In God's Time

By Howard Shepherd

There are thousands of interesting cameo roles written into the Bible stories, and I have always found it fascinating trying to imagine what would have happened if the lives of some of these minor characters actually intertwined and crossed paths with others from the same chapters. Although much of this story is fiction, the central theme of the gospels has not been corrupted, and biblical quotations are faithfully reproduced. Jesus used parables to illustrate the love and forgiveness of God; may this short story help do the same for all who read it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Jun 23, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503506060

Howard Shepherd

I am seventy-six years old with eight children and thirteen grandchildren. My wife is Patty. I was a real estate agent for thirty-five years and am a volunteer prison chaplain and R/I teacher in our local state school.

Book preview

In God’s Time

Howard Shepherd

Copyright © 2015 by Howard Shepherd.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This story is fictional but based on true events recorded in the Gospels of the New Testament

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 06/23/2015

Xlibris

1-800-455-039

www.Xlibris.com.au

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Contents

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

Part Eight

Author’s Postscript.

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Howard Shepherd lives in the Moreton Bay, Queensland region with his wife Patty and eighteen year old son, Caleb.

Although 76 years old, he is yet to retire and continues to manage his solar retail business.

Howard is a volunteer R.I. teacher in two of his local state schools and a prison chaplain.

Part One

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A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they were no more. Jeremiah 31:15

Tamara burst into the house, slamming the door in a panic. Herod’s soldiers have sealed off the town! She was bundling little Rafi up as she spoke, I must get to Qadeer’s house and hide Rafi on his roof.

Khalil rushed to her and stopped her opening the door. What is the matter with you woman, have you gone crazy or something? They’re probably just looking for a criminal who’s hiding in the town. The king doesn’t send out soldiers to kill children! She struggled to get past him but he held her arms tighter. Don’t be silly Tamara. You will make a fool of yourself running down the street with the boy. They’re not here for Rafi. I know what you’re thinking but this has nothing to do with those Jews you were friends with. If the truth is known they probably went back to Jerusalem to buy a house with all that gold they were given.

The morning peace was suddenly shattered with loud shouts and the violent slamming of doors being kicked open. Screams from nearby houses instantly stabbed at Tamara’s heart. She knew instinctively one of those frightened screams belonged to her friend Judith. Oh my God she thought, Judith’s house was only two doors away!

She struggled to free herself from her husband’s grip but he was too strong. Without warning the door was flung open and two soldiers burst into the house. Khalil was knocked to the floor with a powerful blow to the head. Tamara screamed and pulled her frightened little boy closer to her breast as the second soldier, his bloodied dagger at the ready, pushed her down and roughly pulled Rafi from her arms. In just seconds, her baby son had been thrust through in his side and lay in a bloody mess where he had been flung beside her.

Bethlehem became a village of despair. No longer was heard the sounds of children playing in the streets with joyful