Sovereign Lord Jesus

Lover of my soul.
Lifter of my head.
Captain of my salvation.
The One who demons dread.

O Bread who comes from heaven,
You've descended from afar.
Bread who has no leaven.
Bright and Morning Star.

King of every king.
Lord of every lord.
The crucified,
The One who died,
And rose to bear the sword.

O Lion out of Judah,
Of whom the world has read -
The coming One,
The only Son,
The Firstborn from the dead.

-J. Pecoraro

Gal. 3:23-25 “But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”


Once upon a time, long, long ago, there was a man whose name was Namuh. Namuh lived in a simple abode which sat upon a large field. He was a man of medium height and built with a wild look about himself. For the most part Namuh was content. Some of what he had done in his surroundings were good things. But some of what he had done was evil. The reward for the good was nothing to really speak of, and the same applied for the evil he had done. It couldn’t be said that Namuh was a happy man. But neither could it be said that he was unhappy.

One morning Namuh arose, only to see from his window a shocking sight. Not too far from him there stood a tall Stranger in a hooded robe. Moreover, about fifty yards or so beyond the man there had been erected a fence. Never before was there a fence anywhere on Namuh’s field. “What can this be about?” he asked himself. Cautiously he went out to meet the Stranger. “Excuse me,” he said. “Who are you if I might ask? And what is the meaning of this fence on my field? Never has there been a fence anywhere on my land.”

“I’m sure you have never seen me or heard of me,” the mysterious looking fellow replied.

“True,” said Namuh.

“Yet you will see much of me from this time on. Let me introduce myself. My name is Law. I’ve been sent to teach you right from wrong, that you may learn good from evil.”

“I don’t have any idea of what you mean,” said Namuh. “I think you should leave this place.”

“I’ll not leave,” said Law in a strong tone.

Suddenly Namuh was struck with fear for reason of the man. He knew not what to say next. “I suppose you plan on taking up residence on the other side of that fence,” he then blurted out.

“No,” said Law. “My plan is to live with you. But the other side of that fence is the first matter I want to bring to your attention. Listen carefully. Do not ever go there. For beyond that fence is a wild beast. If you should dismiss my warning and venture there he will tear your flesh. Then you will know that I am true.”

Never did Namuh hear anyone speak with such authority. He felt so overpowered. He couldn’t find it within himself again to demand that Law depart from him. And even if he was able to do so, he was sure the hooded Stranger would never comply.

Namuh found little sleep that night. His concerns had shifted from the recent intruder in his life to the beast behind the fence, if in fact there was a beast. He thought however that something must lie beyond it. His curiosity became so aroused that by dawn he felt that he must find out what the secret was. Despite Law’s warning, Namuh started for the fence.

Upon scaling it easily he discovered that as far as he could see he could detect no beast, or anything else for that matter; that is but a few scattered trees and some bushes which had always been there. Namuh leaped from the fence onto the other side. He began walking in the direction of the trees. He had gotten a good distance from the fence when it happened. A wild looking animal like he had never before seen stepped out from behind a large bush. Almost immediately it caught sight of Namuh and started to rush him. The poor fellow could not make it back to the fence before the thing was on him.

All the while Law sat calmly before the small abode. Faintly he could hear Namuh’s screams. But he had already known for some time where he had gone. A couple of minutes later and Law watched as a torn and tattered figure leaped back over the fence onto safe ground.

As Namuh approached the house Law looked sternly on him. “Did I not tell you to never venture onto the other side of that fence? Did I not warn you that you would come back bloodied?” He scolded.

Humbled and ashamed, Namuh nodded. “Curiosity got the best of me all through the night,” he admitted. “I barely found any sleep. By dawn I just had to see for myself what was beyond the fence.”

“Listen to me, and listen carefully,” said Law. “Tomorrow your thoughts will stray again to where they ought not to go. Again you will wonder - not about what’s beyond the fence, since now you have seen it. But you will wonder about other matters concerning the beast. Under no circumstances should you go over the fence a second time. If you do, a worse harm will befall you than what has this day.”

“After what has happened to me,” said Namuh, “why would I visit there again?”

Once again Law looked intently at him. “Under no circumstances,” He repeated, “should you choose to climb over that fence tomorrow.”

The next morning came and Namuh arose early as always. Stepping out of the house the sight of the fence immediately grabbed his attention. He began to walk in the direction of it. “There’s got to be more to all this than what I’ve been told,” thought Namuh. “Maybe I should probe Law further concerning it.” However Namuh had come to greatly revere the tall and mysterious man, whose presence alone could be quite intimidating. And so, he was afraid that he may say too much, or perhaps even the wrong thing.

As Namuh continued to ponder his situation he unconsciously drew more and more near to the fence. Realizing this he halted. For a short while he just looked and wondered. Then he thought that he heard noises. Sounds of whimpering seemed to be coming from the other side. “Could that be the beast?” thought Namuh. No sooner did he finish thinking it and there was the head of the grotesque creature rising above the fence. But he appeared different now; tamed, you may say, even friendly. He threw his right front leg over the fence and with it seemed to be beckoning for Namuh to come closer. And was there actually a smile upon his face? Namuh was thrown by it all. “I know how strict of a warning it was that Law gave me,” he thought, “but I’m thinking He may have never seen the beast in this light.” Slowly he inched closer to the fence, until he could almost reach out and touch the long hairy leg. Then came something very surprising. The beast caught sight of Namuh’s wounds, which he himself had inflicted. Immediately great sorrow filled his eyes. Slowly he lowered himself to the ground and was seen no more.

Namuh didn’t know what to think. A couple of minutes passed. His curiosity had once again gotten the better of him. He raised himself up on the fence, but just high enough so that he could see over it. The beast was slowly withdrawing to the vicinity of the large bush where he was first seen by Namuh just the day before. Despite the harm that befell him then Namuh now felt compassion for the animal. “Hey!” he cried out. The beast turned. A forlorn look became a soft smile as it stood up on its hind legs. Without giving any further thought to the matter Namuh made his way up and over the fence and onto the other side. “Law was wrong,” he said to himself while walking in the direction of the beast. “There’s a side to this creature that I’m sure he knows nothing of.” But as he came within about fifteen yards of him he thought he had detected a change in the beast’s demeanor. Promptly he dismissed the notion. However as he continued on Namuh realized that he had been duped. A once soft smile became a devious grin. This was followed by a low and seductive laughter. Namuh turned and with all the speed he could muster up he ran for the fence. Still he was no match for the speed of the beast. Once again his flesh was ripped into, worse now than before, just as Law had predicted.

The next meeting between Law and Namuh was no different at all than the first time Namuh had disobeyed. Law scolded him for not heeding his warning. Namuh was humbled but offered an excuse for his behavior. Law then warned that he’d be tested again, but that under no circumstances should he venture onto the other side of the fence.

Time passed along on its unstoppable course; days turned to months, and months turned to years. If only a favorable report could have been given of the man Namuh – the one that Law had invested so much of Himself into. But such wasn’t the case. There were times when the light within him got the better of the darkness, yet for the most part Namuh had fought a losing battle with the very deceptive and treacherous creature who had long ago become his downfall. The scars upon his body had accumulated so that they couldn’t be numbered. He had even become unrecognizable to those who knew him.

But there was something so alluring, yes and mystifying about the beast, that drove Namuh to his wit’s end while trying to understand him. He had developed an addictive longing for his company. Often they would spend the whole day together with all seeming to go so well. Still always in the end Namuh was done harm. After so long a time he knew that matters would never change. Though by now it was as if he’d become spellbound. He was willing to pay the price just to spend a few hours with the beast.

One day Namuh sat in deep contemplation over his circumstances. He thought of how they were more awful than anything he could have ever imagined. Once he was content, he told himself; that was before Law had moved into his world. Now his days couldn’t have grown darker. Then as if a bolt of lightning had struck him he felt like he saw the entire picture. “It’s all evil!” he blurted out to himself. “All of it!” Namuh had become convinced that not only was the beast evil, but that Law Himself was evil. He believed that they were in league with one another. What he didn’t understand was why they were so bent on his destruction.

That same evening Law and Namuh sat around a camp fire and talked as they often did before they retired. It wasn’t very long into their conversation that a grave silence fell upon the two of them. They only looked upon one another over the flames. Then Namuh spoke. “Tell me something,” he said.

“What is it?” answered Law.

“Are you evil?”

“Am I evil?” repeated Law. “Good is all that I can ever be. From my very conception to the time my purpose is accomplished I will never be anything other than good. It is all that is within me. It is you who are evil,” He told Namuh, “you and the beast that lives yonder. Think, Namuh,” He went on. “I am He who has ever warned you – these many years now – to not venture over the fence, because over the fence there resides evil. But far more than not you have gone over so that you may be with him. If you wish to join yourself to the one who is evil, are you not evil also? But if I am the One who has instructed you to stay on this ground, where you will not bring harm upon yourself, am I not good?”

Now Namuh had become more bewildered than ever. For he felt sure that earlier in the day he had come to a revelation of the truth. But upon hearing Law’s words he knew that there was no deceit in Him. As Law beheld the great pain in Namuh’s eyes, He knew the time had come to unfold to him something He hadn’t ever before told him.

“Namuh,” said Law. “Look at Me. I am going to reveal to you a thing that I’ve never brought to your attention. From the start I fully knew that you would disobey my words. I was certain that you lacked the needed virtue required in order to keep your distance from the beast, that the times would be few when you’d choose to remain on good ground.”

“What! Then what chance did I ever have?” Namuh exclaimed, dropping his head into his hands.

“Not only was I fully aware of this,” Law continued, “but I also understood that things would grow worse for you and not better as you went on, failing more and succeeding less.”

Namuh lifted his head to look at Law. “If all this is true,” he said angrily, “then how do you sit there and tell me that you are good?”

“I am not finished,” said Law. “Hear me through. Despite all this I have always had but a single goal in mind – your eventual welfare. However for that to occur, you had to be brought to the end of yourself. And today as you sat and pondered all of the horrors that have plagued you over the years, you were indeed brought to your end. You could see no light ahead, but only darkness; no hope, but only doom. You saw Me as not being a strength to deliver, but only to set the rule. In this you were right, though you were mistaken in thinking Me evil. Your situation needed to grow just this dire before you’d be able to see. Hear Me Namuh. My standards are much too high for you, or for any of your kind; and the fence – it could never have been high enough. I wasn’t sent to lead you to victory, or to the mountaintop, but only to show you the darkness that has been in you from the beginning.”

There was a brief hush. Law then went on. “Namuh. Haven’t you noticed how I’ve never been sympathetic towards you? Neither was I compassionate or even encouraging. This is because I have no heart. I was not formed that way. Simply my duties are to state what is right and what is wrong; what is good and what is evil. Then, even as I have always warned - if you do what is evil you will fall; if you do what is good you will stand. But I was not sent to draw near to you, to create a bond, or to be a friend.”

“I see,” said Namuh, feeling somewhat more at peace now. “For the first time I’m beginning to understand. Still there is one very troubling thing. You yet leave me at a loss for the solution to my circumstances – circumstances that are about to destroy me to the utmost.”

“The solution you speak of is what I am now about to address,” replied Law. “Dawn will soon arrive. When it comes I will depart from these grounds and you’ll see my face no more. I was never meant to take up permanent residence here. My duties have been completed and now I must put you into the hands of another. He is one of your own kind – human, like you. And He is more than human, Namuh. He is in fact the Champion of your race, and there is nothing that is unattainable for Him.”

“Is He greater than you?” Namuh interjected.

“Immeasurably so,” answered Law. “I explained to you how that within me there is no heart. But even the endless skies cannot contain the heart of this One. I told you that I was not sent to draw near to you or to be a friend. But He is coming to be a friend and more than a friend; a brother and more than a brother; and more near to you than what you can know. Myself? I was simply sent to prepare you for Him.” Law stood to his feet. He raised His right hand to point to a distant figure of a man approaching. Namuh suddenly realized that dawn was breaking.

“Rise Namuh!” said Law. “Turn to see Him – the great bow in the skies, and the hope of all your kinsmen.”

Namuh quickly arose and turned to see a man advancing, though still a good distance away. “But what about all of my scars?” he said nervously. “I feel ashamed.”

“He already knows all about you. And I can tell you this. He is not coming to chide, but to renew you and encourage you. Besides, He is no stranger to wounds. He’ll tell you all about it someday. And remember this. For the victor, all old wounds eventually turn to crowns.” There was a moment of silence. “It is time for me to go now,” said Law.

Namuh fixed his eyes on the One who had taught him of good and evil. “Where will you go?” he asked.

“Onto another man’s field.”

“To prepare him for this One to come, as you have prepared me?”


“Correct,” said Law. “It is what I do. I am the Teacher; the Teacher of the light and the darkness.”

“I never thought I’d be sad to see you go,” said Namuh, teary eyed. “Aren’t you going to wish me well?”

“Have I ever wished you well? They are empty words of no strength, my friend; and never have they brought a single victory to anyone. But instead I will tell you this. Listen carefully to Him. Give all that He asks of you. And you will not only do well, but you shall do outstandingly well.”

For a few seconds Law looked upon Namuh as if He were staring right through him. Then breaking from the trance He smiled. Then He turned and walked away.

Namuh just stood there. As he reasoned with himself he remembered how Law said that He had no heart. But what of the light that could be seen in His eyes upon departing, he thought? Where could it have come from if He was empty within?

Namuh then faced in the direction of the man who he would soon meet. He had advanced near enough now so that His face could be seen fairly clear. Namuh was amazed as the Stranger drew closer. His smile was so manly, yet at the same time warm and gentle. His entire demeanor was unlike any Namuh had ever observed. But then there was something else, something quite peculiar. Namuh was certain that he had seen Him before. But where - he couldn’t even begin to imagine. Then quickly he realized that it was not in any conscious state of mind he had been in. Possibly it was in the deep recesses of a dream. Though what was unmistakable to him was a strong sense of kinship between himself and the man. Suddenly Namuh felt totally confident that this One he would not fail. He understood that at times the dark clouds may roll in and overtake him, but now he knew that the Light of day would never be far from his path. And in Him he believed that he could firmly and forever anchor his soul.

Rom 7:7-14…24, 25a

“What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet.’ But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin… O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

J. Pecoraro

Wisdom And Strength

Two things we need above all else
As into war we go.
Gird us Lord with wisdom and strength
Till we lay the enemy low.

Your plan is seen in wisdom.
Your might must be our strength.
And of these two ordained of You
Is there no breadth nor length.

J. Pecoraro

His Eye Is On The Long Shot

Do you remember the old spiritual, His Eye Is On The Sparrow? Jesus Himself spoke of that. But why would Jesus give a sparrow as an example of something that the Father watches over? I’ll tell you what I think. It’s because God, as lofty as He is, is greatly concerned about the small and the ordinary. And isn’t a sparrow among the least of all birds? No doubt it’s because there are no outstanding characteristics about him. Nobody watches a sparrow while expecting to see anything that would excite them even in a menial way. To put it plainly, a sparrow is of no significance or reputation among the vast array of birds to be found in our world. He is much like the racehorse that’s been labeled as “the long shot.”

I love horses. I also find a horse race on television exciting to watch. I, like most believers, haven’t the slightest interest in gambling. However, I could enjoy a good horse race purely for the sport. As in all sports there are the highly gifted contenders; then there are those that have a weakness or two, excluding them from the greats; next are the ones whose track records are okay, but nothing more; and finally there is the long shot. That poor old long shot – he’s a lot like the sparrow. How so? He’s among the least of his breed; he has little or nothing to speak of that stands out; not too many eyes are upon him as he pounds the turf along with the rest; then lastly, and just like the sparrow, he is considered insignificant, not to be taken seriously, and is in no way to be compared to the others. Howbeit, every now and then the remarkable occurs. This disrespected and unappreciated animal gets to feeling his oats. And about the time that the pack turns for the stretch, he suddenly senses that the race belongs to him. Then from somewhere way deep within there comes an eruption of power that causes him to pass one horse after the other until he is looking back at them all. Gloriously he crosses the finish line with his rider standing high in the stirrups and his arm raised in the air, the jubilant sign of victory. When a sound and highly gifted favorite wins a race, there’s no real commotion made. Most bettors simply go and collect their small profit, being not at all surprised, and it’s over. But when the long shot upsets the field, his bettors are beside themselves, since he has brought them great gain.

I’m sure you must know that my intentions are not to glorify horses or horse racing; far from it. Rather it is to say this. From the Pentateuch to the Revelation, long shots would be difficult to count. And in the end they all won their race. This was because their Owner, Trainer, and Rider were nothing short of flawless at their work – the Father, the Son, and the Spirit who is like the wind. And He brought them over the finish line in glory. Not only this, but He has given their names renown throughout the ages. Let us begin with the meekest man in all the earth. In the book of Exodus we find Moses afraid and hiding from the pharaoh in the land of Midian. When the Lord appears to him to tell him that he would be Israel’s deliverer, Moses was nothing but disagreeable in everything that God spoke. Kicking against the goads at every turn, he did his best to convince his Maker that he was unqualified. And so, we see that going back even to Israel’s youth, God’s eye was on the long shot. However, this long shot came through. There came the day when Moses - full of faith - took hold of the rod that God had given him, and stretching it out over the sea watched in great wonder as the waters divided. Not only did he lead the people out of bondage, but he became a great shepherd over them and judged them for forty years before the Lord took him home.
But I did say that from the Pentateuch to the Revelation we can read of the long shots. Who could that have been in the last book of the bible? The answer is its author. John the Revelator was just a young teen when the chosen twelve walked with Jesus. I’m sure the other men must have thought that our Lord just liked having him around for whatever the reason be. Possibly he was to serve as a sort of mascot for them. Or maybe their leader just liked the boy’s way. But what real work could Jesus possibly have for him, once He threw off Rome’s yoke from the nation? Yet how surprised they must have become when John was picked to be in the Lord’s inner circle, composed of just three of the twelve. It must have later become obvious to them that Jesus had a special love for young John – one like He expressed to no other disciple. It would be this same John who would go on to live for decades longer than the rest. To add, the Spirit moved in him to author more scripture than all the others combined. And only the judgment seat of Christ will reveal all the fine quality fruit from his many years of laboring for the Master. But once he was seen as just a nice kid, or merely a boy that Jesus liked to have tagging along. Yet within this unlikely prospect there was a spiritual giant being forged.

Gideon was a young man who no doubt lived in fear. Hiding in his father’s winepress he would thresh the wheat. In this way he wouldn’t be seen by the Midianites who would repeatedly come to destroy Israel’s crops. But one day the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon to announce that the Lord was with him. The Angel even went as far as to address him as “you mighty man of valor!” He then went on to tell Gideon that he was chosen of God to save Israel from their enemy. But Gideon’s response was that his clan was the weakest in Manasseh, and that he was the least in his clan. And so, here we are not only speaking of a long shot, but a long shot of the long shots. Therefore, just like Moses, Gideon was not easily convinced, a lot like many others would have been with the odds so stacked against them. Consequently he tested the Lord more than once, until he felt there was ample proof that God was with him. In the end Gideon placed himself into the hand of his Maker, trusting that as inadequate as he believed himself to be, the Lord would yet win a great victory through him. The result was just that. And as the scriptures tell it, Israel had rest for an entire generation.

Do you remember Jephthah? He was a man disowned by his brothers. This was because he wasn’t the son of their mother, but was in fact the son of a harlot. He was told he’d have no inheritance in their father’s house. Jephthah left his family and dwelt in the land of Tob. There he became captain over a band of marauders. But it came to pass that Israel and Ammon went to war against one another. Israel had become hard pressed. They sent for Jephthah and his raiders. He was made commander over the men of
Gilead. Who’d have thought it? Once he was an outcast, he had turned lawless, and he wasn’t considered capable of any good doing from that time on. Who would have bet on Jephthah to lead Gilead against Ammon? But such are the works of God. He brings up His chosen from the ashes and the dunghills, from the gutters and the graves; it is then that glory is wrought, and with it the Almighty is crowned. Jephthah was proved a success, and eventually he was made Judge over Israel. He judged the nation for six years. Also, this onetime bandit, who none could foresee any good coming from, can today be found listed with the heroes of the faith, recorded in the book of Hebrews.

Once there was a Benjamite by the name of Saul. Saul? But he was admired and respected, handsome as can be, and head and shoulders above all other men. I don’t mean Saul who was crowned king. I’m referring to Saul whose name was later changed to Paul. But actually he too was a favorite in the race. As a pharisee he had much to say about himself. He spoke of how before his peers he was without blame, and he had listed clearly for his readers all of his accolades. One day, however, his Maker got hold of him and broke him down, but all so that He could reassemble him again. During this remaking Saul lost his vision. Howbeit, he was granted new vision. Now he saw everything differently. Not only did his God take on a new form, but he saw everything from the bottom up, instead of from the top down. In other words, he was humbled. His name was changed to Paul – Paul, meaning “little.” Once he strutted his stuff, but that period of his life had become history. Not only was it history, but Paul was glad that those days were over and gone. He had even reached the point where he was able to say that he counted all his trophies as dung, so that he could gain the knowledge of Christ. Paul’s ambition now was to win Him – a Person, and not things, to win the favor of God, and not of men. Once he was among the most elite of the pharisees, but in Christ he had called himself “the least of the apostles, not being worthy to be called an apostle.” And so, Paul had taken up a position on the track behind all the other apostles. In the past he was a promising favorite, but now he associated himself with the many long shots in his nation’s history. Consequently, Paul of Tarsus, who was born out of due time as he once described himself, labored more abundantly than all the rest, and suffered greatly for the sake of the gospel. Near the end he made this statement: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” And I cannot help but believe that in some way he was winner over all.

Who can ever forget the young shepherd boy? In the fields he sang beautiful songs unto his God. Who would ever expect such a lad to slay a giant reputed for his feats of war? How high the odds must have been on that day against David coming through for Israel. King Saul felt so. He therefore thought he’d help David’s chances by offering him his armour. But the One enthroned on high wouldn’t have it. Should Saul rob the Almighty of glory? Too bad the king didn’t understand that the real giant who’d be taking the field would be a young boy with a sling and a few stones. And did faith ever give birth to a greater giant as it did on that day?

Would you be surprised to know that nothing too great was ever expected to come from Mary, the mother of Jesus? But what came from her was the greatest thing in the history of the world - Eternal God wrapped in mortal flesh. In her own testimony known as “The Magnificat” she spoke these words of herself: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; …He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.” The Lord of heaven and earth would move young Mary from the rear’s depths to a place far ahead of all others – ground that no one else but her will ever set foot upon.

Earlier I said that all of Israel’s long shots, who would rise to the occasion and win their race, would be difficult to count. I take that back. They would be impossible to count. For who can number those of whom these words speak: “They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented – of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.” It goes on to say how all of these obtained a good testimony through faith. What a price those heavily burdened and oppressed souls paid, and all to remain true to the God who they worshipped and loved. Their tormentors saw them as refuse, as worthless, and as losers. And isn’t that exactly the way a long shot is looked at? But all of these – and in the sight of God – crossed the finish line in glory. Each was a dark horse in life’s great contest, but all were winners in the end. Once they were the poor in spirit. Now, their’s is the kingdom of heaven. O what the Lord can do with the least likely to succeed! Does He not take pleasure in the least of the contenders? How He loves to watch the scorned one He has chosen overtake the bunch – those who the world has put their trust in.

Are you a long shot? If so, and your eye is upon Him, then His eye is upon you. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” So it reads in the Chronicles. And more than not He seeks for those who live in caves; He searches out the man turned away by family and friends; He’s near to the seemingly no-account boy with a no-account weapon. Why is His eye upon what the world rejects? Why does He take the misfit by the hand to seat him upon a throne? Why would He show a loser visions of glory? Why does He choose the unloved to reveal secrets to? And why does He take the lowly to place them upon a mountaintop? It is because they are empty. Mostly they’ve been made empty by the world about them. Disrespected and taken for granted they’ve been told all of what they could never accomplish, and very little of what they may be good for. Yet all of the emptiness inside of them can ironically become their greatest asset. For this gives His Spirit all the more room to fill. And it is for this very reason that their God looks for the lowly, the broken, and the outcast. It is because that in them He is denied no space by which to thrive by His Spirit. Nevertheless they must believe. And when they believe, nothing will be impossible for them. These long shots will win their race. Who can do otherwise when so filled with the might of God? Then the highly rated favorites they’ll pass one after the other down the long homestretch. Propelled by a calm and quiet power they’ll run as if on the wind, while in great strides they near the finish line; there the reward awaits them. What is the reward? “Fear not,” said the Lord to Abraham, “for I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward.” The reward is a Person. Remember, Paul the apostle’s new goal was to win Christ - Christ alone and not things. If we think otherwise it’s because we haven’t quite caught full sight of Him – in all of the power, in all of the majesty, and in all that renders Him divine. It is for Him that we contend with the darkness. It is for Him that we buffet our flesh into submission. And He is the reason that we run. Let the mane fly wild! Let the hooves pound with thunder! Let us run as if on the wind.

J. Pecoraro

When All the Books Are Opened

I’ve known a lot of kings and queens;
Their stories will be read
When all the books are opened
And there’s crowns upon each head.

Two stories shall not be alike.
At some a heart will melt.
Still others will bring little joy,
But much the sorrow felt.

It will be learned that one was brave -
A great surprise to many,
While another cowered before the sword -
A shock to all and any.

The devotion of His chosen queens -
Was it ever known to falter?
But when scrutinized by blazing eyes,
Was all upon the altar?

Those mighty kings, those valiant hearts,
Their names had won renown;
Acclaimed for all their wondrous feats,
But did they tear the high place down?

There was one, though full of faith,
He looked not to others’ needs.
One scarcely saw the unrevealed,
Still abounded in good deeds.

There was a woman crimped by fears
But she comforted the broken,
And when she bore another’s cross
Was not an ill word spoken.

Some displayed the wrath of man,
Yet they loved that which was right.
Others’ hearts spawned gentleness,
But they could seldom rouse their might.

There was a man whose wisdom lacked
But he was sinless as a child.
Another waxed wise beyond compare
But many he beguiled.

The vast array of kings and queens,
In number like the oceans’ sand;
The strong, the weak, the in between,
A tapestry so grand.

When all that’s written is read of Him
There’ll be not the ideal story.
Will be His own good pleasure still
To heap upon them glory.

The books are going to open,
And He’ll know their inner pleadings,
In the Day when men and angels come
To hear the holy readings.

-J. Pecoraro

I’d like to tell you of a story that happened many years ago, a story of a close friendship. And I’d like to tell you of a dream that also goes back many years, though not as many as the story.

It was a long time ago- in about the late seventies- that God, who gives dreams, sent me a vision as I slept. I was standing upon a hill with my friend Louie. In his hand he held a golf club and was looking far off to where he needed to drive his next shot. I stood a short distance behind him. I watched as he prepared himself for his swing. Then turning his head to me he said these words: “Joe, pray for me.” There was a sense of urgency in his eyes that defied description. What was required of him was that he had to drive the ball about four hundred yards. The ball then needed to hit a house brick which stood upright, but on a bit of an angle. The ball had to hit off a particular part of the brick, and from there go into the hole, located about ten yards from the brick. Something of the highest importance depended on him being successful. This was what I saw in his face when he asked me to pray.

Immediately after he spoke to me he drew back his club and swung with all of his strength. At that point I awoke from my sleep. Then something happened to me that had never happened before. Nor has it ever happened again. The voice of God came to me audibly. Not only that, but it was resounding in my chest as He spoke. “This is the same chance that your friend Louie has of entering the kingdom of God,” was what I had heard, and very clearly. Immediately I sank into deep depression. It was as though my heart had become pierced through with heavy sorrow. I suppose this lasted only a second or two. Next I was finding myself grateful that I hadn’t yet heard the complete message, for again He bellowed “but with God all things are possible.” These were the words of comfort that He had left me with. Suddenly I was joyful. Never had I gone from such acute depression to bright hope so quickly. In fact, it was more than that. For my understanding was telling me that this hope was not just a bright hope, but a sure hope. What I’m saying is that when I heard those last encouraging words I knew beyond any doubt that Louie would be among the redeemed of the earth. It was as though God was telling me that in spite of all of Louie’s evil deeds it yet was His sovereign will and good pleasure to pour upon him a bountiful mercy and save my brother’s soul.

I had first met Louie when we were only eleven years old, at St. Symphorosa’s school. He was a mischievous little guy even then. I say “little” because there couldn’t have been more than three sixth grade boys shorter than he was; I happened to be one of them. We hit it off right from the start. We just naturally took to one another, having a little more in common than just size. When we graduated two years later I was second in a long line of boys filing into the church. And who was right behind me but Louie. It was the seedtime years of a long and adventurous relationship.

When we grew older Louie had gained a reputation for street fighting. In spite of being but 5’5’’ in height he was one of the toughest kids in the neighborhood. My brother Jack once said of him that pound for pound he was the toughest flat-out. One man who had an eye for gifted athletes said he could had made it as a prizefighter. It seemed he had something against big people. He loved to pick a fight with a guy twice his size. Amazingly I never saw him lose one of those – or any fight for that matter. I’m sure he had, especially when he and my brother joined the marines in the early sixties. I don’t say all this to brag on him; not at all. For Louie had developed a mean streak that would truly unveil itself when he fought. This caused him to seriously hurt some people, and at times with more than just his fists. But after a while he had acquired a pretty wild life-style just in general. In a number of ways he lived quite dangerously. His list of enemies wasn’t getting any smaller. Some were out to really hurt him. In all this he hardly seemed moved.

Yet as strange as it may sound, Louie had a soft side. And somewhere in him a light shined. It may have been buried beneath a lot of darkness, but I’m certain it was there. I saw it once in his eyes; it was in fact all over his face. He and I were in a grocery store. A little Mexican boy was before us at the cash register. He placed all of his candy on the counter and gave the lady all the change he had. The woman told him that he hadn’t enough for the amount of candy he wanted. The boy appeared crushed by her words and didn’t know what to do. I happened to notice Louie observing him. Then with as kind a smile as I’ve ever seen, and with his eyes sparkling, he nudged the young boy and put the amount of money into his hand that he needed. It was another Louie that I saw that day. There was such a goodness about his entire demeanor. I knew then that there was more to my friend than what met the eye. It was a while afterwards that he told me that it was hard for him to listen to the “Ave Maria” being played because it would make him cry. By this I was stunned. And as time passed it seemed I saw that side of him more and more. My poor friend Louie was no doubt a tormented soul. Being split between the type of evil that for the most part controlled him, and the quality of good that I’m sure he knew was there, how could he not have been tormented? But despite his way of life he nevertheless remained my friend. In fact he was my close friend, in a sense like a brother, and together we had a lot of fun times. It was a friendship that went back to our childhood, and one that I could never betray. It was for this reason, that when I heard the voice of God speaking out against him upon awaking from my dream, that my heart nearly failed within me.

But that wasn’t the only dream. It was just the beginning. After it Louie would appear in my dreams constantly, probably at least at an average of once a week. There was never anymore significance attached. He was just there. However I knew that this was the Lord pressing him upon my heart. After some months of this I felt that I had to see him. But it had been six years since we were together last. I’d heard that he had opened up a tavern in the neighborhood, and knowing where it was I dropped in one day. I got there early, maybe around 11 a.m. I knew there would be few or possibly even no customers at that time, and this would give us a chance to talk. Upon arriving I was surprised to see Bobbie LaDuca standing behind the bar. She pretty much grew up with Louie and I. Shortly afterward I learned that she bartended there a few hours a week. It was so good to see both of them again, but especially Louie. They had heard that I “got religion” as the world tends to put it. I told them all about it; they respectfully asked questions; we talked a pretty good while. I made sure that I got in the message of salvation, which didn’t exactly result in them seeing a bright light and repenting of all their sins. But I had come there with more in mind than just telling them the gospel. I wholly believed that God wanted for me to relate to Louie the dream which He had given me some months ago. I’d come determined to not back off on the matter. It didn’t take long to tell since the dream lasted no more than a few seconds. When I was through Louie only looked at me. Then he smiled and chuckled just a bit. “Ya know Joe,” he said, “I’ve done a lot of bad things in my life. I’ve hurt a lot of people, and maybe I’m just no good. But I know one thing – that if there truly is a heaven, that I’m gonna be there. I realize that it don’t make sense. I can’t explain it. All I know is, if there’s a heaven, I know I’m gonna be there.”

Now some may see his reply as pure audacity. After all, isn’t that a whole lot to assume considering the person he’d been? And even after hearing the gospel he wasn’t at all inclined to embrace it. I however was not seeing him in that light. In fact,
I felt that he was only confirming the message that was given me, more specifically those final words: “But with God all things are possible.” As I already stated, when I’d heard those words it was as though the Lord was telling me that despite the life that Louie had lived, that regardless of the darkness of his soul and all of his wicked ways, that He yet would choose him for sonship in His kingdom. And in a more mysterious sense He had already done so before the foundation of the world. I obviously wasn’t going to tell that part of it to Louie, though I did relate to him all of the words that the Lord had spoken.

But surely my friend would not be deserving of eternal life, would he? That is o so true.
But who is? From King David to Adolph Hitler - from Paul the apostle to Al Capone - we all fall short of His greatest gift equally. But it would be a matter of pure mercy and great grace towards Louie - His choosing alone, and His pure pleasure to perform it. To the natural mind it doesn’t make sense. This was what Louie was echoing. In short he was acknowledging a great load of guilt; yet he stood firm in his belief that his abode would be in heaven one day, though not understanding why this was going to be. I spent about twelve hours with Louie in his tavern that day. Six years is a long time, and we were just enjoying one another’s company again.

Many years have passed since that meeting. I would say that it occurred somewhere between 1978 and 1980. That puts it at about thirty years ago. In the summer of 2001 Louie Pfeiffer had his last fight, losing his battle to diabetes. Quietly did he slip from this world as all eventually do. Never had I heard that Louie became a believer following that day in his tavern. In fact we bumped into one another a few times afterwards. The last time I saw him was at a carnival at St. Symphorosa school – the same grounds where we had first met. We talked only shortly. I was sure he experienced no conversion. Yet I can’t help but believe that the hand of God was upon Louie all his life. For it wasn’t a small number of people who were intent on hurting him. And if I recall correctly there were three or four brothers from a neighborhood east of us that were out to kill him. But to the best of my knowledge he had never suffered any harm by the hands of his enemies. There is a very small chance that it wouldn’t have reached my ears had that occurred. Still if all that doesn’t show the providential Hand being over him, I feel this does. Louie himself was bent on murder one night. He spoke to me of it. It was the owner or employee of some bar who had really angered him. I don’t remember the reason why. Louie drove home to get a gun. Later that night he climbed to the roof of a building across the street from where the trouble had begun. Then in a prone position he lay in wait along the edge of the roof. Filled with liquor however, he passed out before the man exited the building. The next morning he found himself and his rifle on the ground. He had rolled off the roof in his sleep. Not a bone was broken. In fact there were no real injuries to speak of. He’d only suffered a light bruise on his arm. I don’t think I asked how many stories the building was. But if it was only a single story, what would have been the chances of him incurring no harm? I believe with my whole heart that as lawless a life as Louie lived that God’s hand was upon him to keep him. “Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” So we read it in the eleventh chapter of the book of Romans. Sometimes we need to drink in these kind of scriptures. I regret to say that we tend to go after what only goes down smooth.

I believe that around the time my friend died, the Spirit of the Lord drew near to claim the long lost sheep that had belonged to Him. Tasting of Him Louie saw that He was good. It was then that he swung his club, but not without the big hands of Jesus wrapped around his own. It was at that point that I awoke from my sleep and saw no more. This was because the remainder of the dream belonged only to Louie. Deep down it had always been his dream, though ever buried under many things. I suppose he and his Saviour watched as the small ball sailed far and high. And when Louie saw it hit down – right upon the brick – I’m sure a smile appeared upon his face, probably like the one he wore when he paid for the little boy’s candy. And when the ball rolled into the hole he fell asleep in the arms of God, all of his pain and confusion and heavy weight of guilt gone forever – a whole new creation.


J. Pecoraro