11-01-2013, 09:49 AM
Well that felt good. In a wrenching the bandaid off in one skin-shredding, tear-cringing rip kind of way.
Jensen steadied himself with a draw of air into burning lungs. He was going to have to get used to attacks. He didn't believe John's words were born from malice, but the tongue was a sharper weapon than any sword, and Jensen wasn't used to wearing armor. John's apologetic cringe confirmed it, and though he didn't actually take back the whip of his sarcasm or the heat of his profanity, Jensen focused on the truth in what he said. Together, what they proposed did sound crazy. They were the unlikely chosen to make the stuff of heroes. Furthermore, why would John trust a man on self-imposed exile.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think the church will want him to be stopped. The apocalypse has to happen. If there is no war, there will be no victory. Shouldn't we focus on saving souls?"
Beginning with our own?
He swallowed, and as he gathered his thoughts, the words just kept coming. "And I don't think we're ready to battle. It's written that we are to: 'put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Because our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.'"
There was a silhouette of power and faith in his speech that Jensen hadn't heard from himself in so long. He was a shadow of what he used to be, but it was a self-inflicted diminishment as distancing from his origins as his exile.
He stood, knowing the direction he needed to take. "You meet with the man from the Vatican in two days? Therefore I need to prepare. I don't know if two days is enough, but we will have a better idea of our allies at that time, and I grievously need to fast and pray. Otherwise..."
he swallowed, "without the 'full armor of God', I know I will fail."
That's exactly what happened the last time he fell to sin. This time, Jensen was determined to stand his ground.
Jensen steadied himself with a draw of air into burning lungs. He was going to have to get used to attacks. He didn't believe John's words were born from malice, but the tongue was a sharper weapon than any sword, and Jensen wasn't used to wearing armor. John's apologetic cringe confirmed it, and though he didn't actually take back the whip of his sarcasm or the heat of his profanity, Jensen focused on the truth in what he said. Together, what they proposed did sound crazy. They were the unlikely chosen to make the stuff of heroes. Furthermore, why would John trust a man on self-imposed exile.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think the church will want him to be stopped. The apocalypse has to happen. If there is no war, there will be no victory. Shouldn't we focus on saving souls?"
Beginning with our own?
He swallowed, and as he gathered his thoughts, the words just kept coming. "And I don't think we're ready to battle. It's written that we are to: 'put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Because our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.'"
There was a silhouette of power and faith in his speech that Jensen hadn't heard from himself in so long. He was a shadow of what he used to be, but it was a self-inflicted diminishment as distancing from his origins as his exile.
He stood, knowing the direction he needed to take. "You meet with the man from the Vatican in two days? Therefore I need to prepare. I don't know if two days is enough, but we will have a better idea of our allies at that time, and I grievously need to fast and pray. Otherwise..."
he swallowed, "without the 'full armor of God', I know I will fail."
That's exactly what happened the last time he fell to sin. This time, Jensen was determined to stand his ground.