Awakening: The Deep Sleep (The Deep Sleep Trilogy Book 1) Read Free Page B

missed him in the field as well, but the treasure hunter found him.
    Beloved was all at once flooded with feelings of shock and relief, but the treasure hunter wasn’t done yet. “Watch, Beloved,” he said.
    Then he drew both the man and the woman into himself, holding each of them close in his arms. Pullingthem into himself, he buried their heads in his chest. He held them there for some time and then released them to reveal them to her.
    They were beautiful! He had restored them! The woman was very pretty and the man was full of life. The cares of their past lives had been lifted and grace and love were set in place.
    She looked at the treasure hunter again with fresh eyes and suddenly realized who he was. “Jesus!” she exclaimed.
    He had promised to journey with her, and had followed the burdens of her heart, searching to relieve them. He had made even the smallest gesture she’d attempted, a prayer or small offering, seem like a great work with enormous results.
    “Beloved,” He said as He reached out and grabbed her hand, “I have one more thing for you...”

Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself.
    —Revelation 19:7 NLT
    AS THE TREASURE HUNTER held her hand, a vision unfolded before her eyes…
    She saw an elaborately adorned room in an extremely luxurious eastern-styled palace. Ornate carpets covered the floors, lovely ornamental tapestries hung on the walls and large, embroidered satin pillows covered the carpet around a magnificent golden table, richly laden with wonderfully bountiful foods of all varieties.
    At one end of the table, she saw a man and a woman dressed to equal the splendor of the palace. Thegentleman, as rich in his spirit as he was in his attire, was sitting on the pillows awaiting a great feast.
    At first, Beloved thought the man was very pleased as he sat awaiting the banquet. But then she saw that, although he was delighted in the feast, the occasion and his apparent opulence, something seemed to trouble him.
    His attention was not on the banquet or the room. His full concentration was entirely engaged in the very beautiful woman who seemed to be asleep by his side.
    Lying on a sea of pillows near her cherished mate, she was breathtaking in her loveliness. Dressed like a queen in richly adorned frocks, she supported a heavy, golden crown atop her splendid auburn hair. Her bridegroom tried desperately to awaken her, but she remained asleep.
    The brilliant pair were meant to celebrate their wedding day with a glorious feast, and he anticipated her awakening. He had long dreamt of sharing this day with her and shook her gently to arouse her from her sleep.
    He surveyed the table intently, checking to see that every detail was secured to her liking. Each time he did, it heightened his anticipated joy in her enjoyment of the luxurious banquet they were to share.
    The man leaned down and gazed at his beautiful bride. He rested his head on a pillow near her faceand smiled. Drinking in her beauty, he tried again to awaken her, but she remained asleep, unable to shake off her slumber.
    He decided to gather her in his arms and, holding her against his side, he held her up in an attempt to reveal the glorious wedding feast to her, hoping to dispel her repose. He waved his hand out over the table set before them and whispered, “Darling, our table is ready. All of this is for you, dearest. Please awaken, my love.”
    His cherished bride tried so hard to stir herself awake but, although she would open her eyes for a short time, her sleep remained. She was soon fast asleep reclining again on the pillows as she had before.
    Disappointed, but unrelenting, her bridegroom continued to try to revive her to show her the wedding feast in her honor…

    Deeply moved by the vision she had seen and with her hand still held in His, Beloved looked up into Jesus’ eyes and, muffling an empathetic cry,