Nightfall (Part 2)

After a while, I kept walking. Mercifully, the sun continued its course in the sky and no longer beat down on me. I pulled a crust of stale bread from my pack and ate as I walked. I tried to remember an old hymn to turn my thoughts to praise, but I was too tired to sing. Then I realized night was falling. The path sloped downward, and soon I was surrounded by trees. “Great,” I thought. “I guess I chose the wrong way. What now, God? Should I go deeper into the forest? Should I turn around? What do I do!” I strained to get a better look at the path, the terrain, anything—but it was so difficult to see in the dark. My breath came faster. I rubbed at my eyes and realized I was crying. I sat on a rock, my head in my hands. I was so tired. So tired. “Dear one,” the words came on the breeze. “I’m here.” I wanted to hear more of the voice, but I held back. I had to figure out what to do about the path, and the voice would just lull me to sleep. How was I supposed to fix this mess? I was such a fool! “Dear one.” The voice was closer. And then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I shivered at the warm touch. I hadn’t realized until now that I was cold. “Dear one, I love you.” I buried my head deeper in my lap. “How? How could you love me?” I could hear the bitterness in my voice. “I love you,” He said again, with such tenderness that I looked up at Him. When I saw the compassion on His face, the tension I’d been holding in my shoulders released. I felt like I might collapse, but He caught me, gently, and held me in a warm hug. I didn’t want to pull away, and He didn’t want to either. He just held me. And slowly, ever so slowly, my tired limbs began to warm. I cried. Eventually I told Him about the hot sun and the confusing path. I told Him I was angry at Him. He listened, and He kept holding me. Finally, I had said all that was inside me to say, and I felt lighter. Then He whispered, “Dear one, I am the way.” My breath caught in my throat as I recognized the verse. He nodded, knowing my thoughts. “You’ve been asking me and asking me which way to go ” It was so clear to me now. All I wanted was to be near Him, to be loved by Him. Could I really be loved? He smiled, then said, “I want you to be with me. The way is with me.” • Hannah Howe • When was a time you felt lost? Jesus seeks us when we’re lost (Luke 19:10). He died and rose again so that we could be close to Him. How might God be inviting you into His presence today? Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 14:6a (NIV)