Ten.

by J.D. Clark


'Twas Saturday night, a dreary scene,
toiled a preacher at an empty computer screen.

The Ten Commandments was the sermon to be,

as promised to the widow Mrs. Haverty.

"You want more people in these pews?

Then that is the sermon you should choose,"

said the old woman, straightening her frock,

whom some considered a sage of the flock.

The numbers were dwindling, there was no doubt,

ever since the word had gotten out,

that a mega-church had gone up downtown,

with spectacular lights and theatrical sound.

With such a production he could not compete,

this small town preacher losing seat after seat.

And now the future looked even more grim,

as he looked at the blank screen in front of him.

The priest said a prayer,"God what can I do,

to make things a bit more exciting and new?"

But no sermon was written, and feeling quite tired,

the preacher went to bed, uninspired...

And entered a dream where he stood at the throne

of God, whose glory around him shown.

This is my chance, thought the preacher, I'll bet,

that He'll give me the best sermon I've ever preached yet!

"Lord what can I do?" he begged once again,

"to dazzle them with your commandments of Ten?

"Just keep them tomorrow,"the Lord said to do,

"and I will provide a new sermon for you."

"That's it?" said the preacher, a bit confused,

but, of course, he agreed, having nothing to lose.

Then the preacher awoke, and with a new zeal,

he began keeping his end of the deal.

"This will be easy,"he did confidently say,

"For I already keep them all, anyway."

And so he began praying beside his bed,

putting God first, as the commandment said,

But as he began, he heard his phone buzz,

and the preacher stopped praying,

for he knew what it was-

an online bid was nearing it's end,

and this was one bid he just had to win.

But he didn't finish praying after he was done,

Yet he did yell God's name, when the bid was not won.

Frustrated, he showered and dressed for the day,

then got in his car and went on his way.

But the foggy cold morning tempted him to,

stop at a gas station for a hot brew.

"Coming to services?" the preacher inquired,

to the store clerk, who looked very tired.

The clerk was a sheep in the flock, Mrs. Lyle,

whom the preacher had not seen in awhile.

"Like to," said Mrs. Lyle, "but I'm afraid not,

someone's got to keep a warm coffee pot."

Then on his journey, the pastor resumed,

while with his sermon his mind was consumed.

But passing the Bentley farm and estate,

his cell phone began again to vibrate.

Can you come by today? said a text from his mother,

The preacher shrugged and thought, Oh brother!

He looked at the time...6:30 am-

Why did she call me so early again?

Sorry, too busy, by texting, he said,

not keeping his eye on the road up ahead.

For the white moving figure, he did not see,

'til it was too late and he braked suddenly.

The impact was loud, the coffee a mess.

"What'd I hit?!" he exclaimed. A cow was his guess.

But too dark and cold to inspect, he drove on,

still frustrated in the cold pre-dawn...

The stress of a sermon still unprepared,

made him doubt for a moment God really cared.

But surely it just hadn't come to him yet.

After all, he had kept his end of the bet.

When he got to the parish parking lot,

he noticed some car damage, but not a lot.

A quick bathroom stop in the church without spire,

wiped the coffee stains from his preacher attire.

Then to his office, he'd just settled in,

when a woman's soft voice whispered,"May I come in?"

"Of course," said the pastor, not very surprised,

to see fair Mrs. Bentley with tears in her eyes.

She'd come many times in similar distress,

with marriage problems to vent and confess.

"Sit down, what happened?" the preacher asked.

Across his wooden desk, the tissue was passed.

"We fought all night," she said, tissue cleaving,

"He said after his morning jog he is leaving...

Oh what should I do? I just don't know-

His bags were all packed an hour ago..."

They chatted a bit, a few verses were read,

and then they embraced and she buried her head

in his soft velvet robe. Her hair brushed his face,

the smell of her perfume, he nearly could taste.

He caressed her back and pulled her in close,

and imagined she was his for seconds at most.

Then the two parted ways, he took out his pc,

and browsed on the internet aimlessly,

looking for something to say or do,

if for some reason God didn't come thru.

For some desperation he began to feel.

But he felt he'd kept his end of the deal.

He searched for a story, a poem, or a joke,

but nothing he read to his mind or heart spoke.

And soon he dozed off to the peaceful sound,

of some pirated music he had earlier found...

'Twas quarter to ten when he awoke again,

to the sound of parishioner filing in.

He opened his sermon, the file he had kept,

for perhaps God had written something while he slept..?

But except for the title, the document was bare.

Not a single inspired word was there.

"Oh Lord, what am I to do now?" the priest said.

"Greet them,"whispered a voice in his head.

And so a handshake he gave each one,

the same priestly way he had always done.

He greeted the young lawyer, Darby Larue,

who came with her two boys, Jason and Drew.

He greeted Mrs. Hinson, Mrs. Jenson, Mrs. Nell,

and Mr. and Mrs. Bumgardner, as well.

He greeted the Rodgers, their family all came,

and the preacher coveted having the same.

He greeted old members not seen in awhile,

and some who were new walked down the aisle.

He said nice to meet you and looked in there eyes,

telling them just a few flattering lies.

And then the old widow who started his stress,

came into church smiling and looking her best. 

"I spread the good word to a few friends of mine,"

said Mrs. Haverty," I hope you don't mind."

"What's the good word?" the preacher pled.

"I guess we'll find out," Mrs. Haverty said.

Then in walked Mrs. Bentley who pulled him aside,

"He never came back from his jog," she cried,

"Left me in a white jogging suit, the bum!

I hope that your sermon can comfort me some."

The chapel was filled as the organ played

'til the last prelude notes began to fade...

At the pulpit, the preacher stood with trepidation,

in front of his largest congregation,

for never had so many come as this,

to hear a sermon which did not exist.

And none will return, the preacher thought,

if the sermon once promised, the Lord has forgot!

Still he waited in hopes that an ounce of belief,

might send him an angel for some relief...

But nothing, save stares from the people in pews,

did come, no sermon, not any good news...

So he said what he could,"Today's sermon," he began,

"is on the ten commandments given to man."

Then pausing, he stood, his gaze panning slow,

to Mrs. Bentley, still sobbing on the back row.

...In a white jogging suit, she had earlier said.

Those words began to replay in his head.

Then two policemen walked thru the church door,

their glare at the preacher was hard to ignore.

Then to the car crash, the priest's mind did go,

to that figure in white that he did not know...

And suddenly, like that impact predawn,

a train of conviction hit him head on.

For the figure he hit was no cow, he surmised,

it was Mr. Bentley jogging before sunrise!

He felt his heart sink down deep inside,

Lord, what have I done?! he silently cried.

His trembling palms moistened, his mouth became dry,

his skin turned as pale as the white in his eye.

He looked at the people sitting in the pews,

What will happen when they find out this horrible news?

I'll lose my job and likely be sent,

to prison where most of my life could be spent.

Oh God, please help me! the preacher pled,

with a fervent prayer in his heart and head.

Then every infraction committed that day,

flooded his mind and on him did weigh...

And then his mouth opened and without much thought,

the preacher's new sermon began to be taught,

"Thou shalt have no other Gods before me," he said,

"I broke this commandment kneeling at my bed.

I halted my prayer for an auction online,

to worship an object I wished were mine.

Thou shalt not take the Lord's name in vain.

When I lost the bid, his name I did profane.

Keep the Sabbath Day holy, do not work on this day.

As I drove here, I broke this command on my way,

by buying coffee from a gas station clerk,

I caused someone else to have to work.

I dishonored my mother, I stole, I lied,

I let lustful, adulterous thoughts inside.

I coveted what to me does not belong.

I've done all these things though I knew they were wrong.

The tears streamed down as the preacher spake,

"There is one more commandment that I did break-

a most serious offense to God's own will.
I transgressed the commandment, Thou shalt not kill."

Then the preacher stepped down and walked thru the aisle,

Passing parishioners without a smile.
He stopped at the officers and hung his head.
"I'll take you to the scene of the crime,"he said.


Then he walked out the door and got in his car,
and behind him, a crowd was not far.
As the preacher drove toward the Bentley estate,
he could barely endure his tormented state.


The sorrow, the agony of the condemned,
made him wish that his very existence could end.
Such offenses to God whom he dearly did love,
such displeasure he caused to his Father above.


As the preacher got out at the scene of the crime,
the police and parishioners gathered behind,
"Right here are my tire tracks,"the preacher said,
"a body is close by and surely dead."


The police searched the brush by the foggy roadside,
looking for whom they presumed had died.
Yet there was no human corpse, but what was found,
was a blood-soaked white lamb, dead on the ground.


The preacher rushed over to see with his eyes,
and could hardly believe the relieving surprise!
Then he dropped to his knees and loudly cried,
proclaiming his faith by the lamb who had died.


And all of the guilt that on him did weigh,
was replaced with great peace and swept away.
And the congregation that stood nearby,
was pricked in their hearts and was made to cry.


And even Mr. Bentley, once thought to have passed,
had come and joined the outdoor mass,
and as all gathered round the lamb and knelt,
the sermon was spoken as these words were felt:


Behold this new sermon, I thy Lord give,
that Jesus whom once on this earth did live,
like this pure white lamb, was made a sacrifice,
to pay for all mankind the heavy price,


of all who do sin and the Law transgress,
if in Him they believe and their sins confess. 
For on this day this good news I do give,
That Christ, thy Redeemer, who died doth live!


The End.