I went to church today for the first time in a long time. While I was worshipping, I had the following vision and I feel compelled to share it with you.
I was standing on a beach. The ocean stretched out in front me, blue and beautiful. Behind me loomed a tall mountain. I was hungry, more hungry than I have ever been in my life. Something inside told me there was a feast on top of that mountain. It was a feast so grand that I would never be hungry again. I gazed at the mountain and I was afraid. There were fires that lept high into the sky. I could hear wild animals and see their shadows move through the trees. There were poisonous plants dotting the paths. Raging rivers flowing down the mountain. In short, there was no easy way to the top. My decision was easy. I would have to find food somewhere else. I turned back to the beach in search of options.
In a very short while I came upon a picnic. On a red checkered blanket rested fruit so luscious I could feel my mouth begin to water. My stomach growled and I decided this would do just fine. There were pears twice the size of my fist, grapes dripping with juice, soft peaches and apples so red and ripe I could smell their fragrance from a distance. I picked up a pear and took a big bite. The taste was indescribable. As the juice ran down my chin I looked back up the mountain. This had been the right decision. I took another bite but I noticed something strange as I chewed. At first it was gritty. Then it was hard. As I continued to chew the taste simply disappeared. Suddenly, the piece of pear in my mouth seemed more like sand than fruit. I spit it out and, to my surprise, it was sand! I looked at the fruit in my hand only to discover it was a clump of beach. This had to be a mistake somehow so I dropped what I was holding and wiped my hand on my shirt. I reached for a clump of grapes. The first grape was like heaven. Succulent, sweet and moist, I held my head back and swallowed with satisfaction. The next grape was a little less satisfying. The third grape was terrible. The fourth grape was gritty and at last, again, I was eating and holding sand. I thew my handful down in disgust. In the spirit of insanity (expecting a different result) I picked up an apple. The same thing happened. I became very angry. I started pitching apples and pears and peaches into the ocean. I screamed at the sky and exhausted my self in frustration only to realize I was now more hungry than when I started. That's when I turned to face the mountain.
It was tall and mostly dark. The peak was enveloped in clouds. I did not even know for certain if it ever ended. Again, somewhere deep inside, a small voice reminded me "There's a feast at the top". I could smell the smoke from the fires and hear the growls from the animals. My hunger became so great and I knew I could die on this beach if I chose to. My head swam with doubt. The sand under my feet was hot and dry. I decided to start walking.
I passed through the foliage at the base and began to climb. My stomach was so empty, it felt like it was digesting itself. My mouth felt like dry parchment. At one point, I slipped and almost fell off the mountain. I held on by the tips of my fingers, crying out in fear until my toes brushed a ledge. It took hours to get back on my feet. Yes, I was scared, but there were moments of peace, too. The dirt between my toes was soft. The sun disappeared and heat was replaced by a cool, moist breeze. I could see bears and wolves, snakes and mountain lions but they paid me no heed. I came upon a fire and a way through it presented itself. Raging rivers became babbling brooks and trickling streams that washed my feet and cooled me on my journey. I climbed for so many days that they all ran together. A fog developed as I passed through the cloud bank and I could barely see my own hand in front of my face. My exhaustion became tangible. Almost blind in the fog and deaf to anything but the sound of my pounding heart in my ears, I considered quitting. Then it happened.
My leg brushed something hard. My had reached out and I grasped the end of a table. I ran my left hand along the table and used it as guide. The table continued and continued. Its smooth wooden surface was cool and firm. The fog slowly lifted as I walked. The foliage disappeared and the sun came out overhead. I blinked in disbelief and used my right hand to shield my face. Heart pounding, gasping for breath, I lowered my hand. The view in front of me was overwhelming. The table seemed to never end and it had so many chairs around it that I lost count. The food was heaped high in the center and laid out on the plates. And the view - I could see the whole world all around me! I found my chair and sank into the cushion. I reached for my glass and drank deep of the water it held. I ate and was satisfied. No words can describe the tastes, smells, and textures of that feast.
As I chewed, I thought back on the journey. I remembered my foolish decision to try and be satisfied with what was easy, what was convenient. A path had been placed before me with an unspoken promise and I had tried to lean on what was seen only to be disappointed. In the end, none of the shadows or the dangers had mattered. Faith, not fear, had been the key. My provisions were far greater than my needs and all I had to do was believe.
No comments:
Post a Comment