“Shut up!” He struggled to a sitting position, tried to ball his fists, but nothing happened. So he spit into the snow. “I don’t need You.”
My child ... you do.
“No!” He shouted to the air around him. “I don’t need You in this lifeorthe next!”
As soon as the words were out, pain shot through his chest and down his arm.
I love you, Judas. Turn to me. Redemption is yours.
No. He wouldn’t do it. Wouldn’t give in. He’d spent his entire adult life rejecting and ignoring God.
Redemption.
The word, like a whisper from a lover, repeated over and over in his mind.
As his strength left him, he fell back into the snow and was transported back to the church of his youth. Dad up in the pulpit shouting down to the congregants. Mom and the rest of the family jammed into the front pew.
Over the years, the few who had the guts questioned why a preacher would give his sons biblical names with such negative connotations. Cain, Ananias, Judas. Their father would chuckle and preach at them again. “Everyone is born a sinner. It will be God’s miraculous power that redeems my sonsandtheir names.”
After a particularly troubling day at school, one time—and only one—Judas asked why his father would want to give bullies an open invitation to tease his children. It had been pure torture growing up with the name of the disciple who betrayed Jesus.
He’d received swift punishment for questioning his father.
Later, he sat in his room, tears streaming down his face, and swore that he wouldn’t give his father the satisfaction of winning. There would benoredemption of his name.
Shutting his eyes against the memory, Judas let out a moan.
Turn to Me.
No.
As sharp pain overtook his senses, he clenched his jaw and held on to his anger. This was God’s fault.
No! You can’t do this!Isay what happens in my life. Do You hear me?Ido!
The lone horse in front of Madysen looked familiar. Wait a minute. That was Judas’s horse.
She slowed the rig. “Oh my goodness! Daniel, wake up!”
“Hmm?” He sat up.
“Look! It’s Judas.” She pointed to a large snowdrift in front of them, where Judas lay.
Jumping down from the sleigh, she went to the man’s side.
Daniel joined her. “I think he’s still breathing. I don’t have a lot of strength, but we’ve got to get him up into the sleigh and into town. Can you help me lift him?”
She nodded and grabbed Judas’s feet. Together they got the man into the sleigh, and then Madysen tied his horse to the back. Once she was seated again, Daniel gave her the reins and she put the horses back in motion.
Daniel wrapped an arm around her. “You better hurry, he’s awfully cold.” He let out a sigh. “You know what, while you drive, I’m going to pray for him.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
Oh, for a good night’s sleep.
It had been days since he had the chance. Peter rubbed a soapy hand down his face in the washroom at the hospital. At least the two other doctors were up and around now.
A knock sounded at the door.
