“It was as real as you could get,” Marla said, “more real than breathing. The Chief wants us to explain to you, as clearly and simply as possible, the greatest secret in the universe.”
“So, what’s the big rush? You waited long enough,” I blurted, as I sprang from my chair, waving my hand in the air. “I was beginning to think you’d just made up the whole thing and frankly, I was a bit tired of asking and not getting a direct answer. So, what is it? What’s this greatest secret?”
“The greatest secret in the universe,” Gideon slowly repeated, “is actually not a secret at all. It’s something almost everyone knows instinctively,but most people never quite know it in their hearts. It’s one thing to know about something and an entirely different matter to know that thing. The greatest secret is really the most open secret of all. It’s written in almost all scriptures, but because humanity loves to complicate simple ideas, it has been overlooked time and time again. To tell the . . .”
“Oh come on, Gideon,” I interrupted, “just spell it out.”
“And that’s another thing,” he said in a most commanding tone, “patience is one of your areas that could use a little improvement, John. Learn to be patient and you’ll hear the rhythm of the universe.”
“I’m sorry. Please go on,” I said in a guilt-ridden tone.
“Develop a close and personal relationship with God and everything else will fall into place.That’s the greatest secret of the entire universe, of all time. Simple, isn’t it? I told you it was such an open secret,so simple that most people won’t believe it. Well, there you have it. And don’t forget, this can only be done from within.”
I looked at him scarcely believing what I had heard. That was the secret? After all this time waiting for Gideon to explain the greatest secret in the universe and have him tell me that all I had to do was to develop a close personal relationship with God was more than I could take. How absurd! I began laughing out loud and found that it was becoming more difficult to stop. Finally Marla’s voice broke through my laughter. “What’ssofunny,John?” she asked,”I don’t see anything funny about it at all.”
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