The Secret Message

                                                            

A Secret Message

 by

Gracelyn Beaulieu

(age 14)

Once upon a time, there was a man named Habakkuk who had not seen his brother Haggai in a long time. His brother had left the family many years ago when he was eighteen years old. Habakkuk is now twenty-five, and Haggai is twenty-three. Haggai left his family because he wanted a new and different life. His parents raised him in a Christian home, but, sadly, he did not want that type of life. He wanted to get away from God.

            One day, when Habakkuk went to town, he stopped at a farming store to get grain. He saw that his brother had gotten a job there. What a surprise to see him after these years! Realizing his brother did not know he was there, he did not talk to him in case he would run away.

He thought, "I so want to talk to my brother, but how do I after so many years?"

Now you see, Habakkuk was a Christian, followed the Lord, and went to church. His brother, on the other hand, was not a Christian. Habakkuk got a brilliant idea. He decided to leave a secret message on Haggai's doorstep. This is what the note said:

Dear Haggai,                                                            

I am an old friend that would like to be friends again.

Over the last five years I have finished college, 

gotten married, and have bought my own home.

Please leave a letter for me in the same spot you 

found this one if you are interested.

                                              Sincerely,

                                            A Friend

They exchanged a few letters back and forth. Haggai finally wrote that he hoped that they would be able to meet someday soon.

The last note that Habakkuk wrote to Haggai said that he was a Christian. He told him that just as spring shows new growth and the snow kind of washes the dirt away, that it reminds him of how when we repent from our sins, the Lord washes our dirtiness, our sins, away. He wrote that he had gotten saved in the spring five years before.

Habakkuk invited him to lunch at his house for 12:00 on a Friday afternoon, two months after they had started writing.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

 "Hello, Haggai," said Habakkuk.

"You are the one who has been writing to me?"

"Yes, I am. I was afraid you would not accept my invitation to see you again."

"Thank you, Habakkuk, for still being a good brother to me after these years that I have been gone."

Habakkuk and Haggai began to know each other really well again. They had done fishing, taken walks, and even went to church together. Because of what he had last written, and how he had shown love and forgiveness, Haggai saw his need for God's love and forgiveness too. Habakkuk had the privilege of leading his brother to the Lord that Friday.

(Assignment for Lesson #2 - Subjects)

If you are between the ages of 13 -18,

(or know someone who likes to write stories)

I would like to post your story here.

Send me an email. I'd love to read your story!