The path began at the very beginning as it always does. “Do you believe in Me?” Jesus said, “Will you follow Me?” He asked. “Yes” I said, “Yes.”
“Look here, before you is the path. Take up your cross and begin.” As I did what He asked, I found the burden to be surprisingly light, though somewhere in me a voice whispered that it could be deceptively heavy the longer I carried it.
There straight ahead was the path. It was not very wide. I could not see signs of a great many people going this way. This small narrow path went straight for a good ways, then turned, curved. I could not see the whole journey. My guide promised me the end was more than worth it. I trusted Him. I began. One step at a time.
As I walked, wisdom joined me, along with her sisters knowledge and discretion. They spoke such sweet words to me– full of truth and noble things, lined with the purest of silvers; the most lustrous of gold. They pointed out snares and pitfalls the devil had set up in advance for me. With help from them and my guide, I narrowly avoided them all.
Along the path on either side, the forest lives– daring to encroach upon where I tread, though it never does. If I peer into the gloomy twilight that reigns under those trees, I can make out a few figures meandering about. They have wandered off the clear path and now find themselves lost, turned about in the gloom and foliage. But there ahead, Jesus walks. He is a light, a lamp on my path, the path, their true path. The wanderers see Him, drawn to Him like a cold weary traveler toward a warm hearth. They come back! The once lost, now found travelers bask in the powerful, profound love of Jesus and His Father. They pick their crosses back up and follow. Onward…..
The once beautiful, balmy day I found myself journeying with is turning. A harsh wind blows in dark clouds. Ominous thunder claps overhead. Thorns from briars along the path reach out to snag on and tear my clothing. They leave scratches on my skin. I am growing weary; I wonder how I can possibly continue. Out there in the unknown of the trees, I can hear a beast, no a lion growling, prowling. He waits for me, to see what I might choose, to see if I dare stray in a vain attempt to seek shelter. Go Right? Go Left? What do I dare choose? From behind me, a voice comes, “This is the way. Walk in it.” “Of course!” I can’t help but exclaim. It is clear now. I must press onward: Straight Ahead. I turn my eyes forward, and I earnestly seek for the path in front of me through the dimness of this frightful storm. There! Just ahead, I can see a warm glow of some light source. I hurry towards it and find a fellow traveler and Jesus waiting for me. “Come. Join us. Walk with us.” They beseech me. “You are not alone. You are NEVER alone.”
As we all walk together, we encounter other travelers. We join together and walk single file most times and in pairs when the path allows. When one of us stumbles, the other is there to pick him or her up again. And when a siren’s song of temptation calls out to me from the woods, my sister plugs my ears so I do not succumb to the forlorn sound. The eldest of our group– a faithful servant of our God and the one who calls wisdom a dear old friend– takes the lead. With him at our fore-front helping to guide us, our productivity and spirits increase!
There are many different entrances along this path, for everyone has a different beginning. Whenever we encounter someone just starting out, we warmly greet them. We provide nutritious milk for them to drink and a double edged sword with which to cut straight to the truth. We remind our new brother or sister of all his/ her other provisions: a trust worthy belt, an impenetrable chest plate, well treaded sandals, a sturdy shield, and a golden crested helmet. Instructing our new brother reminds us as well that we need to don our own armor; a task we plan to repeat each new morning. As I look around at my brothers and sisters all gleaming boldly in the morning sun, I understand for the first time we are more than a band of travelers. We are soldiers in God’s army! Onward we march…… for the glory of our Commander!
It is now coming to my awareness that there is another path that intersects with ours sporadically. This other path is very broad, with a gentle downwards slope. In fact it only seems to go down, down, and down….. down into the belly of the earth my guide tells me. Down there, there is no warm light or laughter, only sounds of dissatisfaction and an over-whelming darkness. I am alarmed for those I see on this path! Surely they know they are heading towards despair? I look into their faces, expecting fear and concern. What I find there surprises me. Many wear a plastic smile, seeming for all the world content. They are too busy admiring the blooming foliage and their fine sandals to pay attention to or care about their final destination. Others wear this look of resignation. They understand they are on a path of destruction but see no other way out. To those ones, no, to all of these people I call out, “Come! Join us! Our path my be narrow but it is full of joy, hope, love, and life!” my fellow country men join in with my cries. Some walk right past us, deaf and blind to our pleas. Others approach us. We, along with Jesus and our inner guide, converse with them. Some accept and join us. We welcome these with joyful tears in our eyes and praise on our lips. The rest not fully convinced, continue on the broad path. I am disheartened they all did not accept. God speaks to me, “Do not worry, you have done all I have commanded of you. These people did not walk away empty. Look there, in their hearts a seed has been planted. I will tend to it from here.”
From then on, whenever our path crosses with that broad ominous road, we call out to those we see on it. We won’t stop inviting. We won’t dare stop imploring. We refuse to silence the truth.
Much later, all though I could not tell you how much, We are fortunate enough to meet some of the those travelers we left with but a seed of the good news. God has tenderly and faithfully cultivated that seed and now stands before us a new creation! In their hearts lives a beautiful magnificent white rose. We welcome them into our ranks with much joy, thanksgiving, and praise. We are a boisterous crowd! Our shouts of joy, singing, and altogether jubilee of merriment echo through all the tree tops and valleys around, giving a sense of abundant life to the otherwise lack luster environment. The song of choice we all sing is one I believe we all carry in our hearts at all times, even when we do not choose to give it voice.
As the sun sets ahead of us, its rays weaving through the trees to have one fall on our path illuminating it and bathing it in a rich tawny golden light, I can’t help but look down upon the ground we are walking on. There are foot steps a plenty to help guide us if we only simply take time to study them and retrace them. The most important ones being Jesus’ prints. Not only that but I see precious stones, metals, and jewels embedded into the ground, winking at me in the fading sun. How precious. How beautiful. How magnificent. How glorious! ………
This path……. This path is not for the light or faint of heart. It was never intended to be. It is challenging, almost merciless at times, and bruising. No other path has the ability to fill me with such humility, despair at times, and true fear, but no other path has the ability to fill me with such peace, joy at the best of times, and love at all times.
Each step on this journey is a choice. This particular road starts with just three steps. Just three choices: 1) believe God is who He says He is (the maker/creator and sustainer of our universe), 2) believe who Jesus says He is (God’s Son who loved us enough to sacrifice Himself on the cross on our behalf, so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life and not be condemned at judgment, 3) believe this all in your heart and confess it with your mouth. Courage and character are built with each additional step you take from there on.
What are you waiting for? Start walking. I will keep my eyes peeled on the horizon for you. I can’t wait to greet you, meet you, and hear about all you have experienced on this path too. Live Loved.
— The observer
