| I guess it was
about a year after I was marvelously saved that I was confronted with the
Tempter and before I knew it I was looking over the fence into the
hog pen of sin. The hedge I had to step over to enter the pen was
very near the ground, perhaps a foot high at the most. I glided over
as if someone was lifting me, and I soon found myself mingling with the
occupants much to their dissatisfaction. "You don't belong here.
Why don't you leave us alone?"
Though the truth rang
in my ears, I struggled to be accepted. After a brief stay I realized
my tragic mistake and decided to do as the Prodigal Son and return to the
Father.
Much to my surprise
every way I turned I found the hedge had grown far too high to step over;
or even climb. It had become so woven and entwined that I could barely
see through. To my amazement when I found one small hole in the hedge
and looked through I saw a wide trench full of water, and in the water
were serpents glaring at me and mocking with blasphemous threats.
Strangely the
story of Job came to me and I remembered how Satan charged God with having
a hedge around Job so he could not reach him.
Then fear gripped
my soul for I realized this hedge that at first was so small had been planted
by Satan, and I foolishly stepped over it, and was now trapped. As
I prayed and pondered on what course of action I must take to get back
to the Father I realized that I was not alone.
As I looked through
tear stained eyes, an angel stood with outstretched hands. In each
hand he held a tool. With close observation I realized he held an
ax and a shovel.
I was a bit puzzled. As I recalled the Prodigal Son had
no such obstacles thrust in his path on his return trip to the Father.
As I hesitated
the still small voice came to me saying, "Take the ax and hew down
the hedge. As I stepped through, the ax fell away and the shovel
appeared in it's place. "Do you desire more than anything in the
world to return to the Father?" That voice seemed to be saying to
me!
As I stooped
to get a shovel of dirt and raised up, I hesitated. I stared in marvelous
wonder for there before my eyes was a beautiful golden bridge spanning
that wide trench. And when I stepped upon that golden span I looked
across to the other side and glory to God, praise Him there stood
Jesus with outstretched arms. As I stood frozen in my track for the
sight was too much for me, Jesus spoke and my heart melted inside of me
when he said, "Come, my wayward wandering child, I've been waiting for
you."
Who am I?
Oh, I'm every child of God that has ever taken his eyes off of Jesus. They
call me a backslider; but Jesus calls me His prodigal son! |
