Enoch’s Conviction – A story of childlike faith built into conviction
The Biblical Stories that time forgot fiction series #6
Enoch dashed into the house, changed into comfy shorts and a tee shirt and was about rushing out as quickly as he rushed in when he heard his mother shout and tell him not to forget his lunch box again. Enoch quickly turned and got the lunchbox and then continued running till he reached the mountainside where Jesus of Nazareth was teaching. Enoch squeezed through the crowds till he found his friend Josiah in the usual spot. Ever since Jesus of Nazareth has started teaching, the two had been inseparable following the teacher from place to place. Josiah’s mother Sara had been there thirty-one years ago when Jesus was born in Josiah’s grandpa’s stable in Bethlehem and ever since she told them Jesus was special and they had seen him perform miracles, the two had followed Jesus everywhere as long as it was within Bethsaida to listen to him teach.
Enoch remembered one of the first days they had gone to listen to Jesus, Jesus’ companions were obviously tired and frustrated and tried to chase them but the teacher himself called them and placed Enoch and Josiah on his laps telling everyone else they needed to be like them to enter the kingdom of heaven. Enoch didn’t exactly understand but the feeling from that day was something he had never felt before.
Every day Jesus taught, he performed one miracle or the other like he had healed a woman who technically touched his dress without asking and she was healed instantaneously. Everyday with Jesus was an adventure Enoch couldn’t imagine missing which was why he forgot his lunch box almost every day like he almost had today in a rush to listen to Jesus. Most of the times he saw crowds gathering around Jesus, he was on his way back home from school at the temple under Rabbi Zachariah and he always had to rush home and rush back to where he saw Jesus – fortunately Josiah always got there before him and saved them a good spot to see.
Enoch was still trying to tell Josiah how the Rabbi had warned them seriously about Jesus of Nazareth at school earlier on when Jesus’ companions “The disciples” came around asking who had any food to give the master. Enoch quickly peeped into his lunch pack and saw 5 loaves of bread and two fish – his mother must have packed food for himself, Josiah and any other of their friends she figured they might meet. Enoch asked Josiah if he was hungry and when Josiah declined, Enoch went to the disciples and insisted he go to Jesus with them – anything to see Jesus. One of the disciples called Andrew had snorted at first and asked Enoch to wait while he went around asking but soon he came back with a disappointed face and asked Enoch to follow him. Enoch couldn’t believe it he could see Jesus close up again! He dragged Josiah and together they went.
Jesus looked tenderly at the boys and asked what they had. Then he collected the bread and fish and cried out in a loud voice to the father he always cried to in heaven asking him to bless the bread. Then Jesus told the disciples to go share the bread and fish. Enoch couldn’t believe what he saw! The bread and fish refused to finish. Whenever they picked from his lunchbox, it seemed it only reappeared and soon the disciples were using baskets to fetch and feed the crowd. Enoch and Josiah tried to count but they couldn’t even see the end of the crowd there were people everywhere. Jesus beckoned to them and handed them some bread and fish which they ate and boy Enoch’s mother had never made bread and fish so delicious. Jesus’ disciples came back, ate to their own fill and even played with Enoch and Josiah and then Jesus gave Enoch back his lunch box back packed with five loaves and two fish. They themselves gathered twelve baskets full of left overs!
Enoch and Josiah ran home immediately as fast as they could. Enoch couldn’t wait to give his mother the five loaves and two fish which he knew would be sweeter than what she had prepared since Jesus had performed a miracle and after wards they ran to Josiah’s mother Sara to tell her what they had seen and she was as amazed as Enoch’s mother.
Later at home, Enoch decided to follow Jesus wherever he went now that he had witnessed a miracle in the front row. Two years later, Enoch and Josiah will tearfully watch as Jesus was crucified and will rejoice in another three days when the noise of his resurrection reached them. Enoch will grow up to become an avid fearless preacher and twenty years later as Enoch is being stoned to death he would remember the tender smile in Jesus face as he handed him back his five loaves and two fish and he would smile because he knows he will be with Jesus forever.
