Chapter 1
Paul didn't notice that God came to visit because he was concentrating on fixing breakfast according to the Book. It was Tuesday, that's why he made oatmeal. He used exactly the prescribed single measure, stirred carefully to avoid lumps as it cooked to just barely thick enough to stand a spoon in. He scraped the glutenous mess into his bowl and poured in the proper measure of milk.
Only as he started to eat, did he notice God waiting patiently in the doorway. Paul had heard of such things before. His great-grandfather Enoch claimed to walk with God on a daily basis. Paul had to make do with the Book. He flipped the immense leather bound volume open to the "Visitation by God" page marked by a yellow bookmark and began to follow the instructions.
"Welcome, O God," he said. His voice didn't quiver at all, though his heart raced in his chest. "Tell what I may do so you will not be displeased with your servant." An odd expression crossed God's face, but Paul didn't quite catch it since he was reading the next instruction in the Book.
"Please," Paul said, "Sit and join me at my feast." A bowl of rapidly cooling oatmeal and milk didn't seem like much of a feast, but it was the breakfast for Tuesday. God had to be pleased with how well he was following the Book.
God sighed and sat across from him.
"No thanks," God said. "I never cared for oatmeal. Go ahead and eat."
Paul sighed and started spooning the oatmeal into his mouth. Since it counted as a soft food he was only required to chew it ten times. He didn't much like oatmeal either, but what else would you eat on Tuesday? Somehow, having God watch him eat made the oatmeal even more tasteless.
When he had finished breakfast, he looked up to see if God was still there. He was. He didn't look much like Paul expected. God should be immense and powerful, much too big to fit in Paul's humble kitchen. But here he was dressed in a dusty robe and not shining at all. In fact, he appeared a little tired.
"What do you require of me?" Paul asked after looking in his Book again. Why the question changed from one asking to the next didn't bother Paul. It was in the Book. If he followed the Book, God wouldn't be displeased with him.
"You are going to go on a quest," God said. "There are some things that I need you to find for me."
"A quest?" Paul flipped through the Book. He knew the Book as well as anyone and he'd never read anything about a quest. "What's a quest?" he asked finally, "And how do I do it?"
"A quest is a special kind of journey," God said. Paul thought there might be a slight edge of irritation in God's voice. He felt the oatmeal sit like a lump in his stomach. He was displeasing God! In a moment God would smite him with a lightning bolt, or maybe fire and brimstone.
"Relax, Paul," God said, "I need you to go on this quest. I'm not going to smite you."
Paul tried to relax, but he was sure he wasn't doing very well at it. He turned to the Book, maybe there was something on relaxing there. God, very gently, reached over and closed the Book.
"Some things are not in the Book," God said. He sounded sad. Paul wasn't sure he wanted to know what kind of things would make God sad. "I will teach you what you need to learn. You are to take a companion on the journey."
"How will I know who to take?" Paul asked. "I wouldn't want to take the wrong person."
"You will take the first person you meet today as your companion. The two of you will share the quest and learn from each other." He stood up and Paul was sure he was going to leave. There was something that he needed to do when God left. He was sure of it, but God had closed the Book, and Paul did not plan to open the book that God shut.
"I will do all that you ask of me, O God."
"I'm sure you will," God said. "Open the Book, Paul."
Paul opened the Book to the place with the yellow bookmark and found a blank page. He turned to another page and it was blank too, so was the next, and the next after that. The entire Book was blank! He looked at God.
"How will I know how to please you if I don't have the Book?" This time his voice quivered.
"Tear a page out of the Book, Paul."
Paul reached out with trembling hands and tore a page out of the Book. God reached over and touched the paper with a finger.
"When you need guidance," God said, "it will direct you." Paul looked at him and for a moment he saw something vaster than anything he had ever imagined. Then God had gone, and he stood alone in his kitchen. He looked down at the page in his hand.
