The Radiant City : $b An AllegoryGarratt, Evelyn R.
Religion
The Radiant City : $b An Allegory
Garratt, Evelyn R.
Allegories; Christian fiction; Christian life; Christian pilgrims and pilgrimages -- Fiction
But at times even the sense of the Presence seemed to be hidden from
him, and he had but to find comfort in the fact, that, the King had
promised to be with his servants unto the end, that though unseen and
unfelt, He could not be far off, so he cried out in the words of the
Guide Book, many of which he knew by this time, by heart,
"'Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in
me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him, for His Presence is
salvation.'"
At last, as he neared the end of this part of his journey, he became
aware that a glimmering of light could be seen in the distance, and
that with every step he took it became brighter, till at last, through
a vista among the trees, he caught sight again of the Radiant City,
looking brighter and more dazzling than it had ever looked before. At
the sight of this he fell on his knees and worshipped his King Who had
brought him safely through the darkness.
Then he rose and looked around him. Surely now his path was to lead him
on and upwards, higher and higher; surely for him the darkness was past
and over. He looked about eagerly for his pathway, and to his amazement
found it led into the forest again, though by another way.
"Alas!" he cried, "my strength will fail me. I dare not encounter the
horror of darkness again." So depressed was he that he sat him down
under the shadow of a rock, and hiding his face in his hands he groaned
aloud. For a long time he sat there, and as he rested, he fell asleep
and dreamt.
The King stood before him; not as he had often thought of Him, radiant
in power and might, with a beauty unspeakable and dazzling in its
glory: but with a crown of thorns on His head, with pierced and
bleeding hands and feet, with a face marred by suffering and sorrow.
But, notwithstanding His bleeding feet and hands and His pierced
brow, His eyes were directed towards a little wandering lamb who had
strayed beyond the fold, and lay bleating on a thin ledge overhanging
a precipitous cliff; and as He looked He moved towards it, though
the thorns and prickly bushes at His feet opened the wounds afresh.
Although the cliffs were almost impassable and the danger great, the
King never hesitated; leaning over the awful abyss, He reached down
till He grasped with His bleeding hands the little lamb, and lifting it
up, sheltered it in His bosom.
Then Amer awoke.
Had it been a dream or had it been a vision? Whatever it was, it
contained a lesson for him which changed his whole view of his journey.
He was filled no longer with his own dangers and difficulties, but
recognized that he had been saved to serve, and that the very reason of
many of his experiences through which he had passed, was not merely to
make him more fit for the Radiant City, but that he might be able to
sympathize with other travellers and help them on the way.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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