“people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (Isa 9:2).
I walk in the darkness that surrounds me as a mere mortal man. Yet I fear absolutely nothing, not even death. My only concern with deaths leaving Linda alone after our fifty-five years together, but I know she will be taken care of by our daughter, Megan.
I know that as I walk on the path laid for me by Jesus and God, I have nothing to worry about. Although I am in darkness, God lights a path, so I do not stumble. I am never deprived of the spiritual Life, Love, and intelligence needed to survive my mortal darkness. Isaiah 9:2 says it all; we are never taken from the lighted Wisdom.
Where is this Wisdom to be found? How can I, as a mere mortal, lift myself high enough to find this eternal Wisdom? The answers are simple. We don’t! God gives these to us freely; they are gifts of the Divine Love we are born to. It is our greedy, opportunistic, money-hungry society that dulls our senses to reality.
A short poem from my first day of Lent this year; it’s called Running, Running:
I know not where!
I know not why!
I am always running,
running from myself.
Knowing not that escape is naught
I fear Truth, for I am mortal;
I fear my mortal death for
I am running, running!
Not to, but from. . .
I fear opening the eyes of my soul,
for my training has been singular;
I am taught to succeed,
to attain wealth, not Truth!
Dear God, let me open my eyes
to the reality of Your Truth;
Your Life is real;
I need not fear;
no need not run. . .
when I walk to God.
This is the conundrum we face; it is the mortal, societal teaching that we must forget, for in reality, we have all we need by just opening our eyes to God’s Truth, as taught by Jesus.
©Russell Kendall Carter
Meditating to Heal 