I wanted to scream.  I wanted to rip all of the hairs from my face. Yet the only thing that I could do was cry.  I could feel the warm tears seeping into my thick beard as I held my eyes shut and began to meditate on the word of the Lord.

Suddenly the darkness within my eyelids disappeared and through the haze of promised tears, I saw a resplendent light appear beside Josie. She did not react to the sudden brilliance that rapidly devoured the darkness of the room.  Yet, I watched in awe as the light slowly transformed into what appeared to be the outline of a man.  I had to narrow my eyes in order to look into the mysterious light. Yet for some strange reason, I was unable to look away.  The figure illuminated the entire room and I could feel the rays of its warmth being absorbed into my body.

“Do you know who I am Clyde Zimmerman?” the Light asked in a voice as peaceful as the sound of the Pacific on a summer’s day.

I was paralyzed.  I did not know how to respond. Could it be that it was…Him?

“Are you G-God?!” I asked trembling in amazement.

“I am that I am.” He answered.

It was actually Him! I immediately became conscious of my appearance.  Here I was standing before God Himself, and I looked like a wild animal.  My beard was unkempt and I wore a pair of dusty slacks that were held in place by an old pair of red suspenders.  Worst of all, I wore a white t-shirt stained with the adulterous blood of my wife.  How could I allow God to see me like this?  I looked over to Josie.  She didn’t even acknowledge the presence of the Lord within our midst.

“Can you believe it Josie?!” I yelled.  “I’m actually talking to God!!”

She did not respond.

“What is it that You want from me, my Lord?” I asked.  My voice shrieked as I was unable to control my amazement.

“It was you who sought My guidance.” He responded.

“Yes, my Lord.” I admitted.

Once again, I nervously looked to Josie’s bloody face.  The light radiating from God highlighted all of the blood and bruises that I had left upon her body.  She was silent.  What would God think of me?

“Lord, I am you truest follower,” I explained. “I just wanted to make sure that my judgments were justified in Your eyes.”

“What is it that you have judged My son?”

“Lord, I follow what is written in the Holy Bible and I believe with all of my heart that it represents the revelation of Truth to mankind.  Therefore, I am judging against my wife’s adultery.  I caught her in bed with another man upon returning home from Portland.”

“How is it that you have judged them, My child?”

“Lord, I am a student of Your word and Leviticus 20:10 states: ‘And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbors wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.’”

There was silence.

The Lord moved closer to me as I remained paralyzed by a combination of fear and amazement.  I looked away as His brilliance reached my eyes.  How would He judge me?

“I have watched you Clyde and I have seen what you have done.”

“Lord, I-I…” I stammered.

“I have already seen.” He said.

I walked over to the kitchen where the man’s naked body lay sprawled on the floor.  The retched adulterer had tried to run away but I had shot him in the back before he could escape.  The will of God had to be done.  I hoped that He would be proud of my work.  Yet uncertainty began to cloud my thoughts.  Were my actions just?  I am but a mere man and I did not want to challenge the authority of the Almighty.  God stood right behind me.  His light illuminated the blood and the remains of human organs splattered violently against the cupboard.  The young man’s corpse floated atop a pool of blood that had began to seep into the wooden floorboards.

“I hope that You will see that my actions are just.” I said.

“I have sent the Bible to act as a guide in leading My children to holiness.” God responded. “So that they might be worthy to enter My Kingdom.”

I trembled in humility before God.  I wanted to please Him with all of my soul.

“Clyde Zimmerman, you have followed my words as they have been laid out in the Holy Bible. Because of that, I find that you are justified in the actions that you have taken.”

I begin to smile uncontrollably.  The Lord understood the pain that I had endured! I felt a sense of relief wash over me as my soul began to sing praises to the Most High.

“What am I to do with my wife, dear Father?” I asked.

I walked over to Josie. She had stopped crying but she twitched violently as I approached her.  She was too weak to escape now, and I could tell that she realized it.  Since God had come to highlight the gravity of her transgressions, it would have been wise of her to just sit back and accept her fate.  God followed closely behind me.  Josie did not acknowledge His presence.  I suppose that she was too embarrassed of her sins to face the Lord.

“You will have to kill her Clyde.” God answered.  “For that is the punishment for her transgressions against My word.”

I looked into Josie’s eyes once again.  I could see my hideous reflection staring back at me through her dark brown pupils.  Could I really do it?  Deep down inside, a part of me still loved this woman.  I had given up so much to gain her love and I didn’t want to lose it this way.

“But God…I’m not sure if I can do that.” I replied.

“She has broken My commandment.” He answered. “And the penalty for transgression shall certainly be death!”

My mind was in knots as I walked over to the closet and picked up the shotgun that I had used to kill the adulterer. I felt God’s light entering my body as my soul stood at the doorway of the Eternal.  The shotgun floated within my hands as I fell under the spell of the Lord’s magnificence.  I was no longer afraid. I was no longer myself.  I had become the living manifestation of God’s judgment.

As I held the shotgun within my hands, Josie began to squirm erratically.  She desperately tried to break free from bondage yet the power of God held her in place.  I could feel the strength within my arms as I raised the shotgun to my chest and aimed the barrel directly towards Josie.  She screamed beneath the handkerchief, yet she could not escape the will of the Lord.

I looked into the eyes of the woman that I had once loved.  All I could see was the face of an adulteress; a sinner.

“Do it Clyde!” God commanded. “Make her pay for her sins!”

I closed my eyes and whispered, “I love you Josie.”

Her screams were drowned out by the blast of the shotgun exploding.  I could hear the bullet rip through the air and the sickening smack as it disintegrated into her skull.  Then there was silence.

When I opened my eyes, Josie was dead and God had disappeared.