My oldest son and I had decided to go on a camping trip to Algonquin
Provincial Park in Northern Ontario, Canada. After the long drive and
the time it took us to set up camp, we only had two hours before dusk;
but this didn't stop us from going on an adventure in the woods. We
choose a trail not too far from our camp, and off we went.
As
Donovan, my oldest son, is fascinated with mushrooms and fungus, we
found ourselves stopping often to take pictures of these strange
phenomenon that look more like beings from outer space. Once on the top
of the mountain, we admired the beautiful sun as it began to set. A lake
peeked out from behind the trees, making it an ideal spot for a
photography session. Or at least we hoped so!
As we continued on
our trek, we began to realize that the sun was setting, and we had not
even done a quarter of the loop we were on. We needed to speed up our
pace in order to beat the soon-coming dark. Imagine being surrounded by
growling, hungry-looking eyes! Oh no! A real nightmare! Or is it more my
overactive imagination?
Naturally, we absolutely had to take
photos whenever we saw beauty. Otherwise it would be completely
criminal, and of course this delayed us from attaining our final goal.
As the night set in, I began to have a problem. I am legally-blind in
one eye, and as a result, I only see in two dimensions. The shadows from
the approaching dusk made it very difficult for me to judge the depth of
the steps I needed to take. What would I do? It's then that I remembered
John 14:6. If my Master is the way, I had nothing to fear as He was my
guide.
My son had no problem walking in a dusky forest. His eyes
work perfectly well. All I had to do was to follow in his footsteps.
Whenever the upcoming path was steep or slippery, he would warn me. At
times, when the rocks were especially slippery, he would take my hand
and help me to safety. Following in his footsteps, I never had the need
to panic. He knew the way we needed to go.
That day, my Father in
Heaven guided me through my son. During my life time on planet Earth, I
never have to worry about anything, as long as I focus on the footsteps
of the One who is "The Way". He will lead me to a safe haven, no matter
what. At times He will hold my hand to see me through. Other times, when
discouragement is on the horizon, He will tenderly embrace me.
We
are truly alive when we hand everything over to the One who is called
"The Way". No one else can claim this. In Him we can fully trust.
Are you surrounded by darkness and shadows that seem quite menacing?
Focus on Jesus. He will get you safely out of there. After all, our
destination is where He resides, and one day, sooner or later, we will
attain this heavenly paradise. The best place for photography, don't you
think?
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your
staff, they comfort me." (Psalms 23:4, NIV)
Rob Chaffart
Written on August 19, 2014