One day when I was alone, the devil took me up to a high mountain and showed me a kingdom. It was a beautiful kingdom, a God-honoring kingdom. The kingdom I had was difficult and fractured. I did not bow down to the devil or accept the offer, but I did walk the streets and saw its beauty. Children played and fellowship was good. But the door was locked and I was not given the key-- God was not in this kingdom.
“This way,” I heard a gentle voice say.
I looked and saw a deep valley that was in my kingdom and was my path. The path was deep and it was dark so no light seemed to reach me. The other kingdom called to me but I could not go to it. I cried out but all I heard were my echoes on the walls and I wept in the darkness alone.
But I was not alone. The LORD was there and I again heard a gentle voice say, “This way.” It was still dark and deep and dangerous and suffering was great, but I was not alone. A gentle hand took my shoulder and guided me left and right through the canyons that I could not see.
Finally, the walls receded slightly and some light shown down. The light was good but did not heal all my wounds and scars remain. As I climbed up again, my wife emerged from another canyon and we held each other. Slowly, we came out of the valley, but a wilderness stretches before us still.
I looked back across the valley I had walked and saw the first kingdom was given to another and it was even more beautiful than before. God Himself had given it and it was marvelous to His eyes and to all that beheld it--even to me to whom it was forbidden.
“Why all this, LORD?”
“Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.”
I looked ahead once again and saw in the distance a high mountain among the wilderness. A measure was taken and boundaries set. “This is part of your kingdom for now. Put my Name along it paths so they may know Me.” So the three of us went forth from the canyon and the fellowship with both is good. Better than before, even better than a kingdom without them. With this comes a glimmer of hope.
Above the mountain, I see beautiful rays of light coming from the other side. I see the tips of spires that hint of a joyful, godly kingdom that will be given to us someday and our wounds will be healed. And the LORD will be there. One day. Maybe even one day soon. Thank you LORD. Thank you for always being with me.
"The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him." Lamentations 3:25
Amen. Original written 2014
