Glorious!

Prompt: Write a story where the traditional laws of time and space begin to dissolve.

Glorious!

“Glorious! Glorious! My words seem so inadequate to share the wonders before my eyes and what I am now feeling. Death cannot quell the mysteries of the Eternal One. There is a magnitude of joy that permeates the heavens. It is ceaseless. There are no boundaries; there is no Law because the Law has been overcome. Its indictments and consequences can no longer reach me beyond the grave. I have been set free.”

The pain surges again in my body. My euphoric vision has been abruptly interrupted. Every nerve in my body is hypersensitive to the pain. I press the button dispensing a respite of relief. I so desperately encourage myself to conjure up my earlier vision. Time has not become a healer to my body. Time continues to be my nemesis. It is running away from me. My spirit is still ensnared in this pile of flesh and bones. Release seems eminent, but time mocks me when I try to recapture my dreams of the everlasting where there are no more tears, no more sorrow, and no more pain. Time teases me with recovery.

My friend and a man of deep faith, Pierre Trop de Mots, journals my words as I continue to describe my dreams and my painful saga. He has been a lifelong friend who encourages me no matter the circumstances. He has been at my side for many days now. We both have lost count at the number. Time is dissolving my body. It is not discretionary, waiting for no one. Pierre knows my struggles are not just with my physical condition, but as an author. He outwardly acknowledges that this might be my last story. But deep inside he hopes that there will be many more. It has been a tortuous battle, especially in my writing. I write stories in the Chrisitan genre. Pierre chides me saying people in this day and age ignore their frail humanity and carry on in life like there is no God. Until they need one to bail them out of their misery.

The medicine wreaks havoc on the clarity of my thoughts. It draws me back to a time where my body was finely tuned and healthy. I had assumed I would maintain this wholesome physique well into my latter years of life. That presumption was a costly mistake because I never sought out consul on the lightening streaks of pain I would feel in my legs. It was not long after I found it difficult to eat. Public dining was out of the question because of the fear of regurgitation. My appearance had a foreboding look; my body looked emaciated much like that of a Holocaust victim.

There would be extended periods of time when I would flutter in and out of consciousness as I battled my nemesis. When my body ached, the seconds of misery became hours of agony. When I had moments of vitality, the hours of joy transformed into mere seconds of reprieve. Again, time is teasing me. In my torment, I would plead mercy,

Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth, I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. (1)

Despite my stubbornness, I finally decided to seek medical help. It was too late. Time stopped when I heard the doctor say the one word no one ever wants to hear. “Cancer. You have cancer. It started in your pancreas and now has metastasized to your bones and lungs. I would urge you to make your final arrangements.”

I questioned, “Final arrangements?” The time clock once again began to tick for me. “What about radiation or chemotherapy?” I queried the doctor for more information, “So the progression could be slowed or perhaps even reduced? I could get more time and maybe even go into remission?”

The doctor somberly replied, “Anything is possible. But your reality, your present state of health is a thief to your allotted time. It would be a herculean event to capture back some of the time stolen from your thief.”

How metaphorically candid he described my prognosis. I implored him, “So let’s not waste my time. Let me start now arresting that thieving menace!”

Suddenly, I was jolted back into my present reality. My nerves were on fire. The coughing fits left me breathless. The thief was still at large within me reeking greater havoc. Perhaps the treatments were waging battle and winning? I pressed the button to release another bolus of instant euphoria along with the intravenous toxins that poured into my veins. The medicine opened the avenue to another dream. Time momentarily became fixed.

Pierre continued to write my words and his observations. In my drowsiness, I said to him,

“I see a great city laid out in a great square. It has a great, high wall having twelve gates with names written on them. They were inscribed in another language. There were three gates on the four cardinal points of the wall around the city: north, south, east and west. Also on the wall were twelve foundations with the names of Christ’s twelve disciples. There were precious stones on each foundation; twelve types in all from jasper, sapphire, beryl to amethyst. Some I did not even know their names. The city radiates a brilliant light like precious stones without a sun or moon. The vision is breathtaking.”

I completely awoke with gasps forcing a major coughing fit. The dream disappeared from my mind. Time had me again in its clutches dissolving my memories. The pain seared through my body again. I pressed the button and a rush of relief coursed through my veins once more.

Another vision appeared. I felt lifted into the city itself. Inside pure gold, transparent like glass covered everything. There is no rising or setting of the sun or moon. The city illuminates itself because it is the presence of the glory of God that makes it possible.

A shaking of my shoulder rattled me out of this dream. The doctor tells me that the course of chemotherapy has not slowed the progression of the villainous cancer. He says he can only offer me palliative care to ease my pain and suffering. He seemed perplexed when I half-smiled at him. Perhaps he mistook it as a painful wince, but I knew my time would dissolve away eventually melding into eternity. Yes, this worldly thief had stolen my time in this world. There is no escape from inevitable death. But there is rescue in the arms of our Creator who saved all of us from our sinful selves.

I could feel my soul slipping away. Nothing matters now as I pass beyond the dimensions of time and space. My visions foretell of a new kingdom engulfed in peace, joy, unending, and unconditional love.

“Pierre, these are my last words. This is how I want to be remembered. Soon my time here on earth will dissolve away. A new journey will begin for me into the heavenly realm of eternity. Share them with believers, skeptics, and unbelievers.

“I speak the name of Jesus and believe in Him, as my Lord God who was crucified, died, buried and raised from the dead. In my daily life and particularly in my writings, I searched to see the face of Jesus in others. My fulfillment came when I could write stories about the one man who in any circumstance offers unconditional love even amid the most wicked moments in our lives. He absolutely could change lives. My writings were glimpses of the hope and forgiveness He bestows on us. It was my desire to be a conduit for the Spirit to work through me in daily life and in my stories. I wanted the reader to understand that in any circumstance the Lord’s presence would be there for them. Christ is active in their conversations, their daily routines and their dreams. He penetrates to the core of our hearts and souls. I shout this from the rooftops to the mountains and over the seas that my Savior, Jesus Christ is the Lamb who was slain for me!

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. for me!” (2)

P.S. from Pierre Trop de Mots: My dearest friend fell asleep in the Lord on February 3, 2026.

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (3)

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (4)

-END-

NKJV=New King James Version Scripture

Psalm 61:1-2, NKJV

Romans 8:18, NKJV

John 8: 31-32, NKJV

Romans 8:2, NKJV

Acknowledgement: Reedsyprompts.com