Wrapped In Rain

by Charles Martin

“The devil is real. He’s as real as water, and he’s only got one thing in his sick little mind. He wants to rip your heart out, stomp on it, fill you full of venom and anger, and then pitch you into the wind like fish scales.” Miss Ella was pretty good at painting pictures. “And you know what he’s after?” I shook my head and started listening, because Miss Ella had a tear in her eye too. “He’s after everything that’s good in you. See, the Lawd . . . He’s the Alpha and Omega. Nothing gets past Him. Not the devil and not even Rex.”

‘Tucker, haven’t I told you,’ she said, smiling, ‘I’m not going to let anything happen to you. The devil can’t touch you. Not ever. Before he can, he’s got to ask the Lord, and the Lord’s just going to tell him no. So you just shut your eyes, and lay down right here. I’ll protect you.’

“Many times in our lives, we act like He’s still dead. But several times today, we’ve testified that He’s not. So which is it? Why say one thing with your mouth and yet live another with your life? If He’s alive, act like it. He either is or He isn’t. You can’t be half-alive.”