Several weeks later, Allen was sitting in his office one Wednesday afternoon working on his sermon for Sunday when his secretary buzzed him announcing that Grace was on the line.
Allen answered with a light hearted, “My life is centered in grace. What more could I need.”
“I’m not feeling very graceful right now. Are you sitting down?” she asked with a slight edge to her voice.
“Honey, what’s wrong?”
“I’m certainly glad that you had to leave early this morning and didn’t have a chance to read the paper.”
“The newspaper?” Alan responded with a question in his voice.
“Yes. It seems that your prayer buddy has taken out a full page ad announcing that he has been cured of cancer.”
“Wow! That’s great news.”
“Wait till you see the ad. The title in big bold print reads, ‘God Is Not Through With Me Yet.'”
“Somehow that sounds like Henry,” Allen said with a laugh.
“The ad goes on to quote the Reverend Mr. Harp as follows: “People have often kidded me about my name and asked if I will one day play the harp in heaven; and when I learned of this cancer I thought God was calling me home. But God met me half way there and said to me, ‘Henry, I still have work for you to do so I’m sending you back to play the harp of salvation for my people.'”
Allen started laughing, “Henry hasn’t lost his touch. Still, I have to say that I rejoice if the doctors have told him that his cancer is in remission,” said Allen.
“Oh, you haven’t heard the half of it yet. When he announced that God had personally sent him back, it seems that God also told him to build a chapel for healing.”
“A chapel?”
“God’s Healing Chapel of Living Waters,” she said with mounting sarcasm.
“And he took out a full page ad to announce that to the world?”
“Not just announce it,” said Grace with a touch of bitterness. “You remember you told me Henry started wearing a white robe when he came to you for prayer?”
“Yeah, I thought it was a little odd but it seemed to be meaningful for him.”
“I don’t know about meaningful but Henry has figured out a way to make it profitable.”
“How’s that?”
“The ad says that Henry will give $5,000 as a thanks offering to God for his healing towards building that chapel and that any person that will send him a minimum of $1,000 towards the chapel will receive a piece of the robe in which Henry was healed.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” responded Allen.
“Not only that but he quotes the verse where the woman was healed by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment; leaving the distinct impression that Henry’s garment may have the same healing power.”
Allen said good by to Grace and hung up the phone. He pulled out his Bible and turned to the Genesis story of Cain and Abel and read where God had said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
Strangely enough Allen didn’t feel a rush of anger. From the several conversations that he had when Henry was most vulnerable, he realized how frightened Henry was. He was like a little boy always trying to prove himself to a parent whose love he doubted.
He laughed softly. You are a tough teacher, God. I really am saved by grace.
