I awoke with a start. I was in a strange room that I had never seen before. I was lying on the floor looking towards the door, when I noticed a note on the floor. I sat up and picked it up, noticing a strange smell for the first time. The note said, "How do you know yourself from the darkness within?" I was starting to become anxious now, and my heart-rate was increasing fast. I stood up and began pacing around the room, looking for anything that I could use to protect myself; from what, I didn't know, but I felt like I needed a weapon, at least to give myself a sense of security. There was nothing in the room other than myself and the roaches that crawled in and out of the cracks in the walls and floor. I walked cautiously to the door and gently pushed on it. It swung open with an eerie creak, and I was suddenly struck by the thought that I may not be the only one here, and didn't wish to disturb anyone else who may be there. I peered into the darkness of the hallway and made my way out of the room, carefully moving down the hall trying not to run into the walls.
As I made my way down the hall, the strange smell I had noticed earlier started to grow stronger. I tried not to breathe in the nauseating fumes, but it was unavoidable. It was a smell halfway between that of rotting meat and a sickly sweet scent. I continued down the hallway, which was nearly pitch black, and just when I began to fear that I was trapped, I found a door. I groped around for the doorknob, and finally found it. It was unlocked, so I twisted it and opened the door to a small room. Inside, all I found was a small book. The problem was that I still had no light, so I couldn't read the book, but I decided to take it with me anyway. I continued down the hallway a while longer, and the smell was always there, hanging over me constantly like a ghostly companion. I began to despair my life and of ever seeing light again, when I came to another room. I hurriedly felt around for the doorknob and opened the door. In the room I felt around and found a flashlight. I nearly shouted for joy now that I had found a light! I quickly opened the book to see what it said, but the words inside made no sense. I felt the despair returning, so I decided to continue down the hall, but now I had a light with which to see.
As I walked down the hall, I was able to look about and observe the hallway better, and to my shock, the walls bore pictures of me. Not just me, but things I had done throughout my life. The thing that was most shocking was that they were pictures of me doing things that I knew no one else could know. One was a picture of me from when I was 8, taking cookies from a cookie jar when no one was watching, though I had known it was wrong. Another showed me at age 11, when I had "borrowed" toys from my siblings without asking, and had never told them. Still another was from when I was 13, showing how I had cheated on a test. Yet another had me from when I was 15 and being rebellious, treating my family poorly, talking back to my parents, and talking down to my siblings. There were many more depicting the wrong things I had done, and worse, they were wrongs I had chosen to do. I felt ashamed, but I was also wondering where these pictures had come from. Someone has been watching me for quite a while, I thought to myself, but who? And why? I made myself walk farther down the narrow hallway, pondering, trying to figure out who would be watching me for so long. I noticed the smell, which could be labeled as the smell of death, was very strong around the pictures of my life's sins. I began to tremble, the weight of the things I had done came crashing down on me all at once, and a sob rose up in my throat. I stumbled down the hall, tears stinging my eyes, my guilt and remorse overwhelming me. I fell to my knees and sobbed.
After a few minutes, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned quickly, and saw a kind looking man. He asked what was wrong, and I explained about the pictures, and how I had realized that I had wronged and hurt others and myself because of choices I had made. He listened quietly, then asked about the book in my hand. I explained that I had found it in the dark hallways, but I couldn't understand what it said. He took it gently, looking it over with a knowing look, and handed it back to me. He told me that it was a book filled with good news for me, that I could be free of the guilt I felt. I excitedly opened the book, and to my surprise I could understand what it said. I quickly looked back up, but the man was gone without a trace. I looked all around, but could not find the man anywhere. I looked back to the book and eagerly read it. It described a man who lived a life I could never have lived. This man was perfect. One day He was betrayed and beaten and killed. But this man was not just any man. He came back to life to show that death had no power over Him, that sin had no hold on Him. And He did this for me. He suffered and died for me. I suddenly felt so insignificant and worthless. I was overwhelmed, and wanted to find a way out of the narrow hallway I was confined to, but I also wanted to find the mysterious man I had seen before. I searched the halls for what seemed like hours, searching. At long last, I found the man, cleaning one of the rooms. I asked him what the smell was that seemed to follow me around. He asked if I had read the book yet, and I said that I had, but was still wondering about the smell. He looked at me with his kind eyes and explained that the smell was death, that the wrongs I had done, or sins, would only lead to death. They may have been comfortable, or even pleasant at the time, but they would lead to death all the same, just like how fast food tastes great, but it is bad for you in the long run.
I took this all in, turning it over in my head. What he was saying made so much sense, but I had so many questions. I asked how I could avoid the death brought on by my sins. He told me there was nothing I could do, nothing at all. I began to lose all hope of ever being free of my guilt and shame. He then continued to explain that the man in the book had paid my debt, taken my punishment for my wrongs. Not because He had to, but because He loved me. Tears welled up in my eyes at the thought of someone loving me enough to die for me. Not only to save me, but to die for me. I asked what I had to do to deserve this, or even earn it. The man shook his head and told me there was nothing I could do to earn it, it was a gift, and all I had to do was to accept it as a gift. I was thrilled! I could be free from my guilt forever! I told the man I wanted nothing more than to accept this gift and become free at last. He took the book from me and turned to a page I had yet to read and read from it. It said that all I had to do was put my trust in the man who had died for me, and put aside all that I had been before. To become a new man, and follow Him, and he would make me that new man and remove my sins as far as the East is from the West! I was ecstatic at this news! I told the man that I did accept this gift and would live my life as a new man. He looked at me knowingly and simply said, "I know. I am the one who saved you. I have known you since before you were born. I have loved you since before time began. I lived, died, and rose again to take your punishment so that you could be with me. I took your guilt on myself so that you could be free, and I took your sins as far as the East is from the West." At this I was so humbled that I could not even speak. I fell to my knees in front this man and sobbed, feeling so unworthy to be loved in such a manner. The man knelt down and looked me in the eye with his warm, kind eyes. "Do not be ashamed, you are forgiven. Your sins are remembered no more. You are mine, and no one can take your salvation from you. Do not be afraid of anything, for I will always be with you." I felt a great calm wash over me. I was a new creation, free from my old life filled with sin. The man lead me to a door and opened it. Suddenly bright light filled the hallway, and I walked outside, into the sunlight, surrounded by bright green grass, free from my old life and the cramped, dark, dead, and worthless things that I had done. I was free at last!
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