No Longer Bound

(Continued from Not Alone)
I continued all that night swinging my Sword of Joy and praising God for the gift he’d given me and for His Greatness and the coming return of His Son. As the first faint light of dawn appeared in the morning sky, I was glad in my heart like no other time I had ever known. My heart was a song. My whole being rejoiced at the beauty and wonder of that glorious sun rising in the east. I sat for a long while in the golden rays, basking in the warmth as if it spoke to me. I fell asleep for awhile but was awakened by a soft moaning sound.

The sound was barely audible. After opening my eyes, I cocked my head and looked about to see if I could tell where it was coming from. But I could not. I rose to my feet, taking the sword up with me. I listened carefully before taking a few steps in the direction I thought it was. It was a little louder, so I walked toward a cropping of brush and rock. Still I did not find anything right away. I had to look for her. But after some earnest search I saw a woman lying prone in the sand, half covered, her clothes soiled by the earth. I ran up to see what trouble she was in and found that she was bound by long cords of vine-like rope which stretched and disappeared into the earth to the west.

She moaned again, so bound was she, I wasn’t sure she knew I was there. I could feel the heaviness of her heart. The burdens that held her bound and stuck in the earth were great. She was crying out, not for herself, but for others near to her and loved. I heard her call to the Lord, but it seemed no one was there to answer but me.

Quickly, I took hold of the biggest of the ropes that held her and cut it easily with my Sword of Joy. As quickly as it was severed, it sprang backwards into the earth as if it were made of rubber. I picked another and did the same. It too flung back away from her. Then I cut another and another and yet another. In each case, as I severed the cord it sprung away from her by some great earth-bound elasticity it contained.

Finally, she was free. Remnants that had been wrapped so tightly around her were no longer tight. She removed them from her shoulders and waist by her own hand. She looked up at me with grateful eyes. “Oh Lord, thank you,” she said weeping with joy. She spoke and prayed in a prayer tongue I could not record.

“Yes, it is the Lord who has done this,” I returned. "Praise the Living God."

“How did you cut these cords so easily? Those heavy ropes have bound me for so long. Nothing would cut them away.”

I showed her the sword, “By this. It is the Sword of Joy. If I could I would give it to you, but I cannot.”

“It's enough to be free.” She cried as she spoke.

“Yes, here,” I reached a hand under her arm to help her up. "You're alright now.”

“I’ve tried so many times to cut these ropes, but could not.”

“It is Joy that cut them,” I said. “The Joy of His Coming. Rejoice, for the Lord of Hosts will soon return.” I pointed to the chasm which was near enough for her to see as she stood for the first time in a long while. “He’s coming from across the Great Abyss. Even now darkness is being expelled in front of Him. He’s coming.”

“I know,” she answered. “I’ve known, but I had no idea I was so close.”

“You’ve come a long ways and the world no longer binds you. There are others of us along the edge. I saw them in the night. Their swords shined in the darkness like mine. It glows at night.”

“It is so beautiful, unbelievably beautiful!”

I showed her the gems in its handle. “These are the joys of the saints and martyrs. They are alive, I’m told, over there,” I pointed again, “on the other side.”

“How do we get across?” she asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know, actually. Perhaps we just have to wait here. I’ve met others who want to cross over also, but I don’t know of one personally who has and has come back. Well, accept, yes...I know of one, a young woman who seems to have gone over and come back, but I haven’t talked to her yet, not directly about that, so I’m not sure.”

She brushed dirt and soil from her clothing and dust from her hair. “Thank you for helping me.”

“You’re quite welcome. You can go safely, I believe. I think you will soon be given a sword of your own, because I know there are many along this edge who have them. I saw them during the night.”

She parted from me, very grateful and renewed. Her countenance took on great bearing. Though she was quite small compared to me, she stood like a little giant giving thanks to the Lord on the edge of the abyss. I left her there knowing she would soon be visited as I had been. I heard her singing, “Hallelujah” over and over again as I continued my trek north. It was music to my ears and soothed my soul with assurity.
###