Once there was time, ages ago, right now and perhaps, sometime in the future, and with that time was a story. A real story. It started with the most interesting words and captivating details. The story was innocent and powerful, thoughtful and silly, joyful and daunting. The story’s most beautiful gift was that it was healing and brought answers to questions that even the most obvious details could confound. So, once among a time, the most wonderful story was introduced.
Time realized that the story was about him. Time became aware and with that, he stopped. Things in motion instantly became still and frozen. Babies stopped growing, the moon stopped chasing the sun and the wind did not blow. Stillness rested upon the now. Time had never been aware of himself before.
Time had always been. If you have no beginning, then you have no need of then, before, after, maybe or now. Because time did not know about himself, the utter shock of realization had frozen everything. Or so he thought, because everything is not always as it seems, now is it?
Time, now aware and living within the constraints of now, decided that it would only be polite to introduce himself to the Story that made him aware. He knew immediately that Story was special. Story was beautiful, the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Story sparkled brighter than sunlight on the ocean, her comfort more calming than the stillness of the first fallen snow and her dance more mesmerizing than waves crashing on the sand. Most importantly, Time did not effect her. The shock of Time’s awareness could not make Story stop. In fact, she became even more colorful and her dance, even that much more interesting.
“Hello Story,” he said, “My name is Time.” He was shocked at the sound of his own voice.
“I know,” said Story, “I am here because of you.”
“Well that is quite interesting,” Time replied, “I had no idea I was a me until just now. I saw you and something happened and now I know myself. Here I AM. With a voice, with thoughts, with knowledge and memories. I am not sure why I am aware. There must be a purpose for this.”
Story reached out and held his hand. “Yes, Time, you are right, a great purpose,” she said. “I am here to bring guidance to you. If you trust me, I will show you what you must do. You haven’t got much time, and you are of the essence. As you can see, with every step you take, you leave a little of yourself behind.”
Time turned and saw fragments left in the grass below, remnants of each step he took towards Story. The fragments were like little speaks of gold, glowing gently, or rather sparkling, either description fits as it is somewhat odd and spectacular to be left behind with every step you take. Like footprints in the sand, yet not constrained to sand alone, imprints left everywhere.
“Yes,” he said, “I agree, and I trust you, wholeheartedly. I must have been made aware to meet this mission you are going to show me. Or else, why am I here?”
“Perfect,” she said, “You are ready now. You have received the mission to true guidance.”
“Look around you, Time,” she added, “look at the world, at the sad state it is in.” She motioned with her arm to reveal their surroundings and he took it all in.
What Time observed made him sad. There was an essence of darkness all around him. People were not as he remembered, for knowledge was playing memories for him. He remembered a time when there was light, a special light. His memory was still quite foggy from being freshly awake, but he remembered that the darkness was not so thick and heavy back then.
“The shock of you being here has allowed things to stop. This pause of motion is only temporary. However, in this moment, you can see that we are in a sorry state. The great balance has been disrupted. The light has been forgotten. You must follow me or this will be the state of existence for eternity.”
“Why are things so dark?” he asked.
Story held his hand tighter. “I am not the only one who is awake with you. There is a Greater One here, not effected by your awakening. You will find him and I will help you, but you must listen and be brave. You are not ready to meet him yet and he will not be revealed until more truth is found. Be steadfast, the darkness is strong and even in this stillness, it continues to grow stronger.”
Time felt cold chills run down his arms. He looked at them, rubbed them, and felt his skin. He was strong. Time possessed a strength that had never been seen, felt or yielded in history past, so it is difficult for human words to describe. He looked at his hands, they had always been used to keep things moving on earth and now they must be used for something much greater.
“I understand,” he said. “Show me what is next, Story, I am ready.”
Story and Time journeyed together for a while in silence. It did not take long for them to arrive at their first destination, an old building, run down simply because it was forgotten. He could see that ages ago it was very loved, each nail was placed with care, the wood was of great quality and the stained glass at the front of the building was designed with gifted artistry. They opened the old creaky door and entered the building. There were thick layers of dust covering everything. Nothing had been disturbed in this building for ages. Yet, they felt a serene comfort as soon as they were inside, for the walls held memories of joy, songs, solace and family.
At the front of the building, sitting down the middle of the rows of dust-covered chairs, they saw an enormous man. He was huddled down, also covered in layers of dust. His hands were interlocked and his head was bowed down. The hair on his head was white as snow, but his beard was exactly opposite, black as coal.
This man was not weak in his old age. It was immediately apparent that his great and powerful shoulders could carry the heaviest of loads, his strong hands were well calloused and his muscular jaw was tight and ready. The leather boots he wore were thick and well oiled. He was resting, yet steady and waiting.
Story approached and gently touched the interlocked hands of this man. He opened his eyes, lifted his head, and as he rose, he towered over them and stood taller than two great men. His head almost brushed the ceiling of that great building. He stretched out his hand and Time accepted. Story introduced them, “Time, this is Guidance.”
Guidance yawned, “My goodness Story,” he said, “is it really Time?”
Story smiled. “Yes, Guidance, this is Time.”
“Well,” he replied smiling, “nice to finally meet you, Sir, I have been waiting for you for ages.” He shook off the dust and cleared his throat from the musty air.
As they shook hands, Guidance realized that Time was strong, mighty and more powerful than he had ever imagined. “I am glad it is you.” Guidance said.
Guidance looked at Story, and asked, “Does he know?”
Story replied, “Not fully yet, but we will help him understand what he needs to know together.”
The trio left the old dilapidated building and stood outside. Time looked around and then suddenly wondered how Guidance was with them without knocking the whole building down in his exit. He looked back to see that the door to the old building was not damaged at all. It was still perfectly in tact. How did that enormous man get out? He shook his head and realized, things were really not as they seemed here on earth. He continued on with his two companions as they stood together behind the old building.
The sky was frozen in a state of grey. No sun shone through the clouds. Trees who once stood proud and tall, were slumping meek and shy. Brooks that babbled with joy were now frozen and quiet, scared to even whisper.
“Why has this happened?” asked Time. “I don’t remember this. I remember things here being much different than they are now. I know about creation and balance, this is not according to plan.”
Guidance brought them over to an old well in the center of the garden. He dropped a trusty old bucket into the water and drew it back up. “Look into the Living Water, my Son, the truth will be revealed.”
The Living Water was fascinating. The water in the bucket was absolutely alive. It rose out of the bucket, miraculously multiplying itself until Time was completely surrounded. Time saw the past, he saw people. But not as you would expect them to be seen, as a vision, or as a picture, or as a mirror. No, this was a spatular display of water which allowed direct representation of the past. It was as if the past was happening at that moment all around him. The water surrounded him but did not touch his skin. He was still in the garden, yet taken away to what-once-was and he could see Sons and Daughters. Their eyes were desperate, scared, and most of all, they were searching.
“Why can I only see their eyes?” Time asked, as the water receded peacefully and quietly back into the bucket. “Why have they covered their faces?”
Guidance answered, “the darkness.”
“It has spread fear and lies to the sons and daughters,” he added, “they will only show their eyes because they are scared that someone will see an expression against the darkness and it’s powers. People have turned on one another. There is no community anymore. They live alone and lonely. They have learned to fear one another. They do not gather anymore. They stay secluded because they know seclusion is the only way to to stay safe from the destructive army of the darkness.”
Story continued to explain, “Fear has become a drug and it has taught them new rules, and brought this new society into being. Fear brings power to the darkness and now he rules and this contagious and infectious drug is spreading faster than anything we have ever seen. Any person who tries to break away from this dark and daunting Overlord is turned in by their neighbor and they are thrown into the Pit of Judgement.”
“The Pit of Judgement, what is that?” asked Time.
Guidance turned and offered Time and Story a seat at the grand table outside of the old building. He answered, “the Pit of Judgement is a place where people cannot escape. It is where The Others observe and pass sentence on what people do, say, feel or believe. People don’t know where the Pit is, so there is no hope of escape or rescue.”
Guidance’s face turned solemn as he continued, “The Darkness was born from The Pit. The Others are his servants and they bring people to The Pit. People cover their faces to hide from The Others who may find them hopeful, joyful or without fear. The Others have great strength and they control everything and everyone with the power of fear. The trees and the water obey the darkness now. Fear is where The Darkness thrives and now it travels like a virus and is spreading rapidly and the Others grow in vast numbers.”
Story added, “The only thing that can conquer Darkness is the Great Opposite. Since eternity, there has been a careful balance to all existence and when that balance was disrupted, chaos was unleashed. Right and wrong was introduced, success and failure, darkness and light. For every one there became the other. The loss of balance is where fear began to tip and gain strength. The Darkness is the Prince of confusion and lies.”
“You became aware, Time,” Guidance said, “because the scale was tipped too far, and now you are needed. The people have suffered for too long and you must bring balance back and make them remember the Great Opposite.”
“Time, listen to me closely, you were called here for a great purpose,” Guidance added. “Now that you know me, and I have given you the information that you were seeking, it is now imperative that you meet your mission. You must keep my wisdom close. If you call for me I will answer, perhaps not how you expect, but I will always be with you. However, I must leave you now. If the others find me, they will try to destroy me and I will never let that happen.”
Guidance walked off and as he did he grew smaller and smaller until he somewhat disappeared into the trees.
Time and Story stood for a moment in the garden and watched Guidance’s second display of miraculous translation. They were now on a Great Quest full of purpose, knowing that their awareness of mission was greater than they could have imagined because balance was lost and the people had forgotten about hope and truth. This Great Quest was nothing like anyone could have imagined and yet it seemed so much like what was happening right now all around.
(to be continued…)
2 Chronicles 7
The Lord Appears to Solomon
11 When Solomon had finished the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lord and in his own palace,12 the Lord appeared to him at night and said:
“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.
13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
17 “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws, 18 I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to rule over Israel.’
19 “But if you[a] turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you[b] and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will uproot Israel from my land,which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a by word and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 21 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All[c] who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ 22 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’”
I find it so interesting that now the temple of the Lord is not a building, rather, He has allowed His temple to be within us, an eternal marriage of the soul and The Spirit. Yet, the diluted Christian of modern day allows that temple to be desecrated. Gone are any semblances of honor and glory to a God who has given the most precious gift – Himself.
“I have chosen” is what a Sovereign God promises, and yet, we detest that thought. We are not wise, we are weak – with a mind so feeble to deny the power of the Creator of All. Within the temple is the Spirit and Omnipotent Power, it is not of our own, it is of God. Humble submission allows the Spirit to do His Good Work. Will you worship other gods? Or will you embrace time, and allow a change to occur now that will reform the trajectory of your eternal soul? Submission, humble submission, that will allow a new relationship with whom, only He, can continue to purify and use the temple.
Praise be to God, the Maker and Creator of all. Praise and honor and glory forever and ever. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
My Christian Life Rhyme 