CHAPTER V (My Soldier) Excerpt Continued...

    I moaned in my dream, and mumbled, “What is happening to me?!” I rolled over in bed. Then the dream seemed to get foggy, and the next thing I knew I was standing on the hill of Golgotha and Jesus was beside me. He looked at me, and must’ve read the fear on my face. “Did you meet your soldier? His name is Quentin.”
I sighed. “Yes, he hates me.”
“Shut up, and get down,” Quentin said roughly, and forced me to the ground.

    Then he picked up a leather flask, and smirked. “How about a drink?” He offered it to Jesus. He took a sip and then refused it.
“Let’s get on with it,” Quentin commanded the soldiers.
I noticed one of the soldiers was hammering a sign onto the top of Jesus’ cross.
Quentin read aloud, “‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’” He frowned down at Him, ragged and bloody. “You don’t look like a King to me. I can see why the Jews don’t want you to be their King either!” His stinging remark hurt me deeply. I looked at Jesus to catch His reaction, and I was baffled at how relaxed and peaceful He was. I couldn’t detect a trace of anger in His eyes, not even annoyance. There was no aggressiveness in His words or actions. He seemed to be right where He wanted to be.
I was even more astonished at how He seemed to radiate love and forgiveness.

    How could He do that?

    As Quentin continued to study the sign, he added, “We could be attracting a lot of different people here for this crucifixion. They wrote it in three different languages – Hebrew, Greek and Latin. Everyone will know who this imposter is.”

    It was time. They stretched out my arms over the crossbeam, and the soldiers held them down while Quentin picked up the heavy hammer. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me… with all my life ahead of me… now gone with the swing of a rough soldier’s hammer. I wanted to scream and run away, but the weight of the soldier’s knee on my arm told me I couldn’t. And there was also something else. Jesus had said to me, “I’m doing all of this for you.” How could I not follow His example? His unselfish love for me had penetrated my heart, and I was feeling love that I had never felt before.

    Ultimately, this is what gave me the courage to go on. When I saw Quentin lifting the hammer to swing, I decided I’d rather not see what was going to happen. I was certain the pain would be immensely traumatic. I shut my eyes tightly and whispered a prayer.

    And then I screamed.

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