The Revelation
Sandy paced nervously in her workshop, the ticking of the clock echoing her anxiety. Three long days had passed since her husband Joshua's abduction, and Detective Armstrong's arrival was overdue. The workshop door creaked open, revealing the tall, steely-eyed detective.
"Mrs. Hawthorne," Detective Armstrong greeted, tipping his hat, "I've got news."
Sandy's heart raced as the detective crossed the room. He unfolded a parchment and began to explain. They had discovered an automaton at the abduction site, “...a marvel of clockwork and steam,” he said. “We were able to extract information about the pirates' whereabouts from his memory banks.”
"We've dispatched a constabulary airship to intercept the rogues and retrieve your husband," he assured Sandy.
Hope flickered in her eyes, but it was not long before the atmosphere in the room darkened. Detective Armstrong continued, “Yesterday our ship intercepted the Sky Serpent and what followed was a fierce battle between the two air-ships and our airship was damaged, losing the ability to pursue the pirates.”
Sandy's heart sank. "What will happen now?"
The detective sighed, "We've lost sight of the pirate ship, but we're doing everything in our power to track them down again."
Joshua had just finished his prayer for his family and his safe return when a distant boom sent a vibration through the ship's wooden hull.
The ship was suddenly plunged into chaos. Yells and the clamor of pounding boots echoed in the corridor outside Joshua's cabin. He jumped up, his heart pounding in tandem with the rapid whirring of the clockwork mechanisms around him. Pulling open the heavy oak door, he stumbled into the narrow hallway, only to be greeted by the sight of crewmen rushing past.
"What in the name of gears and cogs is happening?" Joshua muttered to himself, clutching the edges of his brown waistcoat.
With a determination fueled by curiosity, he navigated through the labyrinthine corridors of the airship. The sounds of conflict grew louder as he approached the deck. When he emerged into the open air, he squinted against the harsh glow of searchlights emanating from a constabulary airship in hot pursuit of the pirate vessel they were aboard.
The pirate ship, the Sky Serpent, danced nimbly through the clouds, its hull painted with vibrant hues and adorned with gleaming brass embellishments. On the constabulary vessel, uniformed officers operated a dizzying array of cannons and steam-powered weaponry, firing bursts of explosions towards the elusive pirate ship.
Joshua ducked behind a stack of wooden crates as a volley of shots whizzed past him. The deck beneath his feet trembled with each impact, and the acrid scent of burning coal hung in the air. The pirate crew fought with a fierce determination, their captain, a swashbuckling figure named Atherton, barking orders from the helm.
The constabulary ship, despite its advanced weaponry, was met with cunning maneuvers from the Sky Serpent. The pirates unleashed clouds of steam and deployed ingenious decoy devices, throwing off the constables' targeting systems. The battle raged on, each volley of cannon fire met with a defiant response from the daring pirate crew.
In the midst of the chaos, Joshua found himself caught between the explosions of canon fire and the roar of engines. He darted between crew members until he found himself at the side of Captain Atherton. He felt a strange excitement as he witnessed the dance of these behemoth airships flying across the sky.
As the battle reached its climax, the constabulary airship sustained severe damage. Smoke billowed from ruptured pipes and fractured hull plates. Captain Atherton seized the opportunity, steering the Sky Serpent into a daring maneuver that left the constabulary vessel struggling to maintain its pursuit.
With a final burst of steam, the pirate ship vanished into the cover of clouds, leaving the damaged constabulary airship in its wake.
The victorious Sky Serpent soared into the vast expanse of the evening sky, its brass covered balloon catching the glowing sunset. Captain Atherton's laughter echoed across the deck, and the crew cheered, victorious in their daring escape once again.
Joshua couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh, his heart still pounding from the adrenaline-fueled spectacle he had just witnessed. Stepping to the edge of the airship, he gazed out into the now empty sky, the rhythmic hum of the engines beneath him signaling that, for now, they had eluded the long arm of the constabulary and his rescue.
Captain Atherton looked at Joshua with confusion on his face, “You don’t seem to be very disappointed that you were not rescued.”
Joshua looked the captain in the eye, “I leave that in the hands of God.”
The captain smirked, “Whatever. Could you please see yourself back to your cabin? I will be by later to check on you.” With that the captain turned and started bellowing orders to his crewmen to start repairs on the ship.
Later that evening, Captain Atherton stepped into Joshua’s cabin. He plopped down in the chair at the desk and looked over at Joshua sitting on his bed.
“I was raised an orphan,” he said, surprising Joshua with his sudden candor. “I grew up being told that God took my mother because it was her time. Even though it left me alone in the world. I threw myself into my studies and when I reached adulthood I became an engineer in the service of the crown. There I saw the fairness of God as he rewarded the corruption within the constabulary and the aristocracy. All the while neglecting the common man. So, disgusted by the injustice, I turned to piracy, seeking to defy the system and the God that had betrayed me.” He thumped his chest, "I became a pirate to fight against the very system that failed good people like us."
Joshua listened intently and then said a short prayer in his mind asking for wisdom. He knew this may be his only chance to witness to this man. “You say that you do not want to worship an unfair God. Well, to be honest neither do I. You have been raised with a certain description of God and judging by what you have said so far, I don’t want to worship that God either.” Joshua paused and saw the captain’s eyebrows raise. “What if however,” he continued. “What if there was another God, a God that was the opposite in His traits than the one you have known.”
The captain looked thoughtful for a minute and the rising up out of the chair he said, “I would very much like you to prove that to me, but not tonight. I need you to get some sleep. Tomorrow we will double your efforts to get the diving suit done,” with that he was gone, snapping the door shut behind him.
Throughout the night, the pirate ship sailed on, leaving behind a constabulary airship limping through the clouds. Joshua laid awake for a long time thinking about Sandy and the kids, his work needing to be done on the diving suit, and how he was going to be a witness to Captain Atherton. The steady ticking of the clock on the desk however finally won out, and he drifted into a restless sleep.
"Mrs. Hawthorne," Detective Armstrong greeted, tipping his hat, "I've got news."
Sandy's heart raced as the detective crossed the room. He unfolded a parchment and began to explain. They had discovered an automaton at the abduction site, “...a marvel of clockwork and steam,” he said. “We were able to extract information about the pirates' whereabouts from his memory banks.”
"We've dispatched a constabulary airship to intercept the rogues and retrieve your husband," he assured Sandy.
Hope flickered in her eyes, but it was not long before the atmosphere in the room darkened. Detective Armstrong continued, “Yesterday our ship intercepted the Sky Serpent and what followed was a fierce battle between the two air-ships and our airship was damaged, losing the ability to pursue the pirates.”
Sandy's heart sank. "What will happen now?"
The detective sighed, "We've lost sight of the pirate ship, but we're doing everything in our power to track them down again."
Joshua had just finished his prayer for his family and his safe return when a distant boom sent a vibration through the ship's wooden hull.
The ship was suddenly plunged into chaos. Yells and the clamor of pounding boots echoed in the corridor outside Joshua's cabin. He jumped up, his heart pounding in tandem with the rapid whirring of the clockwork mechanisms around him. Pulling open the heavy oak door, he stumbled into the narrow hallway, only to be greeted by the sight of crewmen rushing past.
"What in the name of gears and cogs is happening?" Joshua muttered to himself, clutching the edges of his brown waistcoat.
With a determination fueled by curiosity, he navigated through the labyrinthine corridors of the airship. The sounds of conflict grew louder as he approached the deck. When he emerged into the open air, he squinted against the harsh glow of searchlights emanating from a constabulary airship in hot pursuit of the pirate vessel they were aboard.
The pirate ship, the Sky Serpent, danced nimbly through the clouds, its hull painted with vibrant hues and adorned with gleaming brass embellishments. On the constabulary vessel, uniformed officers operated a dizzying array of cannons and steam-powered weaponry, firing bursts of explosions towards the elusive pirate ship.
Joshua ducked behind a stack of wooden crates as a volley of shots whizzed past him. The deck beneath his feet trembled with each impact, and the acrid scent of burning coal hung in the air. The pirate crew fought with a fierce determination, their captain, a swashbuckling figure named Atherton, barking orders from the helm.
The constabulary ship, despite its advanced weaponry, was met with cunning maneuvers from the Sky Serpent. The pirates unleashed clouds of steam and deployed ingenious decoy devices, throwing off the constables' targeting systems. The battle raged on, each volley of cannon fire met with a defiant response from the daring pirate crew.
In the midst of the chaos, Joshua found himself caught between the explosions of canon fire and the roar of engines. He darted between crew members until he found himself at the side of Captain Atherton. He felt a strange excitement as he witnessed the dance of these behemoth airships flying across the sky.
As the battle reached its climax, the constabulary airship sustained severe damage. Smoke billowed from ruptured pipes and fractured hull plates. Captain Atherton seized the opportunity, steering the Sky Serpent into a daring maneuver that left the constabulary vessel struggling to maintain its pursuit.
With a final burst of steam, the pirate ship vanished into the cover of clouds, leaving the damaged constabulary airship in its wake.
The victorious Sky Serpent soared into the vast expanse of the evening sky, its brass covered balloon catching the glowing sunset. Captain Atherton's laughter echoed across the deck, and the crew cheered, victorious in their daring escape once again.
Joshua couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh, his heart still pounding from the adrenaline-fueled spectacle he had just witnessed. Stepping to the edge of the airship, he gazed out into the now empty sky, the rhythmic hum of the engines beneath him signaling that, for now, they had eluded the long arm of the constabulary and his rescue.
Captain Atherton looked at Joshua with confusion on his face, “You don’t seem to be very disappointed that you were not rescued.”
Joshua looked the captain in the eye, “I leave that in the hands of God.”
The captain smirked, “Whatever. Could you please see yourself back to your cabin? I will be by later to check on you.” With that the captain turned and started bellowing orders to his crewmen to start repairs on the ship.
Later that evening, Captain Atherton stepped into Joshua’s cabin. He plopped down in the chair at the desk and looked over at Joshua sitting on his bed.
“I was raised an orphan,” he said, surprising Joshua with his sudden candor. “I grew up being told that God took my mother because it was her time. Even though it left me alone in the world. I threw myself into my studies and when I reached adulthood I became an engineer in the service of the crown. There I saw the fairness of God as he rewarded the corruption within the constabulary and the aristocracy. All the while neglecting the common man. So, disgusted by the injustice, I turned to piracy, seeking to defy the system and the God that had betrayed me.” He thumped his chest, "I became a pirate to fight against the very system that failed good people like us."
Joshua listened intently and then said a short prayer in his mind asking for wisdom. He knew this may be his only chance to witness to this man. “You say that you do not want to worship an unfair God. Well, to be honest neither do I. You have been raised with a certain description of God and judging by what you have said so far, I don’t want to worship that God either.” Joshua paused and saw the captain’s eyebrows raise. “What if however,” he continued. “What if there was another God, a God that was the opposite in His traits than the one you have known.”
The captain looked thoughtful for a minute and the rising up out of the chair he said, “I would very much like you to prove that to me, but not tonight. I need you to get some sleep. Tomorrow we will double your efforts to get the diving suit done,” with that he was gone, snapping the door shut behind him.
Throughout the night, the pirate ship sailed on, leaving behind a constabulary airship limping through the clouds. Joshua laid awake for a long time thinking about Sandy and the kids, his work needing to be done on the diving suit, and how he was going to be a witness to Captain Atherton. The steady ticking of the clock on the desk however finally won out, and he drifted into a restless sleep.
Dear friends, don’t be surprised by the painful trials you suffer. Don’t think, “Why is this happening?”
but rejoice, recognizing that even though walking the healing path
with Jesus is painful, it leads to joy as his glorious character is revealed in you.
If you are abused for being Christlike, be glad; it means that God’s
Spirit is restoring Christ’s character in you.
1Peter 4:12-14 The Remedy by Dr. Tim Jennings
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