Yesterday, the Shepherd had answered, once again, to Much-Afraid's call. He had been so cheerful, without a hint of reproach, that she felt strong and exhilarated. Thankfulness welled in her heart. The Shepherd said, "Tell me, why were you so fearful." And Much-Afraid whispered, "The way looks so dreadful, so impossible. I turn sick with fear when ever I look at it." The Shepherd asked, "But, Much-Afraid, what did I promise you in the Valley of Humiliation?" She was startled by his question; the blood rushing into her cheeks. "You said you would make my feet like hinds' feet and set me upon the High Places." He answered kindly, "The only way to develop hinds' feet is to go by the paths which the hinds use--like this one." (remember, hinds are like goats) Much-Afraid trembled even more and looked ashamed. "Maybe, then, I don't want hinds' feet."
The shepherd surprised her because he didn't even look disappointed or disapproving. In fact, he actually laughed! "Oh, yes you do," he cheerfully said. "I know you better than you know yourself. You want those new feet, indeed, Much-Afraid. And I brought you to this back side of the desert on purpose where there are no paths but the tracks of the deer and mountain goats for you to follow, that the promise I made may be fulfilled. What did I say the last time we met?"
"You said, 'Now you shall see what I will do,' " she answered. Then added, "But, I never dreamed you would do anything as preposterous as this! This is simply....." As she fumbled for more words, she burst out laughing. "Why it's crazy!" Then, the Shepherd started laughing, too, saying , "I don't know anything more exhilarating and delightful than turning weakness into strength, and fear into faith, and that which has been marred into perfection. If there is one thing I really like to do it's turning a jellyfish into a mountain goat! And that is my special work, Much-Afraid. Well, we shall see later on what you find yourself transformed into. O.K.?" And Much-Afraid believed.
At that moment, something wonderful happened. A double rainbow appeared above the precipice, arching it completely. Much-Afraid gasped, then saw to her delight, Sorrow and Suffering, now standing on either side of the arch, veiled and transformed with beauty, and she herself knelt at the foot of the precipice and once again built an altar, laying upon it her will, her dread, and her shrinking away. When the fire had fallen low she found among the ashes a larger, rougher stone, sharp-edged and dark of color. This, too, went into her purse. She rose to her feet and waited.
Again, the Shepherd spoke, "You are entering this new stage. This precipice is only the beginning and at the foot of Mt. Injury. Everywhere else it is as steep or steeper than here. More terrible precipices you would find on Mt. Hate and Mt. Persecution , but nowhere is it possible to find a way up to the High Places and into the Kingdom of Love, without surmounting at least one of them. And it is this one which I have chosen for you." He barely took a breath before he added, "On the way here you have been learning the lesson of Acceptance-with-joy, the first letter in the alphabet of Love. Now, you must learn the B of the alphabet of Love. You will learn it and practice it during this Ascent of Love. Remember, that though you must now meet Injury and surmount it there is nothing on the way up this precipice nor indeed anything that you may meet above and beyond it that can do you the slightest harm or hurt, if you will learn and practice the second lesson in the Ascent of Love."
And immediately Sorrow put her foot upon the first step of the narrow little track which zigzagged up the face of the cliff. Much-Afraid followed next, and then Suffering, and in a moment or two they were beginning the ascent. ( More tomorrow)
Our problems and difficulties look nothing like those of Much-Afraid, and perhaps you are thinking, "How can this help me?" Well, as I see it, first, we become aware we have a big problem. We're terrified! Who can help us? Perhaps we speak with someone in our family--or more likely, someone on the bus! But, then, we might turn to prayer. And we feel God has taken ahold of our problem. but nothing gets better; in fact, it seems worse. But God, we find, is taking us through a few "situations" which lead only one direction. We take it, but is it supposed to take so long? Nothing looks any better for a while. Maybe, eventually, we see what God's purpose really was, and it may be nothing like we had guessed. But, the original problem has been taken care of...and the reason for it, also! I think God works like that. At least, He has in our lives at this house!
Have faith in your Shepherd and mine,
Jo INMN
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