Moonlight Serenade

Jewel opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Gideon's face above hers. Her body went stiff for a moment before she sat up and moved away from him. "What are you d-doing?" she asked and averted her gaze. But she gasped when she noticed that she's naked!

She hastily covered her bare chest and glared at Gideon. "What did you d-do? Did something happened between us?"

But he didn't say anything and just handed a robe to her. Jewel accepted it and put it on while checking her body. But aside from few red marks, she felt no pain. She was confused. Did she undress herself again during sleep? Jewel glanced at Gideon who was looking at her. She swallowed hard and tried to get off the the bed. But Gideon reached for her and pulled her back, pinning her body below him. She gasped as she stared at him wide-eyed. "W-What?" "You are moaning in your sleep. Did you dream of that thing again, wife?" he asked.

Her lips parted but no words came out of her mouth. She could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks and she averted her gaze, flustered. "I d-don't understand what you're saying! And why are you looking at me like I've done a very bad thing?" She glared at him and squinted her eyes. "It's normal to have wet dreams at my age!"

He raised a brow and leaned his face close to hers. Jewel closed her eyes and her heart skipped a beat. Would he kiss her?

Gideon whispered in her ear. "You're moaning my name so I have the right to question you."

Her eyes widened as she stared at his smirking face, clearly enjoying the look of embarrassment in her face. Jewel huffed and rolled her eyes to deny his amusement. "Get off me! Go away!" she yelled and pushed his heavy body aside. Gideon laid on the bed beside her and stared at the ceiling. "You were having wet dreams since I've married you, wife. I remembered you calling your friend about it on the balcony of your dad's mansion."

Jewel's mind wandered back on that night, when she called Hazel after her first time having wet dreams. Right. She remembered seeing Gideon standing in the next balcony and when she arrived at his house in Cansanit, he confronted her about it.

She sighed. Such as long time ago but it felt ages. When she first learned about her arranged marriage, she hated Gideon for disturbing her quiet life. But after months of being with him, she knew that her parent's decision to marry her off the mayor's son was not entirely wrong.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Are you having that dream every night?" he asked, glancing at her.

Jewel bit her lower lip and cleared her throat. It was embarrassing to talk about her wet dreams in front of him, but Gideon had a calm voice and it's giving her an illusion that he's serious and wouldn't tease nor condemn her for it. She grew courage to answer him. "N-No. I didn't have wet dreams when I don't read my books."

"You're saying you only dream of that 'thing' when you read those books before you sleep?"

"Yes."

Gideon was silent for a moment before he said, "So the problem lies in those books..."

Jewel glanced at him before she sighed. "I think it's not. These days, I have not read any x-rated books but I still dream of that man." When she saw a small smile forming at the corner of his lips, she cleared her throat again. "And he don't have the same face as yours! Stop believing that I'm calling your name while having those dreams!"

He chuckled at her words and Jewel was even more ashamed. She looked away, pouting.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore," he promised. "But I think you need to stop being addicted to those books, wife."

"It's what you always say to me and you've even threatened me!'

Gideon sighed and reached for the tip of her locks, playing it with his fingers. "I'm sorry, I was rude to you. But I am also at fault. I should have talked with you rather than being angry for not obeying my words beforehand." Jewel went silent for a moment before she spoke again, "I'm glad you come clean to me now."

"It's because I am just like you, Jewel." Gideon looked at the opened window where the sun was slowly rising in the east. "I am also addicted to those lustful materials, wife. I have been reprimanding you for giving up your x-rated books but I forgot that I am also hiding those nude photos in my phone. It's unfair to you. And I am not being honest to God."

Jewel also looked at the window and the soft rays of the sun entered the room. "So... you are also addicted to lustful materials, huh? And you have the guts to share to me the word of God and force me to give up my vices?"

Gideon went silent for a moment and Jewel could feel his shame. She bit her lip and looked at his direction, pulling his closed fist and forcing it to open. She intertwined their fingers and brought their clasped hands close to her heart. "It's okay, Gideon. I understand. You don't have to be ashamed in front of me," she said and smiled a little at him.

He stared at her. Different emotions flashed in Gideon's eyes before he reached for her face and kissed her forehead, whispereing. "I love you, Jewel."

Her heart skipped a beat.

AFTER A POWERFUL preach, the Pastor smiled at the audience. Jewel was currently sitting at the front row of the monoblock chairs prepared by the team. Gideon was sitting beside her and she was still speechless after the Pastor summarized who's Jesus in every chapter of the Bible.

"Praise to the resurrected King! The King of kings, the Lord of lords! There is no other name under heaven given among men that which we must be saved! Only JESUS!"

She lowered her gaze.

An upbeat music began to play accompanied by a tone unfamiliar to her.

The people raised their hands. Jewel wondered what they were doing. She looked at Gideon standing by her side. He was also doing what others was doing.

Why do people keep on raising their hands on the air?

Her eyebrows rose, feeling uncomfortable inside the auditorious as time went by. The people's voice singing a song and hearing the lyrics, Jewel couldn't describe her feelings. She wanted to leave but the place was crowded and it was hard to pass by the people so she waited until the people finished singing.

She even heard Gideon's voice singing with the crowd.

Jewel frowned and covered her ears, closing her eyes tight. She didn't know why but her knees became weak, trembling.

She opened her eyes again and came face to face with Sean who was singing on the high-rise platform above. The man's eyes were closed as he sang. Suddenly, her stomach turned. She opened her mouth and started to vomit, but nothing came out of her mouth. Jewel held her stomach and continued that act of vomiting when nothing came out of her mouth.

She was like that for few minutes until her knee finally gave up. Her butt sat on the monoblock chair, breathless. What was that?

She's certain that something happened to her. She felt something lifted up, something came out of her.

The song ended.

Sean descended from the elevated platform, and a man she was not familiar with climbed up there. As people sat on their chairs, the man introduced himself.

"Isn't it nice to see new faces in our gathering? Praise the Lord for giving us the opportunity to share the Word with newcomers today." The man looked at her and smiled. Jewel averted her gaze as she felt her cheeks burned red in embarrassment. The man continued. "I'm Pastor Berion. Of those who attended the last event, you already know me. And for those who are new to this event, welcome and I pray that the Lord will grant you wisdom to understand the topic we'll discuss today."

Large letters appeared on the wall projected by the equipment prepared by the team. Sexual Immorality was written in bold letters and Jewel was a little familair with it.

"Sexual Immorality. Why is the church so silent when it comes to this matter?"

The Pastor looked around until his eyes found Jewel again. She didn't know if the man smiled at her or grinned.

"Silent because people are too conservative, frowning every time they talk about it? Don't you know that many people fall into sexual sin because the church doesn't warn and reprimand people about it?"

"Immorality. According to the dictionary, being evil, wrong, unethical, unclean. So if the word sexual is put to immorality, it means wrong and unclean sexual acts. What are these?

They are (1) sex outside marriage, (2) homosexuality, (3) adultery, (4) bestiality, (5) incest, (6) obscene words, obscene acts, indecent and unclean sexual acts.

There are a lot of sexual immorality that people don't know. This list is so far the most obvious one and are widely spread around the world."

Sexual immorality is the last bullet of the dark kingdom, and the church is greatly affected and wounded by this sin. The adversary is sowing immorality throughout the land."

The Pastor looked at each one of them. "These lustful materials are pulling you away from God. It makes a believer think that he/she's unclean and it makes an unbeliever indulge in the pleasure of flesh until their time on earth is done, having no time to ready oneself to face God after death.

And no, we can't save ourselves from the price of sin. Only Jesus can save us.

Because he had already paid the consequence of sin (death) when he died on the cross and after he rose from the dead and ascend to heaven, he will come back again to this world to judge every living thing -- believer or not -- and cast the demons in the pit of hell.

So while we are waiting for His return, we must be firm in the faith. Because the enemy of Jesus is here on earth and is currently sowing sin.

The devil makes sin a culture so many are deceived.

But remember that there is power in the name of Jesus.

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4: 7-10)

If you believe that Jesus paid the price of your sin by dying on the cross, then confess your sins to Him who rose from the dead and is seated on the right hand of the Father. And repent!

A true repentance is seen in how a believer change his/her ways after a heartfelt confession. And true faith is seen in the believer's good works because remember: a faith without good work is dead. Salvation is free. And salvation belongs to Jesus Christ.

Repent for the Kingdom of God has come near you!

Jewel drew a breathe as her body shivered. She didn't know what's going on but her heart was beating hard non-stop. Biting her lip, she lowered her head and for the first time, uttered His name in a whisper.