Saturday, March 6, 2010

Stepping Stones

I heard HIM softly, but ever so gently, call my name.
Helplessly I stood and stared across the endless gap between myself and GOD.
Why had I not noticed before the distance?
My heart longed for the feel of HIS arms wrapped around me.
That same feeling that I had felt before in memory past.

I stretched with all my might trying to reach HIS welcoming arms.
Just when it seemed I might be able to grasp HIS hand, my arms became too tired.
"I cannot reach!" I yelled, frustrated and alone.

HE only whispered my name.

With a surge of hope, I gathered my courage.
"I shall jump across!" I said, as if to ease HIS mind.
I backed up and set my mind on scaling this hurdle.
I began to run, with each step my confidence rising.
But the long arms of past failures tripped me.

I was still forever away from GOD.

My racking sobs filled the air. "Why?" I screamed
My anger at my own failure to bridge the gap turned to anger towards GOD.
"What do you expect of me? What am I suppose to do? I cannot make it!"
Soon tears of anger turned to tears of sorrow and pain and eventually to those from a broken spirit.

I heard HIM call my name again, even softer this time.
With all my strength left, I lifted my weary head.
Then I saw them; stones across the gap.

Slowly I got up and began to walk, then to run and in the end it seemed as though I flew into the arms of GOD.
I was back where I belonged. Contentment at last.

I lifted my eyes to GOD and asked how I ever made it across the gap.
HE turned me around and I looked back at the path that had taken me to HIM.
What had first appeared to be stones now became people I knew.
People who God had placed into my life for the specific purpose of leading me to HIM.

Stepping Stones.

Tears once again filled my eyes but this time of love and wonder.
I began to say 'thank you' to each person when God stopped me.
"This is not the way they want to be thanked. I'll show you how."
Bewildered I followed HIS pointing fingers until I spotted someone on the other side of the gap.
Like me they were wasting their energy on futile efforts to reach GOD

"I understand now." I said.
Then I waited for the breaking of the angry spirit across the way so that I could become...

A Stepping Stone
Mardel Connell 1995

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