The Problem with Dreams

Epilogue

The Lord smiled down upon His faithful, Jalyn and Cadence while Satan scowled. The Almighty's face beamed with joy as He gazed down upon the company of His children and believers, gathered together to acknowledge His blessing, to give thanks for the child and to declare her name. The voices of all those His faithful had assembled were lifted as one in prayer, harmonizing and entwining their voices with perfect timing in a moment of faith, creating a sound both joyful and melodious to His ears. Already His servant was fulfilling her role and the beauty of the sound permeated the spirit of everyone near. The Lord rejoiced while Satan's eyes smoldered.

"Let her name be set down as her earthly father says," the Lord commanded of his angel, pleased her purpose was so soon being made known to the company of men. He watched as the name of Melody Hannah Abernathy was set down in the Book of Life.

"She is but your servant," Satan protested.

"Ah, but unlike you, she is willing to do her Lord's bidding. She is worthy of the name her earthly father has bestowed upon her. And he is aware she is mine, sent from me to do my biding. Do you not realize this from his prayers?" the Lord demanded of Satan.

"As you say, oh Lord," Satan allowed. "Still even with this, Jalyn has not met our challenge. You continue to bless him and yet he still has not risen to the level my challenge demands."

"You think not? He lives his life according to faith. His family sees that and he discusses it with them openly. He has declared the place of faith in his heart openly to those assembled for his daughter's naming. Cadence has stood with him as he did this, supporting him every step of the way, going beyond the steps taken by Jalyn by dedicating her daughter to my service out of faith," the Lord said.

"Interesting you should bring her up. What of Cadence?" Satan said. "She may have dedicated the child, but she has remained silent on the topic of faith. The challenge was for the pair of them to do it together."

"And so they are. They each play a role in the gathering they have assembled, different, but united in conviction that faith is important above all things. Today they sow the seeds for a harvest of faith, not only to their family but also to their closest friends and clergy ... men who devote their lives to me in their divergent ways ... and yet even they see there is a place for faith beyond what they have known," the Lord said.

"And yet for all those they have assembled, they are not the world. They are not even of the world, as they each have a measure of faith already," Satan said smugly.

"No. But they are a beginning," the Lord said, and he turned his face to listen further to his faithful's prayers. 

The End

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 The story of Greg and Susan will continue in Book 8: The Tropical Dream, now on Wattpad.