Devil Meets The Grace (Godsent Series 3)

27

Reader’s discretion:
This chapter includes heavy content. Mention of death. 
Please, skip this chapter if you find it disturbing.

Note: your mental health matters.

Song for this chapter:
Grace like Waters by Community Music

Chapter Twenty-Seven.

Most preachers say, “God will not give you something you cannot handle.” Something that is out of your strength or out of your control. If I’m not mistaken, I also heard this concept from one of Doc Santos’ worship services. And if I’m currently in my situation back then, I’d probably agree with him. It’s because I have no concrete picture of the future I’m going to walk in.

I know the Bible has no specific phrase of the thought. But the message is that God’s not going to give us challenges that we cannot handle with His help. 

More or so, I want to trust God. I want to trust the One I can’t see because He made me feel when I thought He was nowhere. 

Like a blind who believes there is a sun despite the disability of not seeing it, I will believe in God. I will believe in Jesus, and in His mercy. I will trust the Father who has an everlasting love. 

I will still trust Him… even right now after I received a phone call from Doc Santos. 

The verdict has come. 

My misconception about being a follower of God is really teaching me a lot. I am being humbled. 

Doc Santos confirmed what I’m fearing. Luke was sentenced to fourteen years in prison when the court considered all the mitigating factors presented in the hearing. His case had a reduction of charges from murder to homicide.

The night that I received that call, I couldn’t cry. Because it was also the night when Deanna went home with a broken heart. She was grieving, and I can’t be selfish to ask for my friend’s attention upon hearing the verdict.

Halos mapugto ang boses ni Deanna sa kakaiyak. Hindi namin siya maawat. Ngunit hindi rin namin siya pinapatigil dahil alam naming iyon ang tamang paraan sa pagluluksa niya. 

Sinabi din sa akin ni Doc Santos na gustong dagdagan ni Luke ang sentensya niya. Katulad noon ay ayaw pa din niyang makipag-usap kahit kanino. At saad nito na mas nararapat daw sa kanya ang pang-habang-buhay na pagkakakulong.

Sa konting minuto ng pag-uusap namin ni Doc Santos, alam kong pareho kami ng pinaniniwalaan. Luke is guilty and feels burdened by what happened. Kaya gusto nitong makulong dahil alam niyang hindi niya ginusto ang nangyari pero nangyari pa din.

Dahil hindi ako makaalis ng Batangas at ayaw din ni Luke na makita ang presensya ko, nagsulat ako ng liham para sa kanya. I don’t believe his heart now is stone cold. He’s a follower of God. Killing people would never be his expertise, but it’s what the enemy takes Luke for granted. 

The enemy only used what happened so he could have Luke. But I believe that once a God’s son will always be a God’s son. None of these things could separate Luke from the love of God. 

Natutulog si Papa sa kanyang hospital bed. Kakatapos lang namin siyang painumin ng gamot. 

Kahit nakapusod ang aking buhok ay ramdam ko ang mga maliliit na buhok na humaharang na sa pisngi ko dahil sa pagod. Malapit nang matapos ang semestre kaya maya’t-maya ang pagpasok namin para sa mga performace namin. Maghapon ako sa school ngayong araw, at hindi na ako dumiretso sa bahay para magpahinga. Dito ako nagtungo sa hospital kung saan pinapagamot ko si Papa.