The Journey ~ Part 1: Never Leave, Nor Forsake

by - 1:45 PM

Never Leave, Nor Forsake

“I’m not sure.”
Into darkness the shimmering eyes gaze. Far away, beyond deep shadows and ever-night.
“Not sure of what?” a deep voice replies.
A pause. A soft sigh. A gentle voice speaking.
“Not sure . . . not sure if I’m strong enough.”
“For the road ahead?”
A thought-filled hesitation.
“Yes.”
Another silence, longer than the first, while the breath of these two speakers mingles into the cloaked stillness.
“And yet,” the gentle voice begins again, growing stronger with every word, “I know that, although I may not be strong enough, wise enough, brave enough or even . . . even good enough,” a tremulous breath, “I will never be alone. Adonai promised: ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’
Up to meet a pale-gray gaze the shimmering eyes flash.
“I may not be strong enough. But I am ready enough,” the gentle voice says.
Silence, once more, as the gray eyes meet the brown and perceive in them an ardent, gleaming flame. At last-
“We shall see,” the deep voice murmurs.
The two stand as one, the gray-eyed taller than the brown, and move away from their seats. Towards a wall of this domed cavern their silent steps lead, coming to a stand-still before its blank, polished face. Lifting a hand the taller figure traces one finger down the wall. He turns to meet the shimmering brown gaze.
“If you are truly ready,” his melodious voice rolls, “Then the door will open for you.”
He steps aside as she steps forward, eye fixed to the mirror-like stone. Into her own gaze she looks and searches for the strength to open the door. A low sigh and she closes her eyes. No, it is not there, but neither is she alone.
“Adonai,” the name floats from her lips like a prayer, “You are my strength.”
She does not open the shimmering eyes, but raising a hand, places it on the cold, smooth wall.
“Thy will be done,” she says and pushes on the wall.
A brilliant light blooms beneath her eyelids, golden and warm as a summer dawn. Gently a sweet breeze kisses her cheeks and strokes through her hair. With a low gasp, her eyes fly open.
“But how?” she says, turning to meet the gray gaze. He is with her on the mountain-top.
“What do you mean?” he replies, smiling softly.
She shakes her head, expression bewildered, “How – how am I here? The door, where is it?”
She turns, quickly, to look behind her. There: only a cliff-wall of deep-gray stone, flecked by red and streak in gold.
“You do not understand how you have come through something which you did not see?” the deep voice asks. She nods, meeting his gaze, her lips forming another confused ‘how?’.
He laughs, softly, and laying a hand on her shoulder, draws her away from the blank stone. Outward his gaze strays, wandering over the landscape beyond. At last, he speaks.
“You ask how? My answer – what is that to you? Seeing is not believing, child,” he meets her eyes, “To see you must first believe. Someday, maybe, you will understand how the Adonai works.”
“But when?” she murmurs.
He squeezes her shoulder, gently, “When you are ready,” he says, then lets go.
Away she looks, down to the ground as heavy thoughts weigh her mind.
“I will believe,” she whispers to herself. Slowly her gaze lifts to the way ahead. There! A pathway shimmers like water-over-stones in the sunlight. A step forward, and with her gaze she follows its track down the mountain and away into the sunrise.
“If I follow this,” she says, looking over one shoulder to meet the gray-eyed gaze, “Will I be ready sooner?”
“That depends,” he replies, “On if you are ready to follow it faithfully.”
Reaching under his cloak, he holds out to her a staff. Her hand wraps around it and his around hers.
“Be faithful to the end,” he says, “And you will receive a crown of life.”
Eyes alight and with a smile, she nods. He releases her hand, stepping back.
“Never leave, nor forsake,” she murmurs, then glancing up briefly, sets off, down the path.
~ ~ ~
I will never leave you, nor forsake you.

Hebrews 13:5



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  1. AHHH This is beautifully amazing!!!! I love the imagery, and you take God out of the boxes of normal confines and make Him live and breathe for the reader in a truly magnificent way! I can't wait to see what comes next. :D

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