From Pharaoh's Hand Read Online Free
Author: Cynthia Green
faith:
“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment,” he quoted. “The life we live on this earth is lived by faith. Through the grace of God we are saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 says: ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God’. His love and mercy forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.”
Elizabeth had watched the entire sermon mesmerized by the love that was coming from his eyes as he gave the most stirring message she had ever heard. Her hometown Jackson was smack dab in the middle of the Bible Belt, and they were faithful worshipers at West Jackson Baptist Church. She had even made that walk down the aisle when she was twelve and became baptized in water the very next Sunday. That seemed so long ago. How have I strayed so far from being that girl?
“ There is no sin that cannot be forgiven, except the unpardonable sin of turning your back on the Holy Spirit. As long as you walk by faith, like Moses, as long as you remain pliable in the Master’s hands, and repentant, there is hope for you, my friend.” He paused for effect. “Do not turn away from the Spirit’s call, for we are not guaranteed tomorrow.” She knew there was truth in what this man of God was saying. She knew that she had done wrong. This was the consequence of her sin. She wanted forgiveness. She wanted mercy. She wanted to go back to when she was twelve and unmarred by life and naive about worldly temptation. But there was no going back. She had wrapped her arms around her belly and squeezed, weeping and convulsing in wrenching waves. She could not kill this innocent life inside her. I can’t go through with it. There’s got to be a way out. She would ride the bus back to Jackson. She would find Crystal, and they would make a plan. She would tell her parents. But will they ever forgive me? Can they?
Beth had lain for what seemed like hours pondering the question, and finally, around 4 a.m., she had succumbed to her exhaustion and slept, tossing with dreadful dreams. In front of her loomed the mummy of a long dead Pharaoh. He was moaning for her to turn back. Turn back. But even as she turned, she faced the horrible jaws of an angry alligator, waiting to devour her whole as she slipped and slid and fell, scrambling to find her parents in the dense fog hovering over the treacherous banks of a very muddy Nile.
Chapter 3
Missing
“And they were grieved because of the Children of Israel...” Exodus 1:12
John Merriweather sat at his breakfast table in black sweat pants, t-shirt, and well-worn slippers, drinking his first cup of Folgers and reading the headlines from The Jackson Sun, as was his usual Saturday morning habit. He worked over sixty hours a week as the CFO of a large manufacturing plant on the east side, and so on Saturdays he liked to wind down. A plate of half-eaten pancakes and sausage links rested before him growing colder by the minute, while at his feet, his beloved Setter, Angel begged for a bite of the syrupy remains. Carolyn Merriweather stood at the sink, rinsing her plate and remarking what a mild day it was for January. She was tall and graceful, and her blonde hair was beautifully coiffed from the morning’s trip to the salon. The crocus would appear before long if it kept this up, she remarked. John was too engrossed in the feature story to answer her.
“Are you even listening to me, John?”
“Uh-huh, heard every word.”
“What did I say then?”
“You said, ‘The crocus are going
“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment,” he quoted. “The life we live on this earth is lived by faith. Through the grace of God we are saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 says: ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God’. His love and mercy forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.”
Elizabeth had watched the entire sermon mesmerized by the love that was coming from his eyes as he gave the most stirring message she had ever heard. Her hometown Jackson was smack dab in the middle of the Bible Belt, and they were faithful worshipers at West Jackson Baptist Church. She had even made that walk down the aisle when she was twelve and became baptized in water the very next Sunday. That seemed so long ago. How have I strayed so far from being that girl?
“ There is no sin that cannot be forgiven, except the unpardonable sin of turning your back on the Holy Spirit. As long as you walk by faith, like Moses, as long as you remain pliable in the Master’s hands, and repentant, there is hope for you, my friend.” He paused for effect. “Do not turn away from the Spirit’s call, for we are not guaranteed tomorrow.” She knew there was truth in what this man of God was saying. She knew that she had done wrong. This was the consequence of her sin. She wanted forgiveness. She wanted mercy. She wanted to go back to when she was twelve and unmarred by life and naive about worldly temptation. But there was no going back. She had wrapped her arms around her belly and squeezed, weeping and convulsing in wrenching waves. She could not kill this innocent life inside her. I can’t go through with it. There’s got to be a way out. She would ride the bus back to Jackson. She would find Crystal, and they would make a plan. She would tell her parents. But will they ever forgive me? Can they?
Beth had lain for what seemed like hours pondering the question, and finally, around 4 a.m., she had succumbed to her exhaustion and slept, tossing with dreadful dreams. In front of her loomed the mummy of a long dead Pharaoh. He was moaning for her to turn back. Turn back. But even as she turned, she faced the horrible jaws of an angry alligator, waiting to devour her whole as she slipped and slid and fell, scrambling to find her parents in the dense fog hovering over the treacherous banks of a very muddy Nile.
Chapter 3
Missing
“And they were grieved because of the Children of Israel...” Exodus 1:12
John Merriweather sat at his breakfast table in black sweat pants, t-shirt, and well-worn slippers, drinking his first cup of Folgers and reading the headlines from The Jackson Sun, as was his usual Saturday morning habit. He worked over sixty hours a week as the CFO of a large manufacturing plant on the east side, and so on Saturdays he liked to wind down. A plate of half-eaten pancakes and sausage links rested before him growing colder by the minute, while at his feet, his beloved Setter, Angel begged for a bite of the syrupy remains. Carolyn Merriweather stood at the sink, rinsing her plate and remarking what a mild day it was for January. She was tall and graceful, and her blonde hair was beautifully coiffed from the morning’s trip to the salon. The crocus would appear before long if it kept this up, she remarked. John was too engrossed in the feature story to answer her.
“Are you even listening to me, John?”
“Uh-huh, heard every word.”
“What did I say then?”
“You said, ‘The crocus are going
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