Chapter 20

One chapter and I had to stop and comment.  Chapter 20 is one of the reasons I read these books.  First we have Carlos entering and capturing Monique and Thomas. In listening to Thomas sleep he gets the information he needs that will allow them to create the virus and the antivirus. So we see that without Thomas the virus would never have existed. Teelah orchestrates this from another world, another time.   Clearly he has knowledge of events far beyond the current world. I don't know if Thomas ever even knows that HE was the one to give this critical information to the enemy, but Teelah certainly does. But that's not the gem of this chapter.  The real meat is in Thomas's encounter in the green lake. AS Thomas walks through the perfection he wonders how he ever doubted that this was his home. It is so perfect, so wonderful, and feels at peace here, even though it would seem from the story that all of this is new to him.  And then we get to the lake.  Elyon is embodied in the water, we know this from other chapters. And Thomas's first reaction is I think what we would all expect upon meeting God. Fear. Why is he afraid? Because unlike the other people of the forest, he has sinned. He is not perfect before Elyon, and in his soul he knows it. But despite that fact, he is drawn to Elyon, I would say that the desire in all of us, the desire that God has put in us, comes out. And then he gets hit with the mist. Just a taste, just a hint of the full experience, and nothing could stop him. It makes me wish for just a bit of that mist. Wish that I could have that physical experience of God that he has here.  But with Elyon there is of course more. There is the whole lake, and as Thomas dives into the fullness of Elyon he has an experience that is beyond words. Dekker does a good job, and as he goes through it my heart longs to know my God like Thomas is knowing Elyon.  At first it is all joy and pleasure. Elyon allows Thomas to experience him in the fun and pleasure of what he has made. And then he makes himself known. "I made this."  Simple words. But Elyon is speaking to him, to Thomas, just a man. Thomas's doesn't know God, so he has to ask, "who are you?" This seems obvious of course, but Elyon doesn't say "ah, duh, Thomas, God here, creator of all the world, etc, etc." He answers just as simply. "I am Elyon. And I made you." Such words to hear from your maker. Thomas has doubted and Elyon confirms that he belongs. Wouldn't we all love to hear that? Certainly he tells us in the Bible. But the beauty of the story is that things which we cannot experience physically, visually, they happen that way in this story.  And even more, Elyon tells him he loves him. Now I know God loves me, he has shown me in so many ways, but to stand before him and hear him say it? There could be no greater joy.  Right on the heels of this Thomas is sucked into pain, into himself, the real self that is deep inside. the depths of pain and sin, it's all there. It hurts, as it should if we are truly confronted with our sin.  And to come back to the green Thomas has to pass through the water that is like blood. Symbolic? Of course it is. In the bloody water it is no longer Thomas in pain, but Elyon. And that is heartbreaking. as as he come sour of that Elyon reminds him.  "I love you. I choose you. I rescue you. I cherish you." Despite it all, despite knowing his worst, Elyon chooses to love him. This has such a deep resonance in my soul. I come back to this chapter time after time and know that while Thomas has not completely changed he will NEVER be the same again.