Mountain Trail
(Christianity is a life where we help each other)
He is stooped and worn… and although not past his prime the man has grey hair. His kind, yet sad sorrowful face is worn from care and twisted in pain. As the man walks with faltering steps along the hard narrow pathway, amongst the gorse, thistles and weeds, he becomes even more downcast as the rugged track becomes even tougher and steeper.
The poor traveller is lonely and weary… and as he climbs the pauses to rest his aching limbs becomes more frequent. As he relaxes on that old mossy tree stump, he starts pondering over the journey he is on. He starts wondering how much harder the road is going to become, and prays for a friend to help him on this terrible journey.
As he wipes the moisture from his weathered forehead, our weary traveller hears a voice from calling out to him. He glances round to see a stranger approaching from a nearby thicket.
The newcomer walks over and shakes our hero by the hand, saying, “My friend, I am so glad to have a companion to walk this rugged way. I was awfully lonely and very tired.
After resting together awhile, the two friends continued their journey together, and as they went up the horrible track they encountered steep craggy rocks. One man knew a bit about the skills required for climbing, but the other didn't. However he knew how to encourage his companion when the way was tough.
As the pair climbed among the rocks one pointed out the steps and the various hand holds his companion. The two friends shared that climb… and when one didn’t know something, the other did. One fellow would encourage the other when the he was unsure or worried about how steep and dangerous the climb was becoming.
They had no ropes or equipment as the world has. They only had their hands... hands provided by God to help them to reach him. Yes, Christ was at the top of that mountain.
It wasn't easy. Most people think God is love. Why would he be so cruel as to allow people to encounter such a hard difficult road to find him? Simply because each person has to be tested to find out how true they are to Him. The two men I am writing of were able to make light work of it BECAUSE they worked together, and not alone.
Now, what would have happened if there was a crowd of people? Say 30 or 40 people? Could they have climbed that mountain with such ease? And would they have had such peace of mind? I think not!
There would have been debates over the route and who should lead the group. The bible says that “…wherever two or three are gathered I am in the midst.” He didn't say that wherever 200 or 300 people I am in their midst. That is because it is easier to have agreement and peace of mind in smaller groups.
Anyway, let me finish about those two men.
They swung from rock to rock in a terrifying fashion. Occasionally one slipped, but always his companion would grab him and drag him to safety. Thus they scrambled through ravines at night, gullies full of snakes, through raging waterfalls, until at last they reached the summit of the great mountain of life.
There at the top was an angel waiting with a smile of love and peace upon his lips.
As the two man staggered over the brow arm in arm, the Angel of the Lord said, "Welcome men, welcome to your eternal rest. But before we proceed, I would like to you to turn around and look down the mountain."
The two friends turned and looked down over the crest... down, down, down… and they saw far below them the glittery lights they had left behind many years before. The towns, the families and the friends they had left. The people who had refused to follow them. The two men saw the terrible places they had shared the burden and where they had fought to reach that divine goal.
As they stood staring down and remembering the heart ache, the memories started to flood back. Terrible memories they were too… of terrible things which had happened to them.
The Angel of the Lord said to them, "Those terrible things you suffered are NOTHING compared for what the Lord did for you." You suffered yourselves... but he died for you! Not for himself, but for YOU!"
The two men locked glances, and gave each other a hug. Then they asked the Angel of the Lord, "Please Sir, may we see this man who did so much for us? Although our humble thanks is nothing much, as we are just ordinary folk, we would be glad to thank the one who gave His all for our sakes."
And the two friends were received by the Supreme King himself.
By Adam R. B. Reeve
23rd October 2010
The poor traveller is lonely and weary… and as he climbs the pauses to rest his aching limbs becomes more frequent. As he relaxes on that old mossy tree stump, he starts pondering over the journey he is on. He starts wondering how much harder the road is going to become, and prays for a friend to help him on this terrible journey.
As he wipes the moisture from his weathered forehead, our weary traveller hears a voice from calling out to him. He glances round to see a stranger approaching from a nearby thicket.
The newcomer walks over and shakes our hero by the hand, saying, “My friend, I am so glad to have a companion to walk this rugged way. I was awfully lonely and very tired.
After resting together awhile, the two friends continued their journey together, and as they went up the horrible track they encountered steep craggy rocks. One man knew a bit about the skills required for climbing, but the other didn't. However he knew how to encourage his companion when the way was tough.
As the pair climbed among the rocks one pointed out the steps and the various hand holds his companion. The two friends shared that climb… and when one didn’t know something, the other did. One fellow would encourage the other when the he was unsure or worried about how steep and dangerous the climb was becoming.
They had no ropes or equipment as the world has. They only had their hands... hands provided by God to help them to reach him. Yes, Christ was at the top of that mountain.
It wasn't easy. Most people think God is love. Why would he be so cruel as to allow people to encounter such a hard difficult road to find him? Simply because each person has to be tested to find out how true they are to Him. The two men I am writing of were able to make light work of it BECAUSE they worked together, and not alone.
Now, what would have happened if there was a crowd of people? Say 30 or 40 people? Could they have climbed that mountain with such ease? And would they have had such peace of mind? I think not!
There would have been debates over the route and who should lead the group. The bible says that “…wherever two or three are gathered I am in the midst.” He didn't say that wherever 200 or 300 people I am in their midst. That is because it is easier to have agreement and peace of mind in smaller groups.
Anyway, let me finish about those two men.
They swung from rock to rock in a terrifying fashion. Occasionally one slipped, but always his companion would grab him and drag him to safety. Thus they scrambled through ravines at night, gullies full of snakes, through raging waterfalls, until at last they reached the summit of the great mountain of life.
There at the top was an angel waiting with a smile of love and peace upon his lips.
As the two man staggered over the brow arm in arm, the Angel of the Lord said, "Welcome men, welcome to your eternal rest. But before we proceed, I would like to you to turn around and look down the mountain."
The two friends turned and looked down over the crest... down, down, down… and they saw far below them the glittery lights they had left behind many years before. The towns, the families and the friends they had left. The people who had refused to follow them. The two men saw the terrible places they had shared the burden and where they had fought to reach that divine goal.
As they stood staring down and remembering the heart ache, the memories started to flood back. Terrible memories they were too… of terrible things which had happened to them.
The Angel of the Lord said to them, "Those terrible things you suffered are NOTHING compared for what the Lord did for you." You suffered yourselves... but he died for you! Not for himself, but for YOU!"
The two men locked glances, and gave each other a hug. Then they asked the Angel of the Lord, "Please Sir, may we see this man who did so much for us? Although our humble thanks is nothing much, as we are just ordinary folk, we would be glad to thank the one who gave His all for our sakes."
And the two friends were received by the Supreme King himself.
By Adam R. B. Reeve
23rd October 2010