The ground rumbled under Sid’s feet, and then settled down. Two seconds later it shook again, and again it settled down. The pattern repeated with each step of the approaching giant.
“Hugo is returning! He’s coming down the road!” Sid warned his fellow servants.
“Quickly!” Edwina barked. “Get a meal started.”
Sid and four other servants scrambled to prepare food for the returning giant.
Even though everyone knew their job, Edwina, the head servant, urged the others to work faster.
“Sid, draw fresh water from the well.”
“We already have water stored in the kitchen,” Sid explained.
“That won’t do,” Edwina retorted. “Hugo will want cold water from the well.”
Sid nodded in agreement. He knew the giant would prefer fresh water to quench his thirst, it’s just that drawing twenty gallons from the well would be hard work.
As Sid grabbed his bucket, the thirty-foot tall door swung open. Hugo paused, so as not to step on his waitstaff. Under the massive helmet a pair of dark eyes scanned the room. They were sunken and weary from the battle. His face was smeared with dirt and his clothing caked with patches of dried blood. Hanging from his belt was a sword that weighted more than Sid. A pair of leather boots completed the giant’s uniform.
“Welcome home,” Edwina greeted Hugo like a mother to her child. “You look tired. We are preparing a meal. Go washed up, and it will be ready soon.”
Hugo removed his helmet as he entered the house. “Thank you, Edwina,” he said with his deep, rumbling voice.
Sid slipped past the giant on his way to the well. His head brushed by Hugo’s knee. He ducked under the sword sheath and out into the yard. At the well, Sid tugged on the rope to hoist the water out. When his bucket was full, he brought it into the house.
In the kitchen the servants used a ladder to reach the countertop. Sid lugged the water up the ladder, and across a walkway from the counter to the kitchen table. There sat the giant’s cup, the size of a small barrel. Sid emptied his bucket into the cup and went back for more water. After the fifth trip to the well, the cup was full of cold water.
On the stove, Edwina stirred a vat of stew with a spoon the size of a boat paddle. Meanwhile another servant tossed several chunks of firewood into the stove.
The smell of fresh bread filled the house along with the aroma of the bubbling stew.
“Sid, help me with this,” Edwina called.
Together they ladled the steaming stew into Hugo’s waiting bowl while other servants brought armfuls of oversized loaves of hot bread to the table.
“That looks and smells delicious,” said Hugo as he entered the kitchen. He had on a clean set of clothes. His face was also clean, and his long, black beard was no longer caked with dirt.
The giant took his place at the table. He took several large gulps from his cup and let out a sigh of content before digging into the bread and stew.
“Is there anything else we can get for you?” Edwina asked.
“No thank you. This is wonderful,” said Hugo between bites.
Sid was eager to hear the details of the battle, but knew it was not polite to ask. The war had raged for months, ever since the Laxons had invaded their land. If it weren’t for the giants, their entire country would have been overtaken by the enormous army. The problem was that there were only thirty giants in the whole kingdom. In a few years Sid would be old enough to fight, but for now the country was defended by a modest army who fought along with the giants.
“The fighting was fierce at Devils Pass,” Hugo had finished eating, and began to explain to his servants what had taken place.
“The Laxons attacked from the north. They unleashed a pack of saber-toothed beasts, and we were forced to retreat. Two giants and countless humans were injured fighting them off. When we counterattacked, we were met with a shower of arrows from the mountainside. We pushed forward several times only to be driven back. The battle raged for two weeks. Several catapults and trebuchets were set up on our line. They pounded the enemy for three full days. After that, our attack was successful. We charged forward and pushed the Laxons back. Many fell as they retreated into the mountains.”
“Will they be back?” Sid asked.
“No doubt,” Hugo explained. “I must report back to the commander in three days to join the defenses. Now if you will excuse me, I will retire for the evening.”
“Of course, you need your rest,” said Edwina.
After helping with the clean up Sid and the other servants left for the night.
The following morning, as the sun was rising, Sid raced for the giant’s house. He was late, and he knew he would get it from Edwina. He tried to slip through the servant’s door without being noticed, but the head servant came down on him immediately.
“You’re late!” Edwina barked. “Hugo has been generous, paying us all well. I expect you to be here on time. Hugo is getting out of bed as we speak. Hurry and fetch water for tea.”
Sid ran back and forth from the well to the house until his lung burned. The fire in the woodstove roared as Sid filled the tea kettle. As Hugo sat down for breakfast the servants rushed to the table with his breakfast. Sid followed with the teacup.
The giant brought the cup to his lips as the servants stood by. What they got was an unexpected shower from Hugo spraying the tea from his mouth. He set the cup down and took a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that, but the tea was lukewarm.”
“No, I’m sorry,” said Edwina. “I’m sorry I hired this useless boy. But don’t worry, he won’t be working here any longer.”
Sid hung his head in shame. He had no one to blame but himself.
“Don’t let him go just yet,” said the giant. “Give him another chance.”
Sid’s looked up. “Thank you, sir. You have always been kind to me and you have fought bravely to defend our country. The least I could do was to show up on time and do my job.”
Hugo’s face light up with a giant smile, “I think you will do well.”
***
Get a glass of lukewarm water (or heat up a drink that’s normally served cold)
Take a mouthful and swallow it. How did that taste?
What drinks do you like hot? What do you like that’s cold?
Read Revelations 3:14 – 17
What is the problem with the Church in Laodicea?
What does God threaten to do?
What are some things we need to do, so that we don’t leave a bad taste in God’s mouth?
Are you a hot drink on a cold day? Or are you a cold refreshing drink that quenches a burning thirst?
Read verse 19. While we need to be on our guard, let’s thank him for his love and mercy.