the journey

[boodus]

THE JOURNEY

The journey started in a large expanse of hilly grassland which extended in all directions as far as the eye could see. The rising and falling slopes where a featureless mate of green vegetation. I walked for thirty years, lost, with no particular direction to my wandering. One night in overwhelming desperation I cried to the stars above for God to give me the guidance that would lead me out of this seemingly endless place. With minute faith and great sincerity God heard my plea and in a moment revealed to me the direction which should be traveled. Not north or south, nor to the east, but toward the setting sun, so in faith I directed my path to the west. I believed there was a God, but now I know that He will hear and help those who have that desire.
Over hills and through valleys, I continued on a straight way. Not willing to take the path of least resistance, I was confronted by steep hillsides and difficult footing, going was much slower and at times required great strength and patients. There where also large grassy plains which made travel far less exhausting and moving across the flat lands allowed a time for recovery, in which forward motion was achieved just by putting one foot in front of the other. As each day passed, ground was covered on which my feet had never trod and at the top of the next hill I viewed land which I had never before seen. I stepped into my shadow in the morning and a dark silhouette followed as I kept my face in the light of the setting sun.
I walked for five years and that by faith and not by sight. The hills that lay ever before me began to increase in size, the valleys became deeper and the climb to the next hilltop took more effort. One obstacle that I had not before encountered were steams of water and an occasional river. Some of the rivers were deep and had to swam in order to cross them. On a particular day, as I topped a hill, I saw something new, thin gray line on the horizon. I didn’t quite know what to make of this new feature that became the objective and that only because the sun lowered itself behind it each day. God allowed me to see something which was of great significance, the landmark had been sighted and the goal to be reached. Strength and encouragement was received which increased the determination within me to follow God’s direction. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, but this day did my faith become more visible.
What was once a thin line increased in height to form a widening ribbon wrapping itself across the broadening panorama. As the distance lessened, gray was replaced by blue greens and browns of mountains, some of which extended far into the clouds. After much time traveling, I found myself in the shadow of high peaks, and at the end of each day their appearance became more defined. I felt a humbling of my spirit and a sense of security as I came closer to God’s majestic creations which stood before me. As the days passed and progress toward the mountain was made I could see a band of green color beginning at the base and going part of the way up the mountain. It reached a point at which all growth stopped, this was the altitude above which no vegetation could exist. My perspective was changing, what was once an undefined green area had become the leaves, boughs, and trunks of an immense forest. What observations can reveal from a far is limited, however, the closer an object becomes, the more information is made available to the eye and this is true with any given situation. Now could I see the bark on the sides of the trees.
The grass land was replaced by wooded foothills and I entered a thickening underbrush. The dense ground cover continued into the stand of tall trees and gradually decreased due to a lack of sunshine. The view of the mountain became partially blocked by a high canopy of branches and only a small amount of light was able to reach the low interior. The terrain differed greatly from the open grasslands which I had journeyed through for such a long time. Few dangers existed in the openness of the plain, however, within the cover that surrounded me was an evil presents, I felt as if a predator was roaming about waiting to devour the unexpecting pray. A heightened awareness would be mandatory for survival in such a place as this. The forest had appeared from a distance as beautiful and pleasant, but in reality was not a place for the unwary passenger. I understood the old saying, you can’t see the forest for the trees, unexpected dangers are not always obvious. With care and hast, I journeyed on up the mountainside.
This wooded perimeter encircled the mountain completely, continuing out and away for miles. Careful attention had to be given to my direction of travel so that a perpendicular path would be maintained, and to keep me moving up the slope, not parallel to it. The days and miles that had elapsed where numerous, but I noticed a sign of progress. The trees began to thin, I had reached a placed which had been observed many days before while still miles away out on the prairie. I was passing through the tree line, the altitude at which no large plants could grow. At this height the air was thin and breathing required extra effort. The soil under my feet had also changed in appearance. On the grasslands the sandy loam was soft and padded each footstep. The forest floor was covered by a thick matte of composted plant matter formed from falling leaves, large roots and downed limbs were obstacles to be avoided. The spongy mat of decaying organic material was rapidly being replaced by rocks and borders, a definite line of demarcation had been crossed. Within a few hundred feet the trees stopped, a rocky terrain went ahead of me as I went ever upward.
There was no path to follow but that of the sun and one direction to be keep. In so doing I have reached a position from which the whole of the land below could be observed. A unique perspective I suppose not many have achieved, for through all these years not another soul has been encountered. Obedience to God’s voice will lead a person to a place of isolation and separation from what most would consider as normal. From this perspective God has enabled me to see the true aspect of the life. Don’t be preoccupied with the past, but remain focused on the path ahead. Whence cometh thou and whither thou goeth. You had to go through what you went through to get to where you are, but what will you have to go through to get to where God wants you. My advantageous wandering ended with the first footstep directed by God, what had elapsed since then is not as important as the few steps that remain. There is only one thing which should be considered, that is to be where God wants you when the last step is made and your destination had been reached. It had been said many times, a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, but I want to add to that, the last step is of greater importance than all that preceded it.
The terrain was now strewn with large jagged boulders and piles of rock. I was no different than one of these stones because God had also allowed me to be here. Rocks can not move and had no choice in the matter, but as for me, the decision to be here was my own. Now my direction was primarily straight up, with few horizontal surfaces to be found. There where ledges and outcrops of rock placed irregularly in the formation that towered above. The progress here was the slowest, requiring extreme physical energy and taking hours to move only thirty or forty feet. As I finished a long climb, I grabbed the outer corner of a ledge and pulled myself up and over. Suddenly, with great surprise, I came to the realization that the journey had come to an end, for I had reached the mountain
top. It was a large flat area which extended to the west. A pathway lead down a long gradual slope into a lush green elevated valley which went on far toward the setting sun. As I peered out over the landscape from were my journey had begun, the view was of a barren and lifeless wasteland. As God can see all things, He brought me to a place where I too could see the good and the evil. He allowed me to leave behind those things which are evil and have only that which is good before me. I turned and walked, with only the green valley in my sight. Remember that only to and honest and sincere heart will God speak, and to the willing mind will He make known His wishes. This is the journey of life.