Jenny balled her hand into a fist, as if holding an imaginary sword, “I am more than a conqueror because You love me.”

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or sword? … Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

~Romans 8:35, 37 KJV

Jenny heard the birds beginning their morning songs. She knew she must begin her chores, but she lingered with her Beloved Jesus still. He must take center stage. Only He was adequate to quell her fears, but it was more than that—she loved Him.

“My Lord, what if I don’t do an adequate job of sharing who You are?” Within her spirit, Jenny heard, Are you willing for Me to speak My love through you? She turned to Ephesians, “Speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15a KJV).”

But speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.

~Ephesians 4:15 KJV

Jenny took one last sip of cocoa and nodded, “I’m ready, Lord. Send me.”

Rap! Rap! The knock at the door startled Jenny.

She peered out of the curtains. Two ladies, one older and one younger, both impeccably dressed, stood with heels together. The elder lady had erect posture, held a flyer, an iPad, and what appeared to be a Bible. She touched the younger lady with an elbow. Instinctively, the younger lady straightened her posture, smiled mechanically, and looked for affirmation from her mentor.

Jenny knew which of the two ladies God had sent to receive His love…

“Hello, ma’am. We are from…” said the elder lady.

“I’ve been expecting you.”

“You’ve been… Expecting? I didn’t know you were in the schedule… Let me check my records.”

“You will find nothing written,” Jenny said, “We prayed in our Bible Study group for God to send you ladies this week and He did.”

The elder lady cleared her throat and quizzed Jenny about her belief’s. What did the Bible say about Heaven and Hell? What would the end-time scenario look like? How did she know for sure the Trinity was correct? On and on she went, scarcely allowing Jenny to answer.

Jenny felt bombarded. Then it dawned on her that this was an entrapment. Love didn’t operate this way; so she did not need to answer argumentative questions. Besides, every time Jenny thought she was making inroads, the elder would turn to her iPad and search in her notes so Jenny felt she was engaged in a discussion with informants.

Help me, Jenny prayed.

A verse came to Jenny’s mind, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony (Revelation 12:11a KJV).”

“Put the iPad away.” Jenny said. “You are reading doctrine you’ve learned from people. But I have a different question for you.”

The elder lady stopped quizzing her, “What is your question?”

“How do you know your god loves you?”

The elder lady shifted her feet, looked at her iPad, and looked around. She shrugged.

“I know the answer to most of your questions,” Jenny said, “but it’s more important for me to share with you how I know my God loves you as much as He loves me. May I share?”

“Yes, please…” It was the younger lady who spoke.

Jenny turned to the younger lady, “And because you asked, let me help you to find whom you seek.” Jenny motioned for the younger lady’s hands. She willingly laid her hands in Jenny’s.

“Jesus loves you so much He sent you to my door…”

The elder lady circled around Jenny and the younger, pacing nervously. “Don’t listen!

Jenny focused on the younger lady, “Jesus put it on my friends’ hearts to pray for you to visit and you did…”

“She does not believe the way we do!” the elder touted.

“Jesus proved His love for you,” Jenny said, “by dying on the cross and raising from the dead to pay the penalty for your sins. He is the only way you can find God. Jesus says, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life’ (John 14:6b KJV). It is Jesus you are seeking, and He desires to give His love to you.”

The elder lady held a hand up. “Stop!”

Jenny continued to speak. “I have an abiding peace within my heart ever since I asked Jesus to be with me. Do you want His peace too?”

“She’s trying to confuse you.” The elder shouted. “Don’t listen!”

The younger lady looked down.

“You are crazy!” The elder lady yelled at Jenny. She walked straight between Jenny and her newfound friend, breaking their bond of hands.

“Turn away from the group you are following and turn to Jesus.” Jenny advised.

The elder pulled the younger lady by the arm, “Go!”

The younger hesitated.

“I said, let’s go!”

 “Remember, friend,” Jenny said, “I expected you to visit. Please come again. I’ll be waiting…”

The younger lady nodded ever so slightly as the elder whisked her down the steps.

As this expected young visitor got into the car, Jenny waved goodbye. The younger lady returned the wave, but secretly. Her hand bent only at the wrist, two fingers lifted, head forward, but her eyes were looking straight toward Jenny.

Jenny dabbed her eyes as she watched a tear trickle down her new friend’s cheek.

It was an expected visit. Jesus had answered a prayer.

She returned to her rocker and prayed for both ladies—that the elder would break the chains of cult living, and that the younger would quickly escape entrapment by finding her identity in Jesus Christ.

She prayed her new friend would hold onto Jesus’ nail-scarred, glory infused hands, and come to experience His divine love. She knew He always makes a way for those who are searching for Him, so she expected Him to answer.

Have you made room in your heart for a visitor God will entrust you with?

Lord Jesus, help me to welcome longing souls whose desire it is to find You. Give me Your words, as a healing balm for their wounded hearts.

Amen.

Genre: Creative non-fiction

Copyright 2018: An Expected Visitor: Diane Virginia: All Rights Reserved

Published: July 2018: Faith Beyond Fear: Editor Alynda Long