Josh's Story

It seems like only yesterday when Josh and Chelsea first laid eyes on each other. It was love at first sight and a whirlwind romance. It was the stuff of fairytales. People looked at them and knew that they would live happily-ever-after. Their relationship sounded like something you would read in a storybook, so would you believe me if I told you it was real?

Once they met, Josh would do just about anything for Chelsea. So much so that marriage came rather quickly for the two of them and it seemed evident that nothing could ever tear these two apart. They were inseparable. It seemed like every opportunity they got, they would choose to spend it together.

Just after their honeymoon they moved into a home down on East Garden Street. For them, everything seemed to be perfect. They were well on their way to a fairytale ending.

One day, they noticed that a man had moved into the house next door. He was well dressed, clean-shaven, and even had his hair slicked back. After he had unloaded everything into his home, he came over to introduce himself to Josh and Chelsea. His name was Stan and he was  just as personable as he appeared. However, while they were talking with him, it became apparent to Josh that Stan was flirting with his newly-wed wife.

Thankfully the conversation did not continue for very long because Stan had some things he needed to do back at home. As the door closed behind him, Josh began talking with Chelsea.

He asked her what she thought of their new neighbor and she told him that she thought he was very nice and would make a good friend. As Josh shared his apprehensions, he warned her to be cautious around him because he was aware of Stan's intentions. He knew from that very first meeting with Stan, that this would not work itself out into a good friendship so he asked Chelsea to keep her distance from Stan.

She, on the other hand, felt that he was overreacting. She didn't think that Stan was flirting with her...at least to the degree that Josh told her he was. However, she agreed and followed her husband's advice.

The next day, as Josh was leaving for work, Stan was watching him from the window. As soon as Josh was out of eyesight he went back over to talk to Chelsea. She opened the door, smiled and, before she realized, they had been talking for over three hours. Stan was well aware of the passing time, however, and knew Josh would be back home for his lunch break soon. So he slyly asked her for a cup of sugar to hide his real intentions and returned home.

Chelsea, after closing the door, tried her best to hide the smile that Stan had left her. You see, for that entire conversation he seemed like the best listener. He asked her about her desires and passions and listened to her response. He told her that she was worth so much more than she even realized. He kept telling her that Josh was such a lucky man to have such a beautiful woman as herself.

He was manipulating her because of his jealousy. Chelsea was a very beautiful young woman and he wanted her for himself. Day after day, he would come over and talk with her while Josh was at work. This culminated to that shattering day when Josh came home to find a letter from Chelsea on the counter. But what broke his heart were the divorce papers laying beneath it.

To his heartbreak and sorrow, she informed him that she was leaving and wanted nothing to do with him. She moved in with Stan, just next door, thinking that the awkwardness would pass and she could simply move on.

Josh's heart was beyond broken that day and utterly shattered. From then on, whenever He would see her, he was never able to hide his emotions toward her despite his efforts. Even though she had so deeply crushed him, he loved her more than she could ever know.

It wasn't too long after she moved in with Stan, that Chelsea began to experience the real Stan. He began abusing her physically and emotionally. He would scream at her and it eventually got to the point that he would kick her out of the house for periods of time.

Things got so bad that, because Chelsea wasn't experiencing love and acceptance in her home, she began getting involved with the wrong people. In her search for belonging, she was driven to drugs and alcohol. Josh even saw her on the outskirts of town walking down the street prostituting herself to random men.

As Josh was in his living room one stormy night, with tears streaming down his eyes to rival the rain falling from the skys, he looked out the window and saw Stan throw his beloved out of the house and lock the door behind her. She was stranded in the rain. Alone and unprotected. Gripped with compassion, Josh grabbed his jacket and went outside to meet her. He extended to her not just the jacket but also forgiveness as he invited her to come back home. But her response was to ignore him, as she turned and ran off into the storm.

Josh was left there standing in the rain. Alone. Instead of the woman he loved and cared for, all that was in  his hands was the jacket. A symbol of the hope and longing he had for restoration.

The next day, Josh came home for lunch and noticed Stan's front door was open. An unusual occurrence, he was overcome with an uneasy feeling. He could sense something was wrong. As he quietly made his way toward the door he could hear raised voices that grew louder and more venomous as he entered the house. Stan was yelling at Chelsea and he could tell she was scared for her life.

Josh entered the house and ran up the stairs toward the hate-filled voice of Stan. There he found the two of them in the bedroom. Everything was knocked over and the room was a mess. The dresser was turned on its side, the lamp smashed into the floor - everything was set for the violent crime that was occurring. As Josh entered, he saw Stan throw Chelsea against the wall and pull out a gun to surely kill her. Not stopping for a moment, Josh continued to run until he stood between Stan and Chelsea. Standing as a shield to protect her, Josh felt the bullet hit as Stan fired the gun which was meant to kill her. Josh's life-less body hit the ground with a decided thud.

Chelsea was stunned. There before her laid the man, once her beloved husband, dead. Though she had treated him horribly and had shattered his heart with her actions, in the end, he showed her the greatest act of love and forgiveness by dying in her place.

Stan remarked, "Good riddance!" grabbed Chelsea by her hair as he pulled her into the next room away from Josh's body. He made her get down on her knees, head turned away from him. Stan raised the gun to her head prepared to kill again.

BANG!

Everything was quiet as Stan fell to the ground. Dead. Josh had come into the room from behind Stan and shot him in the head. Chelsea, more scared than she had ever been before, began sobbing uncontrollably as she slipped into shock. Josh was dead? How could this be? Josh took her into his arms, almost forgetting the pain of the bloody wound in his side, and whispered those reassuring words that contained forgiveness, hope and, most importantly, love: "Let's go home."

Epilogue:

Josh is the Lord Jesus. Chelsea is us or mankind. Stan is Satan.

This is the story of grace. No, it's not a true story from today but it is a picture of the epic true story that we are all involved in today. Jesus had a lovely and perfect relationship with us until we wanted something different. We were the ones who filed the divorce papers and ran toward Stan (the devil). We are the abused and oppressed. Satan's goal has always been to destroy mankind, yet the Lord Jesus willingly jumped in our place. He took the bullet for us and just when Satan thought he had the high ground, the Lord Jesus comes in and once and for all puts an end to the devil. This is the Gospel message. This is Jesus' story!