My Father and I were sitting together in the midst of a deep valley.
Totally unexpected, my Father turned to me and said, "Daughter, lets
climb that mountain together." As I looked up, there stood a mountain
unlike any I had ever seen before. Rocky, jagged, and incredibly steep.
"No,
Father. I am very comfortable in this valley. It's safe here. It's
familiar. Yes, it's a little dark, but I really don't want to leave.
I'll just stay here." My heart began to race, as I knew my Father could
coax me into anything He wanted me to do. This mountain ahead was just
going to be too much, though. And I did not want to climb a mountain of
this size and stature.
"Daughter, you have asked me
time and time again to take you anywhere I wanted you to go. Today, I
want to begin the climb to the peak of this mountain. Together, we can
do it. I'll go ahead of you and make a way."
I could
not resist my Father. I knew any climb He had for me would be what was
best in the long run. He took a step ahead of me and reached back for my
hand. "We'll start slow. We'll take baby steps, until you are ready to
move faster. I promise I will climb every step with you. I will never
leave you."
In a quiet voice, barely audible, I
replied, "Ok, Father. What ever you want". He smiled down at me seeming
so proud and pleased. And so we took our first steps. It was a little
rocky at times, and just slightly up hill. I remember thinking that I
didn't know why I ever resisted. I trust this man who is going before
me, and He would never lead me to something I could not handle.
Suddenly,
in the front of us I noticed the path was getting a little more steep.
"Father, can we rest?" I said. "No daughter. We have only begun our
climb. Lets keep going."
Winded, and thirsty, I
continued the climb reaching for my Father's hand. He gladly held my
hand, looking down on me with a gentle smile. I felt very safe and
secure. Then out of no where came a boulder in the middle off the path. I
knew my Father well enough to know He would climb over the boulder
rather than going around. So I readied myself as much as possible to
make the climb. He went ahead of me, showing me every single place to
put my foot. As we reached the top He said, "Isn't it beautiful?" I
turned and looked back at the path we had been on. "Oh my! How
beautiful!" I exclaimed.
Soon we found our path again.
This time the path was far more steep, and far more narrow. As we
walked slowly along the path I asked Him for a rest. My soul needed
water, my feet needed rest. He willingly saw that I was tired, and so we
found a nice rock, and sat for a while. We drank cool water from a
nearby stream, and chatted about the adventure had we had already been
on. He smiled gently at me and said, "Child, it's going to get better.
Are you ready to go?" I reluctantly replied, "Yes Father. I trust you."
The
path became even more narrow as we climbed a little faster this time.
There was a drop off on one side, and trees on the other. I began to
tremble. My Father took my hand to steady me. We walked side by side for
what seemed to be miles. I began to relax, as my trust in His judgement
grew stronger. Often times He would place His arm around me to keep me
from falling. Often He would walk behind me, having my back in case I
slipped.
Day after day, night after night, we climbed. The night time was the hardest. Through the forest,
there were nights we could not even see the moon. At times I would drop
to my knees and crawl. I could not see Him, but I could here His tender
voice. "Child, how I love you. My love will never cease. You are my
pride and joy. Together we will see the peak."
I
remember one evening the sky began to darken. A storm cloud was blowing
in. "Father I am scared! This is getting very dangerous! Can we go back
to the safe valley?" I pleaded. "No, my child! You MUST trust me! There
is no going back!" As the storm grew closer, I began to cry. "Oh
Father, I am terrified! I can't do this any more!" He face look down on
me with a gentle smile, and He replied, "Yes you can make it. With me
you can do anything.." He reached out and pulled me close, His arms
wrapped tightly around me. I had never felt so safe in my entire life.
For the next few miles, He carried me.
Along the way, we met many other travelers.
Each one added a different ingredient to our journey. Some would stop
and chat for a while. Their encouraging words would tell me everything
would be alright. They would say that the climb I was on was worth the
view I would soon get to see. Other fellow travelers would heckle me and
say "You can't do this! You are not good enough to even be on this
path! Your Father doesn't love you. No one loves you. You are unlovable.
He is leading you to a cliff that you will fall from, and we can't wait
to see it happen!" At times these voices were screaming in my face,
causing me so much pain. But my Father would always speaking lovingly to
the strangers and say, "My daughter is stronger than you think she is.
With Me, she will be perfectly fine." I trusted His voice, even when I
could not see His face. And so we traveled on.
Some
days the trail was wide and smooth. The beauty all around brought peace
and comfort. And some days were dark. On those days, I could barely hear
His voice, and I certainly could not see Him. But I continued on.
Sometimes we would almost run, racing to the peak. Other times, we
slowly took baby steps. Some days, my fear took a hold, and I stepped
backwards. On those days, my Father came back and got me, and walked by
my side, as I crawled along. He stayed there, moving slowly until I
could stand again.
Along the way, we talked about any
and everything. We remembered the past, we looked to the future. We
laughed and we cried. I fell several times. At times the wounds were
deep. My Father would bind my wounds, so lovingly and gently. Then He
would sweetly say, "It will take a while for this to heal. You will
always have a scar. But the scar will remind you of our journey
together, and my tender loving care." Painful much of the time, the
wounds did begin to heal. Sometimes they would reopen, but Father would
place His healing balm on them, and they would heal stronger than ever
before.
After days and days, months and months, I could
see the peak of the mountain. I was climbing much faster and harder by
now. Seeing the peak, and knowing it was in reach somehow gave me
strength I never knew I had. There were more and more days that my
Father and I laughed. Fewer tears were shed. Lighthearted and at peace,
the journey, though still steep, was getting easier.
Finally
after miles and miles of travel, meeting many fellow travelers along
the way, many scraps, burns, thorns, and gashes, the peak was only a few
feet away! Father ran ahead of me. I could see Him standing there at
the peak of the mountain. His face was glowing with pride, as He smiled
at me. "Child! Look at you! You have become so strong! You are so
beautiful! I am so proud of you for going on this adventure with me. No
Father has ever been more proud!" He reached His hands out to me. His
hands were scarred, too. I knew then that He had understood every hurt I
had gone through. I grabbed His hands, and together we turned and took
in the view.
Oh my! The beauty of this magnificent
view! I could see the entire path we had been on. I could hear applause
from my fellow travelers. And then we all just stood quietly, in awe of
the view. Our voices raised in praise, as one. For the view was so worth
the journey we had taken together. My Father wrapped His arms around me
beaming with pride, and love. "Well done my child. I have never loved
you more than I do today!"
I am ready for another
journey, after I rest here for a bit. My Father will be there every step
of the way, cheering me on, healing my wounds and loving me
unconditionally. He's wonderful like that, you know....
