The Journey ~ Part 1: Never Leave, Nor Forsake
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
1 people are talking about this
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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