The Road We Walk

I remember when we walked hand in hand and had the most profound talks. I would look in Your eyes longing to know You more, and knowing I would because You wanted it too. I hung on Your every Word, loving all You said and how You said it. Every once in a while we would stop walking and just survey all that was around us, how it spoke of Your glory, and testified to Your love. I would sit at Your feet and look up at You in adoration, listening to every story and seeing You weave perfection in Your divine will. While we walked, for just a moment I let go of Your hand and looked at another road traveling in a different direction than You and I were heading. I asked You about it, and You told me there were things yet to see on the road we traveled together. But I wanted to go down and just take a peek of where the other road headed and what was on it, but You stayed on the smaller, narrower path. I wasn’t planning on going far, just around the corner, and all of a sudden I couldn’t see You anymore. I could hear Your voice calling my name in the distance, but turning that corner brought me to a maze and I couldn’t find my way back to You. It was dark and lonely. A haze descended and the fog enveloped me and I couldn’t see where I was or where I was headed. I knew You would want me to move, but I was too scared to take another step without You by my side. Murkiness swirled around me and I could no longer see the sun, I could no longer see the Son. A storm was brewing, my heart heavy with tears and my arms yearning to find You, and then the flood of emotions burst forth. I couldn’t hear Your voice anymore and I longed to have You by my side, holding hands again. I was lost and I didn’t know how to be found. I sat and cried in my maze in the valley because You weren’t there to carry me, like You had so many times on Your road, when I grew tired. How long I stayed I could not say, but however long, it was too long. My head was hung in shame because You asked me to stay and I looked the other way. As I sat there in my brokenness I felt hands gently clasp my face and lift it up. There You were and I looked in Your eyes and knew it would all be ok. I asked how You had found me, when I didn’t know how to be found. You said that while I had taken my eyes off of you, Your eyes still saw me because You never looked away from me. I asked how long I had been here and You said it didn’t matter because You were taking me back to where I belonged. You lifted me in Your arms and carried me all the way back. I thought I had disappointed You but You were so happy to have me back. You set me down, but took my hand and asked if I’d like to continue along with You. I was in awe of what You would do just to have me walking with You again. You told me about how much You missed me and how You would have walked any distance just to get me back. I blinked back my tears. Me? The one that left You behind? You tried to explain to me the depths of Your love, but knowing I could never understand it’s vastness You wrapped Your arms around me instead. You told me of the journey we had ahead of us, one with unexpected twists and turns, but the constant of You, forever being by my side. There will be many other roads that we will pass along our way, but none can offer me anything that I could truly want. For all I truly desire is to walk hand in hand with You, to sit at Your feet as You tell me of Your ways. The only path worth traveling is the one You paved for me and knowing I’ll never travel it alone.

Melissa Fitzwilliam