He’ll not fail you or abandon you, so never be afraid.” ~ Deuteronomy
31:8
The forest Amir entered with his
father that evening seemed mystical at first. Thick foliage formed an arch of
fairytale-green above them. In the distance,
a lone songbird was soon joined by his beaked companions, creating a symphony
of song.
But the further they trekked, the more it turned daunting
and primeval. A woody, organic haze hung
like a sentinel to rotting leaves and branches.
Massive roots spread-eagled the ground, twisting like the backs of sea serpents. Amir stood in awe of mighty, majestic trees;
their knotted arms rising ever upwards, awash in a tender glow.
They arrived at a wide glade, where the trees fell away, revealing
a sky speckled with the evening’s first stars.
A cool night breeze swept over Amir like tiny pin pricks. An ore-gold moon rose quietly in the
distance, casting a honeyed sheen over the foliage.
In his village’s culture, young boys became men only after
being left in the forest by themselves, tied to a log and blindfolded until
dawn.
As he heard his father’s footsteps disappear into the
distance, the forest grew eerily quiet. The
only thing Amir heard was his own shallow breathing. Chills raced down his spine as the rustle of leaves
echoed in the night.
Crunch, crunch . . .
crunch. The sound was short and
harsh, like a noisy cat stalking its prey.
Fear choked him as cold sweat dripped from his face. His heart pounded like a base drum. Amir thought he saw something moving. Could it be his imagination? A twig snapped. His heart skipped.
Then things grew quiet again. A slight breeze whistled softly as the
once-busy ecosystem rested.
As dawn broke, distant traffic sounds filtered through
trees. Amir took a deep contented breath
and removed the blindfold. Two robins
pecked in the grass looking for worms. A
bed of daffodils glowed yellow in the morning light. He hugged himself, while a nippy breeze poked
through his thin cotton shirt.
And then she saw it.
His father sat across the way; a watchful guardian. He’d been there all night protecting him from
any harm. Amir ran to his father,
hugging him in a loving embrace.
When they were leaving, Amir risked a glance over his
shoulder. The forest looked freeze-frame
perfect in the enhanced light of the full dawn.
His father had protected him last night, just like his Heavenly Father
does every second of every day.
God is no less present behind the shadow of the moon than
right beside you right now. In fact,
without His omnipresence, prayer would be ineffective. He promises you: “Before you call I will
answer; I’ll hear while you’re still speaking.”
Thank you God for guiding and protecting
me. The times I thought I could save
myself ended in failure. I’ve committed
many mistakes in my life. Forgive me and
lead me on the right path with Your love and patience. Amen
