Christopher had to know if Erin had disappeared. If she was still here, then in some strange way he felt everything would be okay. If she was gone he feared what might come next. As he left the George Washington University Hospital, he realized that dusk had fallen, changing the atmosphere from bleak to grim.
The endless hordes trying to get into the hospital were developing a mob mentality, and sporadic fights erupted as folks waited for care or came seeking information about missing loved ones. Christopher knew widespread violence was one shove away, based on the swearing and jostling in the crowd. He looked out over the formerly upscale and sophisticated Foggy Bottom neighborhood, which now resembled a riotous cityscape. Men and women in business attire and day laborers and waiters, people who only hours before had no visible similarities, began banding together to pillage abandoned cars and businesses, either seeking gain or exploiting the chaos for future survival. Christopher sensed that any shred of compassion within society was rapidly giving way to savagery. The disappearances had exposed the true nature of each individual who had been left behind.
Christopher knew he had to get out of D.C. before martial law was declared. He started toward the Francis Scott Key Bridge with the goal of reaching I-66 and ultimately Erin in Harrisonburg. Though every kind of vehicle from exotic luxury cars to large SUVs were available for Christopher’s choosing, the problem was finding something that could navigate through the endless parking lot of abandoned and wrecked cars littering the roads. He was looking for a motorcycle. It seemed like he rambled for miles looking for one, finally crossing into Virginia. He was about to give up and head for the Pentagon to link up with Jackson when the still, small voice echoed in his heart. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” It was at that very moment that Christopher noticed a parking lot with a couple of street bikes near a hotel. Hearing the Holy Spirit convinced him he was probably crazy, but he mustered a hollow, “Thank you, God,” as he ran toward the hotel parking lot.
It seemed his salvation chariot had belonged to a disappearance victim. Christopher found a pile of clothes on the bike, along with a Gaelic cross, which only fueled his nightmarish fear that this event was indeed the rapture of the Church. He was grateful to put on the previous owner’s riding jacket and pants over the thin hospital scrubs, despite them being a little large. It was nine o’clock at night. While Harrisonburg was only two and a half hours from his present location in Rosslyn, Virginia, in nonapocalyptic conditions, he feared that tonight’s trip would take much longer.
Christopher fired up the machine, noticing that the traumatized crowds of people around him didn’t even appear to acknowledge the loud rumble of the performance bike—instead they all seemed to be in shock. As he pulled onto I-66 to determine the truth of the day’s events for himself, he realized that martial law must have been declared—police vehicles were closing off the Key Bridge.
Jackson had just finished setting a young man’s broken arm when Ruth came into the treatment room.
“How are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m alive, just tired—but glad to have my mind focused on a task rather than trying to decipher what’s going on. It seems plenty of theories are floating around but nothing solid.” Jackson pointed to the now continuous news coverage on the television about the unparalleled disappearances. “Consuming too much fast food, leading to spontaneous combustion has been my favorite theory yet.”
“Too much fast food, huh? That’s a good one, but I think it will fall short in the end. Thanks for your help, but you can head out of here. We have rounded up a bunch of freaked-out medical students from the dorms and are putting them to work.”
“Sounds like a solid plan, placing the inmates in charge of the prison,” Jackson sassed.
“Young man, I will miss you and that attitude. However, these are beyond desperate times and staying busy provides a much-needed outlet for these students. Just leave them to me,” Ruth said confidently. “Before you go, take this. It belonged to one of the nurses who’s gone, and I figured you could use it.” She handed him a cell phone.
“I can’t thank you enough, Ruth. I appreciate it more than you know. Listen, here is the number to the Pentagon operations center. You can reach me there in a pinch, but expect me to contact you with my personal number soon. If you need anything, Ruth, you just give the old doctor here a shout.”
“Boy, you’re a mess. But thank you, Jackson, for all you did, and take care of yourself out there.”
Jackson began the “short” three-mile walk to the Pentagon, physically weak and emotionally wrecked. It seemed like every person he had treated and encountered tonight was searching for the same answer he was: “What comes next?”
The emerging theories about what had happened ranged from ridiculous to terrifying. The argument that stood out to Jackson came from a priest being interviewed by a local news channel as part of a panel of “experts.” When he had been asked for his take on the day’s events, he had replied confidently, “It is easy to answer your question about what has happened. God has raptured His Church ahead of His judgment on the world.” When the reporter questioned the priest about why, if that were true, he remained on Earth, the man began crying as he sorrowfully answered, “I never had a relationship with Jesus. I never really believed.” Jackson remembered Rev mentioning in his last Bible study the need to have a personal relationship with Jesus and not to rely on individual assessments of being an upright person.
He felt so helpless, immersed in a disaster with no idea what to do or, even worse, what the next day would hold. The suffering that people were experiencing was hard to reconcile as somehow being a part of God’s plan for the world. Rev had said God was merciful, but just; gracious, but holy. Perhaps the events of today illustrated just and compassionate all at the same time. Jackson was grateful that he had survived this long when so many had died in the immediate aftermath of the disappearances. Yes, perhaps this is divine compassion. Yet so many others died seemingly for no reason. What had they done to merit such judgment? He was so confused. As he walked along the Potomac River, Jackson wondered if the sirens blaring across the city would ever stop and if his world would ever be the same again. He felt that if there ever was a time to pray to God, today was that day. But the thought of praying to God brought only deep sobs because he did not know how to pray. What he needed was a guide, and he knew Rev’s Bible and journal were the best guides available. He promised himself that he would return to his hotel for some soul-searching after checking in with Omega.
He pulled out the cell phone Ruth had given him and tried to call Sarah once again—still no voice connection. Jackson was not one for worrying, but the fact that children across the globe were reported missing made his blood run cold. He was scared, his fear so palpable that it drew his mind back to the fear he had felt in his childhood due to his father’s alcohol-fueled abuse. He could only hope that Sarah and his two young daughters had somehow been spared from whatever caused the disappearances.
As Jackson crossed over the George Washington Parkway and into the Pentagon’s north parking lot where his day had begun hours earlier, he was repulsed that he felt such comfort in seeing the Pentagon and all that it represented. Jackson had dedicated his life to serving strangers over his family, and now he wasn’t even sure if he would ever see his wife and children again.
Gabriella was growing concerned since it was now nine o’clock at night, martial law had been declared, and ninety percent of the Omega Group was unaccounted for and presumed missing or dead.
“Ma’am, are you the deputy of Omega Group?” a senior airman for the Pentagon operations center inquired.
“Yes, I am.”
“The SecDef left a message for you.” The airman handed Gabriella a sealed envelope and left the room as she tore it open. The message read, “Gabriella, Colonel Delmar was found in his car with a gunshot wound to the head, an apparent suicide, after finding out his two young children had disappeared. You are, effective immediately, the commander of Omega Group. Omega is fully reinstated, and the priority is the Brazil mission.”
Gabriella sat down and buried her head in her hands, overcome with emotion. The tragedy of this day seemed like it would never end. She had started the day with a plan to keep Omega Group going, but now its survival rested squarely on her shoulders, or at least it felt that way at the moment. As she stood to begin the hurried search for Christopher Barrett and his team, she was startled by a knock at her door. “Come in,” she called.
“Good evening, ma’am. I figured I better check in before you folks turned off my pay,” Jackson said.
Gabriella did not even try to hide her elation that Jackson had just stepped through her door. “Sergeants Major Williams, I can’t remember the last time I was so excited to see someone.”
“I would have never guessed you’d say that about me, but I’ll take it. Hey, listen, could you do me a favor and just call me Jackson? All this sergeants major stuff makes me feel like I can’t trust you.”
“You’ve got a deal, Jackson. By the way, you look like you’ve been in World War Three. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, but it’s a real nightmare out there. I am in desperate need of a change of clothes and some sleep.”
“The view from the air and the reports I’ve been getting all evening show that the damage and casualty counts may take weeks to officially total. I can help you with a change of clothes, but sleep will have to wait. Jackson, where is Chris—I mean, Major Barrett? He didn’t disappear, or something worse, did he?”
“Chris…he is alive and likely getting near Harrisonburg by now, trying to figure out if his wife Erin is still with us.”
Gabriella felt a surge of confidence and purpose from seeing Jackson and hearing that Chris was still alive. “Listen, Jackson, I want you to get cleaned up in the Omega Team room and then meet me in the group briefing room. We have a mission to plan and a leader to pick up. You feel like taking a helicopter ride?”
“Sure. I’ll meet you in the conference room in fifteen minutes, and we can make plans to pick up ‘Chris.’”
Gabriella laughed softly, saying, “Yes, he means a lot to me, but don’t read too much into the ‘Chris’ thing. I am glad to see you’re as snarky as ever. One more thing before you go. Please accept my apology for freaking out on you for calling me Gabby. It’s just that name has a particular and intimate meaning for me.”
“No need for apologies. I like a fiery woman,” Jackson declared, chuckling.
“Go get cleaned up, funny guy,” Gabriella responded.
Christopher was grateful that darkness had consumed the Shenandoah Valley as he rode along Skyline Drive. He didn’t even want to imagine what the light of day would unveil. The motorcycle had proven to be a wise choice for moving around as the four-lane I-66 had become a minefield of debris. The drive had taken longer than Christopher had anticipated given the slowdowns for emergency crews attempting to clear the two-lane westbound section of I-66 and the countless masses of humanity stuck along the roadways. He was exhausted after six hours on the bike but still had about an hour to go before he reached Erin’s family farm.
Almost an hour later he heard the cycle begin to sputter. He should have expected to run out of gas, but he had been foolishly optimistic that a gas station would be available if needed. As the motorcycle coasted to a stop, Christopher pulled off the road and ditched the bike among a collection of deserted vehicles. Thankfully his miscalculation would cost him only a five-mile walk to the farm.
As he crested the hill that served as the northern boundary to his in-laws’ farmland, he had a feeling of passing into the last remaining semblance of the old world he had known. A wave of panic struck, and he suddenly found it difficult to walk toward the rustic farmhouse that lay below. The rising sun provided rays of hope as he spotted smoke rising from the farmhouse chimney about two hundred yards away—hope that his in-laws were warming the house before heading out to tend the farm. He slogged through the plowed rows of red-clay Virginia dirt, sweating from both effort and trepidation.
Christopher’s hopes were crushed as he walked out of the fields to a farm in disorder, which he knew his in-laws would never allow. The sight of chickens running loose across the property and the open barn doors brought on a wave of nausea and fear. He ran into the house, screaming, “Erin! Erin! Please…anybody?” When he saw the pile of clothes in the chair near the well-worn needlework basket of his mother-in-law and the smoldering remains of logs in the fireplace, he burst into tears. He turned to run upstairs to Erin’s room, but halted in his tracks at the sight of coffee spilled on the kitchen floor and what looked like a leg. As he moved into the kitchen he realized that his father-in-law was gone, too, leaving behind only the lingering bittersweet smell of coffee and his overalls.
Christopher collapsed on the stairs, trying not to vomit as he felt his stomach heave while mustering the courage to climb up to Erin’s bedroom, to whatever fate awaited him there. He stood, taking each stair one at a time, wanting to delay the confirmation of his worst fear—the fear that God was real. He paused at the top of the stairs in front of Erin’s room, closing his eyes to the evidence before him that God had returned to claim those who had trusted Him. Christopher would now have to face the trials and judgment of God, starting with opening Erin’s door. As he pushed open her door, the smell of her perfume dominated the tiny room, bringing painful old memories to the surface of his mind and fresh tears to his eyes.
Erin’s clothes were in a pile on the chair and floor around her desk. The faint glint from her wedding ring caused Christopher to lose the battle with his heaving stomach. He vomited then collapsed onto her bed, weeping and moaning uncontrollably. Christopher should have told Erin when they last spoke of his love for her, but it was his thoughts of God, not Erin, that had caused his outburst. A part of Christopher that he had been trying to suppress for the last month realized that no matter how vast the chasm was between God and him, the fact staring him in the face was that Erin had been right. The only hope he had to see her again was to trust God and attempt to survive the days ahead.
Yet as he pondered the thought of trusting God at this moment—surrounded by memories of Erin and her glaring absence—his jaw clenched. He thought bitterly, And here is just one more example of pain caused by God! That thought replaced any momentary idea of putting his trust in God. A belief began to grow in Christopher’s mind that he could overcome any judgment God could throw his way. I still don’t need You, God. Christopher’s sobs and wails became primitive as he refused to surrender his pain to God. He kicked the small desk where Erin had been sitting, shattering it into two pieces as it hit a wall, as he screamed, “Where are You? Why do You hate me?” Christopher challenged the God of the universe to explain the pain, much as Job had done thousands of years before him.
The distinct chop of air caused by a Blackhawk helicopter interrupted Heaven’s answer to Christopher’s challenge. He picked up Erin’s wedding ring and walked down the stairs, shaking and sweating from his encounter with the truth of God. As he closed the farmhouse door and walked toward the Blackhawk in the tilled fields of his former in-laws, he refused to look back because he knew the old world was gone, and the unknown world in front of him demanded his full and immediate attention.
A few hours before Christopher was to be picked up, Gabriella had gathered the Omega Group intelligence staff and was outlining the Brazil plan when Jackson entered the Omega briefing room.
“Glad to see you looking better, Jackson,” Gabriella said by way of greeting.
“I do clean up pretty, don’t I?” Jackson quipped in return.
“Sure, Jackson, you look ready for the prom. Anyway, let’s go over the big picture of the plan, and then you can head out to pick up Major Barrett, hopefully in Harrisonburg.”
“Okay, lay it on me.”
Gabriella directed an intelligence officer to proceed.
“Good morning. Recent reports indicate that the executive targets are likely being held by a separatist faction of the Brazilian military that is trying to take power in the chaos of the disappearances. No official demands have been made by the group holding the executive targets. Additionally little is known about the number of hostiles, but we do have confirmation of their location at the Residência Oficial do Torto or Granja do Torto, which is the presidential ranch retreat of Brazil,” the intelligence officer reported.
“Thank you,” Gabriella said. “I will take it from here.” She laid out a large map of the Granja do Torto on the briefing room table. “The disappearances have created havoc in Brazil with the elected government losing its ability to govern. The first and second ladies along with the president’s daughter were en route to Brasilia, Brazil, for a global women’s conference when their plane went down during the final airport approach after two of the pilots disappeared. The U.S. Embassy in Brasilia sent a vague report indicating the possibility that at least the president’s daughter had been taken to a ranch.”
“This will be tough…we won’t be able to move in until we can confirm the number of hostiles and the location of our targets,” Jackson commented.
“You’re right. We have your team set up with a country liaison in Brasilia via the embassy, which is where you guys will stage for the rescue. The team will also have access to an MH-47 Chinook helicopter and a C-40B military business jet for the mission. I figured the MH-47 can extract your team and the targets from the mission site straight to the airport, and the C-40B makes for a smooth ride home.”
“That was good thinking, Gabriella. I think moving by air is going to be the best option we have in this situation,” Jackson confirmed.
“Now for the bad news. The disappearances have stripped Omega down to a skeleton crew. There are only four original members left, and that’s including Christopher and you.”
“So where are we getting the other half of the team?”
“I have replacements from the Joint Special Operations Command inbound. I just need you to pick up the Omega Team leader. I sincerely hope he’s mentally able to execute this mission. We don’t need any mistakes and distractions like the French journalist operation. Your team will depart for Brasilia on the C-40B this evening.”
“I’m sure Christopher will be ready to go, no matter what he found in Harrisonburg. We will meet you at Andrews Air Base later today,” Jackson promised.
As Christopher climbed aboard the helicopter and watched Erin’s family farm disappear, his tears flowed like the rain falling from the leaden sky over his in-laws’ farm. He heard Jackson’s voice over his headset.
“I am sorry, man. I know you’re hurting, but we will get to the bottom of where these folks went.”
“I already know where Erin and her family are. They’re in Heaven, and we are about to go through hell.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The rapture has occurred, Jackson, just like Rev said it would…just like Erin talked about.”
“How do you know?”
“I’ve heard about this scenario enough from Erin to recognize the truth that all of us who are left have missed the chance to avoid the judgment that will follow the rapture.”
“So what now?” Jackson asked, surprised to feel his heart in his throat.
“I don’t have that answer. The only thing I know for sure is that things are gonna get rough.”
“Well, thanks for the pep talk, but I know we can make it. I just feel it.”
“How’re Sarah and your kids?”
“I don’t…” Jackson’s voice trailed off.
“Hey, brother, no matter what you may believe or not believe right now, hang on to this thought for all it’s worth. Your children are safe. Just believe that your children are safe.”
Jackson found himself unable to respond as the tears streamed down his cheeks. As the helicopter banked toward the nation’s capital, the light of the new day revealed out of Jackson’s window that there was no place left untouched by the instantaneous disappearance of millions from Earth.
“Stop focusing on the disaster down there. The world as we knew it is gone. Tell me about our next mission,” Christopher demanded.
“Before I get to the mission, do you actually believe that God took His Church and all the young children out of this world so He can judge the rest of us?”
“Yes, a part of me believes it. Truthfully, I am having a hard time seeing beyond my own pain to accept God. But this,” Christopher replied, pointing out his window to the destruction below, “is part of a plan I’ve heard Erin and others speak of many times. What we see today and what lies ahead started with the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, and according to Rev will end with Jesus’ second coming. We missed the free gift Jesus Christ offered us to escape the troubles to come.”
“Then how can you sit there and know that with such certainty and still not accept God? It seems to me that we need Him now more than ever,” Jackson asserted.
Christopher couldn’t answer because he hadn’t been able to answer that question for years. He only knew that he trusted himself and not God right now. “Look, I am here for you, but I am still working things out with God, so give me some details on the mission.”
“Fair enough, but I know I am going to figure out God because I have no reason to doubt His existence from what I see. The mission is to rescue the president’s daughter, and possibly the first and second ladies from a separatist faction of the Brazilian military. They are likely being held at the Brazilan president’s ranch retreat outside Brasilia. We fly out from Andrews Air Base at 1900 tonight.”
“So what else did Colonel Delmar have to say?”
“He’s dead, a suicide. Gabriella is the commander of Omega Group and will meet us ahead of our departure at Andrews.”
Christopher was shocked to hear the news about Colonel Delmar, but he knew that the tragedy of missing the rapture was only the beginning of sorrows. He realized that many around him would likely die before the return of Christ, maybe even himself. The two of them sat in silence for the remainder of the trip, pondering the days ahead.
“The car heading to Andrews will meet us here at 1600, so I will meet you in the hotel lobby then. I’m heading up to my room for some sleep,” Christopher told Jackson.
Yeah, that’ll work. I’ll see you at 1600,” Jackson replied.
“Good day, Mr. Williams. Glad to see you weren’t caught up in the disappearances,” the hotel receptionist greeted him.
“I don’t know how good it was to be left out,” Jackson commented drily.
“Excuse me, sir?”
“Nothing. Can I have a key to my room, please? I just need to sleep for a few hours.”
“I am sorry, sir. We thought you had disappeared so your belongings were collected and the room cleared. Please wait one second, and I will get your things,” the hotel receptionist promised before disappearing through a door behind the desk and returning a moment later. “Okay, sir, I will bring the rest of your luggage up to your room in a few minutes, but here is your backpack.”
“Look, ma’am, if you bring out my suitcase, I will lug it up to my room. I understand everyone is shorthanded right now. I promise I won’t report you to the management.”
“Thank you so much, sir,” the receptionist said gratefully as she left again to retrieve Jackson’s bag from an overflowing luggage room. “Here you go. You’re all set.”
“Thanks,” Jackson responded. What he was most anxious to do besides sleep was read through Rev’s journal about the topic of salvation and what he could expect next.
Jackson threw his backpack on the bed and pulled out Rev’s Bible and journal. He was grateful that Rev kept such detailed notes, and he quickly found a section on “getting saved.” He noted that Rev had outlined four parts to receiving the gift of salvation, paid for by Christ Jesus. The overview started in a blunt and upfront manner, conveying Rev’s personality throughout his notes.
Jackson began reading in an attempt to end his confusion and satisfy his longing to know God. Rev had seemingly styled his notes in a manner especially suited for a critic or unbeliever like Jackson.
Rev started by explaining what salvation was: “Salvation is being acquitted from the righteous judgment of God for our sins. The answer is, ‘Yes, you are!’ Because I know you’re likely thinking, ‘Well, I am a virtuous person and do good things for others, so I am a not evil or a sinner.’ But you are! You are wondering how God could punish good people like you, but God does not compare us to people around us. We like to compare ourselves to our friends or loves ones or the people on the news, while God compares all of us to His standard—the standard of His own perfect holiness. God is entirely just; He is wholly moral and righteous in all He does and applies that standard to all of us, which we all fall short of each day.” Rev’s words caused Jackson to feel uncomfortable as he thought about his own life.
He continued reading. “We have all sinned at some point in our lives, and thus can never on our own meet the perfect standard of God’s holiness.”
Jackson was starting to realize that his standard of seeing himself as a good, moral man had always been short of the mark. At this moment, reading Rev’s words, he felt condemned and hopeless about ever being able to receive Jesus Christ as his savior.
He continued reading Rev’s exposition on why humanity needed redeeming from the curse of sin. “We are all sinners in God’s eyes.” It was like Rev was sitting next to Jackson in the hotel room as the journal text answered his questions almost as soon as they entered his mind.
“You may ask why God views all of humanity as sinners with such cold objectivity. The reason is that all of us, every person who has ever followed our first parents Adam and Eve, inherited a deadly condition called a sin nature, or a proclivity to commit sins. When God told Adam if he ate of the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the garden of Eden that he would die, yet he spared Adam and Eve, that is our first recorded example of His mercy and love for all humanity. He rightly could have killed Adam and Eve; instead He commuted their physical death for hundreds of years. However, spiritually they remained dead. Spiritual death, which is being separated from the provision and presence of God, required a remedy that God knew humanity was unable to provide by our own merits. The disobedience of humanity’s progenitors Adam and Eve created a ‘sin genetic marker’ in all their descendants and the environment around humanity.”
Jackson chuckled at the follow-up question and the answer Rev had provided. “So where does our understanding that sin is a part of everyone and cannot be removed through our actions and goodness leave us? The answer is, it places us in a position to accept that God loved us so much that instead of destroying the human species and starting over, He implemented a plan to redeem us and our relationship with Him. While you as a critic or unbeliever may not like God’s plan to save us and the relationship with Him that was lost, remember that we’re the created beings, not the Creator. He is not seeking our approval of His plan for redemption. We are not God, and His ways are not our ways. All God asks is for you and me to place our trust in Him and what He has already done to save us from sin. God’s holiness demands a perfect atonement plan to cover the sin of humanity. For generations following Adam and Eve, animals were brought to God as an appeasement to His judgment, but these were imperfect substitutes for man’s sins. We needed a perfect sacrifice, a sacrifice that had lived and struggled as we do in facing the temptations of life. We needed a sacrifice that, despite living daily in a sin-filled environment, overcame everything we face in life so that the perfect Holiness of God could be met and humanity could be reconciled back to God.”
Overwhelmed with the story of salvation, Jackson could not stop the tears from flowing as he continued reading the notes. “The overarching story of the Bible is a love story between a Holy God and His broken and beloved children, to save us from the judgment God’s justness demands for sin. God so loved us that He allowed His only Son to lower Himself to live as one who was created, which is the greatest mystery in the story of humanity. God the Son, Jesus Christ, was born, lived, and died as a man in divine perfection, willingly sacrificing His life for every person who has lived or ever will live, thus ensuring the broken relationship between God and humanity was restored for those willing to place their hope and trust in Jesus.”
The journal entry continued. “Christianity is like no other religion because its core centers on a relationship between God and humanity. We need to understand that it is what God did for us, not anything we can do in this life to garner God’s love, that brings us into fellowship with God and each other. The Bible says in Romans 5:8: ‘But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ The fact that Jesus hung suspended between Earth and Heaven on a wooden cross, suffering and dying in our rightful place, without making any requirements of us—like demanding a pilgrimage or spending a certain amount on the poor or any other prerequisites—for His sacrifice, tells us the value each of us has in God’s economy. Jesus died knowing that many of us would never accept His sacrifice, that many people would never live a life aimed at pleasing Him. Yet He still died to give every person the opportunity to be saved from judgment someday.”
Tears soaked Jackson’s T-shirt as he read on through Rev’s guide to salvation. “So many people wrongly view God as the angry grandfather-figure playing whack-a-mole with all of us. This mischaracterization of God leads many to feel that there is no way they could ever be forgiven by God because of the lives they have lived. We too often mistakenly judge God by our human perceptions of fairness, not realizing that God loves us beyond description within the bounds of His unwavering holiness. The Bible tells us clearly that there is nothing God is unwilling to forgive, besides not accepting His offer of salvation. If we accept the gift of salvation that Christ Jesus offers, Romans 8:1 says, ‘Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’”
As Jackson approached the last paragraphs of Rev’s notes on being saved, he not only realized his need for Jesus as His Savior but also had a better appreciation for how much God loved him.
He continued reading. “Now that you understand what salvation is, what we are saved from, who redeems us, and for what purpose, you’re ready to receive and live out God’s gift of salvation for your life. Remember, salvation resides in Jesus’ efforts and life, nothing else. Salvation is graciously given as a priceless gift that is unmerited, but made so simple to obtain that even a child cannot fail to understand.”
As Jackson read the call to salvation that Rev had written, he rolled off the bed and onto his knees, reading aloud, “If you’re ready to accept God’s mercy and plan to bring you back into a loving relationship with Him, no matter what you’ve done or said, repeat this prayer after me. ‘God, I confess that I am broken, having lived a sinful life. I am asking for and in need of Your forgiveness and merciful restoration. I confess with my mouth that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, and Jesus rose from the grave having authority over death, the grave, and Hell, which gives me eternal life through Him. I ask You to be the Lord over my life, and in Jesus’ name, I pray to You, Father, Amen. (See Romans 10:9–10.)” With that, Rev’s salvation notes concluded.
Jackson felt compelled to add to his prayer, saying, “And, God, please help me, and help others in the days ahead. Amen.”
Jackson could not describe the sensation that overtook his body, but a tremendous sense of peace invaded him. It felt like he had just apologized to and been forgiven by an estranged friend. He wiped the tears from his eyes and showered. As he laid down for some much-needed sleep, he drifted off with one thought running through His mind. Thank you, Jesus.
Christopher was awakened by the new cell phone that Jackson had provided him, the usual Pentagon operations center number flashing across the display. “Hello.”
“I am sorry to wake you, but I needed to relay something to you ahead of us meeting up at Andrews,” Gabriella said.
“Nah, it’s okay. So what’s up?”
“There is no easy way to say this…Jackson’s wife and daughters are dead.”
“What? How do you know that?” Christopher demanded, sitting up on the bed.
“The staff and I are starting to get into a rhythm here. I had the intelligence folks scrubbing hospital admittance records and transportation manifests to confirm the disposition of the other team members, considering the team was on a seventy-two-hour pass when the disappearances hit. Long story short, Jackson’s wife Sarah and his five- and eight-year-old girls Sadie and Kate were on a flight bound for D.C. that crashed halfway between Tampa and here,” Gabriella stated flatly.
“Well, at least Jackson’s daughters are in a better place.”
“What, how can you say that, Chris?”
“I just have a feeling that they were taken with the other children who are missing from all around the world.”
“Yeah, but no one is sure where all these people have gone.”
“Gabriella, there is a plausible answer. God raptured the Church, including those that were mentally incapable of deciding if they wanted to have a relationship with Him or not—like young children and those with special mental needs.”
“I’ve heard that theory, but I’m not sure I understand it or even want to accept it. It seems you have.”
“I am comfortable with it because it’s the closest explanation to the reality I see all around me. I lost some folks that literally staked their lives on believing in God. I am working toward trusting Him,” Christopher returned in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Well, it is logically a theory worth me exploring, but not now. Look, I think you are best suited to break the news to Jackson. Just let me know if we need to pull him from the mission.”
“I’ll tell him, but I would be shocked if he wouldn’t want to be on the mission. We will see you in a couple of hours.”