Mountains and Meadows

Mountains and Meadows

As I follow in Your footsteps, I wonder why, I wonder why it’s so hard.  Why is it so very hard to go on when Yours is the way that is right?  As I look at the path you have laid down before me, I sigh as I see it is harsh and steep looking.  A climb that will take years, perhaps.  There are no crowds here; there is no one that I can reach out to.  Just the trees, the rocks, the steep climb.  The ground is covered with jagged rock, the path uneven and broken.  I look at my path and then that of my neighbour and wonder why his is a smooth paved road.  No grass, no rock, but bright lights and crowded roads, beguiling me to come and explore.  It looks fun, it looks effortless. 

I sit for a moment as I ponder both paths and look at my steep, jagged road.  I ask the question I have asked a million times before; Why?
I know I must begin this journey, yet I am tired and weary and the way is hard, You have called me to this, yet I sigh.

The loud music blankets all in its path when I see my neighbour’s way.  I ask him to please turn it down a bit, but he laughs and walks away.  I watch him walk as I sit stuck in the place of decision. I sit yet still on this fork in the road, knowing the way I must go, the way that I will go.  My decision already made, I hesitate to take the first step.  “Do I have the courage Lord?  Do I have the strength to make it through more battles, more mountains, more challenges?”  I am tired and weary. 

Guilt over comes me as I realize how heavy-hearted I am as I enter this journey to Your way.  “Oh Lord, forgive me,” I pray.  I don’t want to come to you in such despair.”  I feel Him smile at my prayer.  He knows, as I do, that I will choose His path with or without a thankful heart.  And yet, He tells me to be thankful.  Oh.  Yes.  Thankful.  Ok.  “Well, Lord, I am thankful for the blue in the sky that lines your way.”  It is so blue that the loud lights of the other path are almost no longer noticeable  I take a couple of steps forward.

“Thank you Lord for the courage to choose You when I am afraid of how hard this path before me looks.  Lord, do you have such confidence in me that you believe that I really will make it this way?  Do you see me as smart enough, with enough will power?  Am I strong enough?  Father, it is just so very far and t is so harsh looking.  It is all uphill.  Why me Lord?” I pray.  “Why my Lord do you want me to take such a harsh path?  Either way, I thank you Lord.  I thank you for believing in me when I donut.  I thank you for the faith that you have in me which is so much more than I have in myself.  Thank you Lord.  Thank you more for the little seed of faith that you have so graciously given me.  Thank you for I know that You say it is big enough to start me on the first-few steps of this path.  You say it is big enough to move this mountain before me.”

I walk slowly.  It is not that I am hesitating any more but rather that I am now just wanting to see where I have chosen to go.  The air is refreshing..  I turn around a bend in the path and I see that I am in a beautiful ravine with fresh pine and ;sweet wildflowers filling my hungry nostrils.  My lungs are tickled by the sweetness.  The ground is soft and padded.  Ooh I breathe in deeply to drink in the sweet smells and I sigh in happy joy.  How very wonderful!!!  “Father, why didn’t you tell me???  There was no hint of this beauty when I first saw the path and took the difficult first steps”.  He smiles His silent, gentle smile.  “Because you had to choose:”  I look back.  I am getting further away from the place where the paths split.  I can still see the edge of the tarmac and I can see the blaring lights reflecting off of the smog.  I am sad.  How many people would not know that it is better to fight the fear that almost kept me from taking this road.  My neighbor... just walked away from me laughing and he had no idea of what is here, beyond the bend.  I mean, it does not sound like much.  I don’t even think that my words could offer it any justice.  In the simplest form, of describing where I am, I can only say that I am in a meadow of sweet grass and wild flowers at the bottom of a ravine.  The sun is gleaming all around me, glimmering off of the dancing flowers and dripping from the dew of the sweet grass.  The leaves shimmer as they wave their welcome to me.  The sun kisses my cheeks as I look up and smile.  The dainty, little flowers whisper their happiness in the wind.  Oh how I love this bejeweled place!!!  Oh my!!!  Why didn’t I hear it before??  The birds are sining such a wonderful melody.  They are working together calling out to one another.  I could almost swear that they are singing for me and trying to tell me of their joy and of what lies ahead. 

Oh my.  My path is not so jagged now.  :)  Still it is yet steeper.  I see where the path leads.  I look up again.  How beautiful.  A snow capped mountain with sweet pastel colors coloring the tiers of the heights.  The rich green of the forest is at the bottom just beyond where I am in this meadow.  The trees are strong and robust, full of life and full of healing.  Yes, healing. I know that this forest will not be an easy part of my path, but it is as if going through that tier would bring me to a place of a higher calling and healing that the meadow of sweet grass could not give.  The meadow has offered me refreshment and rest..  My spirit has been restored here and I have learned to listen to His voice here.  How beautiful a place it is.  I ask the  Lord if He would allow me to come back to our meadow of refreshing again as I climb my way further towards the forest.  He smiles.  Is that a yes or a no?.  Does it matter as long as I follow His path? 

I go in faith....
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