I was walking through a dark forest, surrounded on every side by deep shadows and misty hollows. The trees were dark and tall, looming massively over my head, but still I walked on. I gingerly stepped over gaping holes in the earth and pondered how my heart felt like that hole; around frozen logs, and across icy-cold streams I went, feeling as if the very blood in my veins was as cold as the water appeared.
So concerned was I with the places that my feet were stepping, I had forgotten to listen to the gentle voice that called my name softly; so scared of the mist, and the shadows, and the lurking creatures that I had forgotten to stay on the path.
Then I heard it- a twig snapped close to my left- I felt my heart stop beating in my chest, and I froze. I heard then the raspy breathing of the beast as it stalked me silently. I had been so concerned with my feet that I had not noticed it before and taken the steps to rid myself of my stalker; so still it followed me.
I glanced around nervously and caught a glimpse of it’s beady yellow-evil eyes watching me greedily, as it was waiting for a moment to pounce. I gulped, and then forced myself to take a step forward, and then another, not even thinking to ask of my Helper what to do.
Still the beast stalked me- still I heard it’s rasping breath, saw it’s beady eye; and still I did not ask- still I walked the path my own feet were carving.
STOP.
I heard a commanding voice say. I looked about and saw the beast approaching closer and closer, and my mind urged me to run, but the voice spoke again, this time louder-
TURN AROUND.
I thought to myself “Are you crazy? Face it? I’ll surely die!” but the voice called to me again.
FACE IT, OR YOU WILL DIE.
At this point I was pondering whether or not to take the voice’s advice. Surely it was confused- if I turned around the thing would lunge, and I would be dead; but if I continued forward, I would surely break through the darkness and find the light on my own soon enough, but my mind lost the round, and I turned around.
The yellow eyes grew wide and then squinted as if a bright light had shone in them, and the teeth, barred just a few moments before for attack, clamped shut as if in pain. The beast cowered and turned away, scampering off into the darkness. My heart then cried out to the Voice, “Thank You!”, but my lips stayed silent. The voice spoke again:
WHY DO YOU FEAR ME WITH YOUR HEART, BUT YOUR LIPS WILL NOT TESTIFY TO ME? BELOVED, THIS SHOULD NOT BE SO.
Again my heart thrilled that the voice had called me beloved, but shamed that it had found me lacking. But still, my mind, reason, and feet rebelled. They turned and walked the path I had started to turn from- it was easier, they said- it was easier to disobey the voice- it didn’t matter- the voice didn’t care- but they were wrong.
Before long a snarl was heard close behind me, and I whirled around- wielding a heavy branch that had fallen to the ground- I was determined to defeat the creature on my own, but it had come back- fiercer and more deadly this time. It’s teeth were bared and it’s drool dripped from greedy jaws. It’s eyes carried a rabid insanity, and it’s fiendish glare chilled me to the bone.
Then, with a flash, it was upon me! Tearing at my clothes, reaching for my flesh. I had not had a chance to beat it with my stick, for it had been to fast- upon me too quickly- it had blended with the shadows, and lurked among the mist, its eyes little flames of fury, waiting to get at me- to devour my very being.
And then, as everything started to fade away, I heard the voice again, barely, almost imperceptibly it spoke to me- as if it was a gentle whisper- speaking directly to my soul:
WHY DID YOU NOT LISTEN, MY BELOVED? WHY DID YOUR FEET TREAD SWIFTLY TOWARD EVIL? IF YOU HAD BUT TURNED THE OTHER WAY, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN SAVED- BUT YOUR CONSEQUENCE IS THIS- YOU WILL NO LONGER SEE THIS EARTHLY LIGHT- YOU SHALL BE WITH ME TODAY.
I understood now that the mistake I had made had cost me my life- but the Son’s blood had already forgiven my disobedience; His blood had washed my filthy hands as white as the purest snow. If I had but turned the way my Savior led, He would have guided me to His Light- and kept the beast off my path; but following my own way just led me deeper into darkness- deeper into evil- and deeper into peril- but still He called me beloved- still He loved. <3
