Hiding behind some rocks and bushes, the crouching demons finally see Master Potter approaching with Beloved in His arms. Carefully, one pathetic lit- tle demon takes aim and blows a poisonous dart towards her.
Beloved’s joy is shattered as the dart pierces her heart. “I wonder if Mas- ter Potter will reject me someday like all the others?”
Pulling the dart out, Master Potter flings it underhanded back at the demon, hitting it squarely between the eyes. Knocked unconscious, the demon falls off the fence and lands on the ground with a hollow thud, its talons impotently curled in a tight fist.
“Beloved, I will never leave you. You are Mine forever. Always remember, I love you.” He embraces her gently, careful to protect her broken handle and many painful wounds as they continue through the fields.
“I love You too. I just can’t believe I’m really in Your arms.” Grateful tears run down her cheeks.
Brushing her hair back from her bruised face and exposing her cracked lip, He tells her, “Do you know how beautiful you are to Me?”
“But I’m not beautiful. I’m broken and ugly.”
“No, Beloved, you’re beautiful; just wait and see. Your love and devotion are sweet fragrances that ravish My heart. I love you so very much. You are My little princess.”
As they round the corner hundreds of poison darts rain down from a clump of apple trees. As He continues telling Beloved of His undying love He casual- ly brushes them away with His arm. They fall harmlessly to the ground. Still fo- cusing on Beloved, He motions to Valiant, who unsheathes his sword, charges the trees and sends a swarm of demons scurrying off in retreat.
Beloved, oblivious to the spiritual counter-attack, continues to revel in His great love for her.
T
HET
RAPMaster Potter’s eyes sparkle as He looks lovingly at her. His contagious smile so fills her heart with joy. The sheer delight of being with Him is more
than enough for the moment. She wants to pinch herself to make sure it’s real but is afraid He’ll see her and laugh.
Resting in His arms she visually drinks in the colorful orchards filling the horizon with their beauty and fragrances. The warm rays of the noonday sun shimmer through the trees in dappled elegance.
As they round the corner she hears the clomping of horse’s hooves. Think- ing it’s one of Master Potter’s wagons she turns and is surprised to see Madam False Destiny and the impeccably dressed Pastor Compromise pull up beside them in an expensive, black lacquered horse-drawn buggy. Beloved can’t take her eyes off the beautifully embellished filigreed golden trim.
Madam is smartly dressed, although not as flamboyantly as usual, in a black straight skirt with a ruffled high-necked white blouse. She looks more like a schoolmarm than Madam. Her ever-present mother-of-pearl cigarette holder is also missing. The two make a very handsome, respectable and affluent-looking couple.
Madam sarcastically says, “Well, well! If it isn’t Master Potter carrying an- other broken vessel off the Potter’s Field.”
Pastor Compromise quickly adds, “You both look so tired. Would you like a ride? We could take you back to the village.”
“No, I’m taking her to My house. I have so much to share with her.” At the sound of Master Potter’s voice the horses let out a high-pitched neigh and vio- lently paw the ground.
Pastor Compromise steps out of the buggy. Gently taking Madam around her ample waist, he hoists her over the side of the wagon, his neck veins bulging as he strains to set her down. Madam lands hard on the ground and casts a quick sneer at Pastor Compromise. She regains her composure, gently smoothes her skirt, and smiles condescendingly at Master Potter, “But Your house is so far away. Why don’t You let her stay with me for the night? I’ve missed you, For- saken, and—”
“Her name’s been changed. She’s not Forsaken, she’s Beloved.” The agi- tated horses fight their harnesses to get away from Master Potter.
“Oh, of course, of course, she’s Beloved now, how nice for her,” Madam hisses through clenched teeth. “Well, Beloved, I’ve been searching day and night since you left. You were right; the whole fiasco with my brooch was all a mistake. You were framed, you poor thing. I’ve missed you so much. We’re ac- tually on the way to the church social. We heard that you had been rescued from
the Potter’s Field so we came by to get you. We’d planned to vindicate you in front of the whole crowd today and let the truth be known. You’d come back into the community in good standing, welcomed with open arms. We’re hoping that you will find it in your heart to forgive us and maybe even give us the pleasure of hearing you sing for all of us.”
Beloved looks at Master Potter and says, “Oh, I would love to see all my friends. I could go to Your house tomorrow.”
Pastor Compromise says, “I totally agree. It would be best, Master Potter, if she returned with us to Comfort Cove for reconciliation. She could even go to Watered Down Village to get some solid biblical training and discipleship. It’s just across Stillwater Bridge and we’re friends with all the leaders there.”
“Now that that little mix-up about my brooch is cleared up, you could stay at the Inn. I’ve never let anyone take your room. I would love to continue men- toring you, dear. I will always have my home open to you. You can stay with me anytime.”
Pastor Compromise clears his throat, “Well it looks like we’ve all got her best interest at heart and want to see her mature and grow spiritually.”
“I’ve always loved you as a daughter. I missed you so much. I’m the moth- er you’ve never had and you’re the daughter I never got,” Madam gushes as she holds out her arms. “Come here, darling, you’ve been through so much. My arms are aching to hold you.”
Beloved is surprised when Master Potter throws back His head and laughs heartily. “I don’t think we all have her best interest at heart. I’ve waited from the beginning of time to hold her in My arms and to enjoy her arms embracing Me.” With His eyes full of fire and determination He says, “We have a long day’s journey ahead, so we must get going.”
Pastor Compromise takes a large side-step in front of Master Potter. “You can’t be serious; You’re not walking all the way to Your house. It’s miles from here just to the lower foothills. And once You get partway up the mountain the road ends and You have to go by foot. The rough terrain is nearly impossible. You’ll need to conserve Your strength for that climb. Why don’t You let us take You to the end of the road? Then You won’t be as exhausted as You attempt to make that brutal climb. If You walk, it could be dark by the time You get there and You could get lost going up that treacherous mountain.”
“I am the way, the truth and the life. I know the path. No man comes to My house except through Me.”
“But the mountainous terrain—”
“I leap on the tops of mountains, and I will carry My Beloved.”
Turning abruptly, He heads across the field, jumping effortlessly from one hill to the next, leaving them foiled and cursing.
The need for acceptance and vindication has a stranglehold on Beloved. After the humiliating fiasco at the Inn, Beloved’s pride is still badly wounded. “But Master Potter, I was falsely accused, and the record needs to be set straight about what really happened. You could always come with me.”
“Beloved, let Me handle this. Things are not always what they seem to be. What you just experienced was a trap to put you back under demonic con- trol. In My time I will vindicate you, but it will not be your righteousness that is exalted.”