Del Staecker - Job 2.0: God and Lucifer battle again for a single soul

JOB 2.0

G OD AND L UCIFER BATTLE AGAIN FOR A SINGLE SOUL

JOB 2.0

G OD AND L UCIFER BATTLE AGAIN FOR A SINGLE SOUL

Del Staecker

2019 Del Staecker

JOB 2.0

God and Lucifer battle again for a single soul

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019932363

ISBN 978-0-310107583 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-0-310107590 (eBook)

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For its money they have and peace they lack.

FIELD OF DREAMS

C ONTENTS

O ne day in heaven, while hanging out with his angelic council, God received an unexpected visitor. Actually, the visitor was expected and God knew who was coming. God also knew what was about to happen, which was cool. Surprises were fun, but being the All-Knowing Infinite One, the Creator of Everything Material, Spiritual, and Conscious, could have some drawbacks. You see, for God there were no surprises. God knew everything. Its in his job description.

A second before the visitor knocked at his door, God commanded, Come in! Immediately, God said, Oops! With a knowing grin, he admitted, At times I do get ahead of myself. Quickly God focused on the closed door, reversed time, and said, Now, you may come in.

The visitor entered, gazed about Heaven, and cheerfully greeted God with, Hey, Boss! Whats shakin? Have you created anything new lately?

It was Lucifer, Gods former Number Two.

Lucifer had been out on his own for some time, yet every so often he would drop in for a chat with his former chief. Previously, when he was the highest-ranked member of Gods team, Lucifer thought he could run things better than God. In fact, Lucifer believed it so firmly that he even convinced some of his disgruntled teammates to leave Heaven to help him run his own ventureEarth. That was what God had named the spot where he allowed his errant assistant to do his own thing. As a name, Earth was acceptable for some of its inhabitants, but Lucifer preferred how the Amish so simply and aptly labeled his realm: the Devils Playground.

When asked to explain his decision to quit Gods team and open his own shop, Lucifer would cheekily describe his previous situation in Heaven as a good position with regular hours and no heavy lifting. If pressed about his departure, Lucifer would share his opinion that promotion and upward mobility was limited. Always aware of position and status, Lucifer liked to point out his premier leadership position in his new situation. He liked to crow, Earth is perfect. Here, things are done my way! If seriously pressed about his regular visits to Heaven, Lucifer would slyly admit, Id go back permanently, but only if I were the Boss.

Running Earth was indeed a good move for Lucifer. Under his direction it had become a rockin place, where promoting and inventing new sins (the stuff not aligned with God) was his primary goal and activity. In the Sin Department, Lucifer was very adept. His motto was: Im Good at Being Bad.

On Earth rules were lax and situational ethics prevailed. Most people liked it that way. After Lucifers involvement in, as he described, that small incident involving Adam and Eve, which resulted in their departure from Eden, most of humankind gladly accepted his gifts and guidance as the norm. People love me! he liked to recount. Yet the fact of the matter was that Lucifers influence produced much pain and suffering on Earth, and an even greater amount of sadness in Heaven.

Occasionally some thoughtful person on Earth asked why God allowed Evil to go on so freely. Gods answer was that it was mankinds choice to listen to and follow Lucifer or not. People are responsible for their own decisions, he said. Of the few that heard him, they did not like the message. And even fewer chose Gods ways over Lucifers. As noted, God was not happy with the situation. So many bad choices, he said, aching, but I love mankind, nonetheless.

Misdirecting people in the daily to and fro of their lives kept Lucifer occupied, but as said, on occasion he would take a break from his mischief and drop in to see his former boss. Lucifer claimed it was for old times sake, but it was really to keep tabs on his adversary. He pretended to yuck it up with the Boss as a means of gathering useful information to support his various evil doings, and ultimately plot his return. Replacing God was ever in his thoughts. Of course, God was never fooled. You could not fool God.

Hows business? Lucifer probed with more than a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

God replied casually, Same old, same old, you knowinfinity in action. Just the usual stuff, I guess.

Yeahyou guess! Like you dont know? quipped Lucifer. He liked to needle God about being the Infinite, All-Knowing, and Eternal Creator.

God grinned just a little at Lucifers little joke.

Ha! Gotchamade you smile! Lucifer exclaimed as he flashed his trademark luminous smile at the Boss and performed a brief victory dance. Well, it was really just a cute little shuffle step sort of thing.

God grinned a little bit more, holding back his own full smile, which would completely illuminate the Universe. God really liked Lucifer, despite the bad jokes, the rancorous departure, all the efforts to misdirect humankind, and even his plan to take over Heaven. But God did not want to encourage Lucifers bad behavior. God still had hopes for Lucifer. Even though he was a rotten, evil, duplicitous thief and liar, God still loved Lucifer. God was like thatfull of love. In fact, God is lovebright, smiling, total love.

I have to admit, Lucifer, things were always hopping when you were around, God told his former minion.

Yes, indeed, Lucifer boasted. You have to admit that I was the key player during my time up here!

Rumor had it that a lot of the creation thing was Lucifers ideathats if you believe Lucifer. And in fact, a lot of people did believe Lucifer. People believed because Lucifer gave them what they wanteda life of doing as they pleased. Like Lucifer, they sought to be gods of their own world even though, also like Lucifer, they did not create their world. The people of Earth had all types of wants and desires. They also had very large egosand short memories. Lucifer liked it that way.

God summed up Lucifer like this: great idea guy, lousy administrator, extremely ambitious, but has potential. I would have given him the Universe, but he just needed a little more playing time to get seasoned, God observed. He was so impatientran off with a third of my teamgot ahead of his skill set as a leader. With a hint of sadness God concluded, Oh well, thats what ego does when coupled with free will.