A Bit of Rocky Path

I've come to a bit of road where there are rocks to dodge and deal with. It looks familiar though - I'm sure we've been on a bit of path like it before. When the way is rough and the weather is dull, that is when you hope someone will come upon your little bit of road on the Journey to help hoist the load and say a word or two of encouragement for the miles ahead. Maybe you're that person, or maybe you need the encouragement yourself. Come along in anycase, and perhaps we can help each other - another set of eyes to spot the rocks is always welcome.


Although the path looks bare, I'm not traveling alone at this time, so maybe you should meet my Journeying companion. She is younger than I , at least chronologically, but wise beyond her years, and full of the zeal, hope, and fervor for Jesus that we all can draw from. My companion is a dear sister, longing for more of the fellowship we all hold so dear, a faithful friend whom I have had the pleasure of getting to know over a number of years. The youthful pilgrim at my side is none other than my sweet daughter, and a Daughter of the King she is indeed!


It seemed that we were just lately walking upon a grassy vale, and the way was easy, but we turned a corner and I found my feet finding their awkward way through rocks that are, I admit probably partly of my own making, and partly there due to circumstances. As we have talked along the way, I have learned of many in the Faith that she is able to fellowship with at a distance - fine sisters and brothers in Christ who encourage and uphold one another, pray, study, worship and encourage one another. Alas, on our little section of path, the one where we rub shoulders with pilgrims on the way in a more flesh-and-blood kind of way, there are earnest young pilgrims in short supply. Where are they? Has the dark forest of our day's culture swallowed them all, made the remaining ones all but obscure to the sight?


I waver between hope and hurt at this juncture of the road. I long for her, for the fellowship of young believers to be a real and tangible thing. Not for a moment does she, or I, diminish the sweet unity and fellowsip of the older saints - my petite pilgrim knows well the riches to be found in the hearts of mature journeymen, and joyfully gleans from their years of wisdom gained on the road. But are there a few younger men and women who would join together to encourage, study, pray and worship the King? In this day, the road can be lonely for the young and earnest Christian, and my friend feels the pang of this loss. I feel it for her.


I need to pause here, perhaps take that little path over there and spend a bit of time alone with the Path Master. I know that He is faithful, and will show us the way. Perhaps just around that corner, or over the little hill beyond the trees we'll see the travelers we seek. If not we will press on I know, for this is the narrow way and there is no other way that will lead where we need to go. At the end, we will see His face and understand this part of the Journey.

Got Klingons?

Okay, I know this is supposed to be about the journey on the narrow path, not the long and winding worm-hole... I haven't forgotten.

I was lying in bed awake at some ridiculous time the other night (sometimes I lie there wondering how many others are also, at that moment, trying to get back to sleep, almost willing it to happen, but just lying there waiting for the magic hour and a half to go by - but I digress). I was thinking about my new blog and trying to decide whom I would talk about first, as having been important in some way on my Journey thus far. Par for the course for wee-hour- musings, my mind wandered and I found myself remembering an old Star Trek episode with Worf going through some crazy ritual in the holodeck - something frightfully important to him in his 'right of passage' or something. He had to pass through a short path between two rows of fierce fellow (albeit virtual) Klingons who would do him the supreme honour of prodding him with painsticks. Sounds like fun eh?!! Propelled by the pain, honour and his desire to get to the end of the path without crying like a baby, Worf triumphantly reaches the end, and collapses in a heap of agony and bliss! Makes you glad your're not a Klingon - or are you?

Well, I know it's a stretch, but this is my blog, and heck, I like analogies, so here goes....

I was musing (I like that word better than "thinking", don't you? :-) about the Klingons in my life, and the 'painsticks' they have held and prodded me with unmercifully. Some of them had done a really fine job too, and there had been times in my life when I too had collapsed, figuratively, in a heap of exhaustion, agony and aparent defeat (okay, here the analogy breaks down, but it's been fun so far). Worf's bliss angle just wasn't part of the scenario in these cases, but something else was; something Worf missed, mostly because he isn't real and not created by a loving, all-powerful, all-knowing God Who was intent on using all things to work for my good. Poor Worf!!

God allowed alot of 'Klingon Warriors' to poke me with their sticks. Sometimes I wouldn't have gone the right way if I hadn't been prodded, and sometimes I look back and think it was the only way this thick-headed gal could have learned some of the lessons I needed to stay on the path later on. Often the pain inflicted by the Klingon stick was in the form of pain I had given to someone else - there's nothing like a little painful prod to make one see the truth about themselves - and sometimes you have to take some of your own medicine before you get healed of that disease.

It hasn't been a case of miles and miles of 'Klingons' to get me to the narrow path, but I do see the places that God allowed me to suffer, feel the pain, and collapse in agony so I would cry out to Him. He wants us on the Narrow Way, and uses many ways to get and keep us there. There have been many gracious gardens along the way too, and strong and gentle warriors, friends and fellow travellers to ease the journey, and next time I'll pick one of them to talk about.

Remember, "we're Pilgrims on a Journey of the Narrow Road, and those who've gone before us line the way"... Stay with me, travel with me and we'll learn together, and maybe encourage a few fellow travellers while we go.