Visiting Day!

He had been looking forward to this moment all day long, after
six days of labor and it had finally arrived - Visiting Day! The
man with the keys arrived to swing open the large, heavy doors.
The cold gray hall sprang to life in the warm glow of light. He
could hardly control his emotions.

The families began to arrive. He peers from the corner of the
room longing for the first glimpse of his loved one. He lives for
the weekends. He lives for these visits. As the cars arrive, he
watches intently.

Then, finally, they arrive, for whom he would do anything. They
embrace, eat a light lunch and reminisce how things used to
be. At one point, they break into singing, with interruptions of
laughter and applause. But all too soon it is over. A tear comes
to his eyes as they depart.

Then the men with the keys close the heavy doors. He hears
the key turn in the lock marking the end of a special day.

There he stands, alone again. He knows that most of his visitors
will not contact him again till next week.

As the last car pulls away from the parking lot, Jesus retreats
into loneliness as He waits until next Sabbath 

Visiting Day.