Ephesians 1

(Story I wrote a while ago... it is possibly the best post of my old, forsaken blogs... just wanted to share it with you. Michael is named after the archangel.)

Today I was driving on the interstate, and I noticed a sign with the word "Castle." I had to look at it again because it seemed too... well, official... to be a White Castle, or any cheesy tourist attraction. The sign simply gave directions to a "Castle." I veered toward the exit at the last second... I just had to check it out.

I turned left onto a curvy road with a bower of tree branches above it. The sunlight grew brighter, subtly, as the trees became more evenly spaced out. 

Then I came to a huge lawn, smooth as a green pool, with a fountain in its center shooting higher and higher every moment. The bushes surrounding it looked like they'd been trimmed with nail clippers.

I don't know what I was expecting, but it was really surprising to see an actual castle dominating the whole scene. It looked like it had come straight out of the pages of the Medieval Life book I had when I was a kid, with turrets piled on top of each other, pointed caps, and wide stone walls glimmering.

I parked in a parking garage about half a mile away from the entrance; the garage seemed modern and out-of-place. With some trepidation, I walked along a path bordered by perfect shrubbery and more fountains, then up some marble steps to the entrance. The door was held open with a huge rock; I could see that it was very heavy and carved on both sides.

A tall woman stood up from behind a polished desk. She walked around it towards me, extending her hand. "Welcome! We're so glad you are here. This is the best day to visit!" I breathed a sigh of relief- apparently, it was okay for me to be there. Then thought of the sign. Of course! If this place were private, the owner wouldn't have advertised it.

The lady was already paging a tour guide.  Soon, a man wearing an immaculate suit walked into the room.

"My name is Michael, and I'll be your guide. This is a very special day for all of us, and we're so glad you're here!" He gestured to the hall, and from where I was standing, I could see beautiful tapestries, golden fixtures, and an ornate carpet. "This castle is coming into the possession of an extremely fortunate heiress this very afternoon!"

"Really?" I exclaimed.

"Absolutely. Today, she will become one of the wealthiest people in the entire world. I've been authorized to give visitors a complete tour of her new estate. Please come this way!"

I walked into the great hall as Michael told me that throughout the tour, he would show me everything that the woman would inherit. "We'll start with the throne room."

We came to the end of a corridor, and a door loomed over us, made of the darkest wood I had ever seen. It looked sinister after the warmth and richness of the hall. Michael turned the knob, and the door swung open slowly.

I saw a great throne towering on a dais; the only furniture in the room. Three crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the walls were completely covered in crimson tapestries. It was a solemn and majestic place, and it took my breath away.

Michael's smile had disappeared. He spoke seriously, looking into my eyes as though every word were vitally important.

"The heiress is unworthy of favor. She has done great wrong to her benefactor, and he could have judged and punished her severely. But he has forgiven everything. Not only that, but in this very room he has proclaimed his will for her. She has been predestined to be completely blameless before him, and she will be." He spoke with confidence.

"She will change?" I asked, trying to make sense of the words.

"He will change her. She had an evil heart, but now she will fulfill his will, and she will be to the praise of his glorious grace. This is guaranteed. He has proclaimed it, and he has sealed her with his own seal."

"Wow!" I exclaimed. I'd never heard anything like this before. Then he smiled again.

 "We'll move on to the chapel."

In this smaller room, stone walls rose to a perfect arch, warm in the light of thousands of candles. A crimson carpet lay before the altar, which was carved with the image of an empty cross. Magnificent stained glass windows spanned every wall. "Here, she will receive every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. Her benefactor has chosen her before the foundation of the world to be his adopted daughter, and he even died to redeem her."

I couldn't speak. I had thought that someone this wealthy and powerful would be equally heartless, but it seemed that the one of whom he spoke had a heart greater than the whole world.

Michael gestured toward the hallway. We walked side by side to the next door; it was very heavy, and I saw him strain a little to push it open. Then my eyes filled up with the sight of row on row on row of books. They completely covered walls that were higher and wider than I'd ever seen in any library; and I've visited many.

"This library contains secrets that people have died to obtain, and still could not. They will be freely revealed to her. He will allow her to know the mystery of his will. He will give her wisdom, insight, and an enlightened heart. She will be given knowledge of him and of the hope to which he has called her."

I couldn't answer now because I didn't trust my voice. I saw the true value of the wisdom he was speaking about, of the hope and also the love in this room. I'd been smothering my desire for these things, chasing things I thought were attainable, the cheap substitutes. I wanted to stay, to pull a few books off the shelves. Michael gave me a knowing look and opened the door for me, and I thought that I would cry at having to leave.

"We're going to the banquet hall," he said, not looking at me. He walked quickly, and I broke into an awkward jog to catch up.

We walked through an open archway into a room that absolutely glowed. The walls were lit by oil lamps and lined with thousands of portraits in golden frames. The room had more tables than I had ever seen in my life. It was warm from a blazing fire in the great fireplace. I felt my feet sinking into the thick carpet and suddenly wanted to take off my shoes, but I realized that Michael was speaking again.

"This is the place in which the heiress will experience the most wonderful fellowship possible. She'll have a close friendship with her benefactor, and will be united with others because of him. These friends will be filled with the same love and faith that she'll be given, so they'll be understanding of each other and able to serve him together."

"This is so amazing!" It was all I could really say.

"There's more," he said. 

We came to a door that was inlaid with jewels and securely locked. Michael pulled a ring of keys out of his pocket and expertly found the ones he needed. "This is the treasure chamber," he told me, and as the door swung open, I gasped. The place looked like a dragon's lair from a fairy tale. Gold and jewels were heaped up on shelves and even on the floor. Diamonds in velvet cases, the biggest rubies I had ever seen, and glittering treasure chests with wide-open lids. “It will all be hers; she's blessed in the beloved. He simply chose to lavish his rich grace on her."

Michael stooped to pick up a golden crown, set it on a shelf and turned back around to face me. I could see that he was tearing up a bit, himself. "You know, the best part is, she doesn't even realize the rich and glorious inheritance she will receive, but he is going to reveal it to her. He is so good. She'll even receive a guarantee of a future inheritance of greater riches."

"But-" I said, suddenly remembering something. A contradiction. "I thought you said her benefactor died!"

"Ah." His eyes lit up. "I have one more room to show you."

I startled a little when I walked into the next room and saw two knights holding enormous swords. Then, I realized that they were only suits of armor. The walls of this chamber bristled with swords and spears of every description, and an iron table in the center was piled with weapons and protective armor. I noticed a shield with the symbol of the empty cross.

"He died for her," Michael said, "but his father raised him from the dead. Their power is immeasurably great. And they will work in her with that very same resurrection power. They will give her their own power so that she can fight her battles.

“On top of all this, she will have my master as her head, to love and obey, and fill her with everything she needs. She will be his fullness, the fullness of him who fills all in all."

As we walked back to the entrance, I noticed something on the wall. A golden case with a thick document inside. "What's this?"

"It's the deed to the castle, and all of the riches that I've described to you." He pulled out one last key, and I thought I could see bloodstains on it.

Then he put it into the key hole and turned it.

"What are you doing?" I asked. I could hear my voice shaking.

"This is the deed for the rich and glorious inheritance." He held it out to me.

"It's for you."