The trail took off through the
trees on a steady incline. By midmorning the trail came to the face of a bluff,
turned sharply to the right, and began to zigzag up to the top. At the third
switchback Joe had to stop for water. The trees were still pretty thick here,
but Joe could see the foothills down below him. He wondered what Andrew had
told his parents. Joe said a quick prayer for the newest follower of The Way
and began walking again. Fifteen minutes later the trail came out on top of the
bluff. The trees were much larger and farther apart here. It was flat for as
far as he could see. The walking was easy here compared to his last ascent.
There were wildflowers mixed in with the grass and he saw a deer or two before
they bounced away. It was like walking in a great natural park. The thought of
a park made him think of that pretty blonde he’d met in the park by Sharon’s
café. It made him uncomfortable to try to imagine where he would be right now
if he had taken a job at her dad’s store. And there was Randi. Both of these
women were attractive and intelligent, but they had thrown themselves at him.
Why was that? In retrospect they seemed almost desperate. Then there was
Felicitas. She hadn’t thrown herself at him and yet he found he was more drawn
to her than either of the other two. Another “why?” to deal with. But then
another thought occurred to him. Lucy and Randi weren’t real people. They had traded
their souls for security, comfort and love. How ironic! Felicitas was the
former prostitute, but they were the ones prostituting themselves. Lucy was
willing to sell herself for a house and a family. Randi would sell herself for
the fast track to the top, whatever that was. Joe remembered the devotional
they’d had at dinner the day he arrived at Gloryhaven. There was something
about laying up your treasures in heaven. So that’s the deal, then. You give up
treasures in this life to have eternal treasures in heaven. He quickened his
pace.
When the sun was high in the sky
Joe stopped and rested. He drank from the water bottle, ate an apple and lay
down for a few minutes. But he was getting restless so he got up and pressed
on. An hour later the trail dropped down into a little ravine and then up the
other side. He was off the bluff now and the trail was cut into the side of a
cliff overlooking a canyon. The view was dazzling but it was a long way down to
the bottom. The trail followed the canyon, but climbed ever upward. Each time
he came to a ravine or cut in the cliff the trail dropped down and then back up
the other side. It was a bit tedious. Then in the late afternoon Joe saw a
large ravine up ahead and wondered how much work it would be to get to the
other side. When he came around a bend there was a huge arched bridge spanning
the ravine. Below he could see a stream cascading down the mountainside. It was
breath taking. He crossed the bridge amazed at the beauty of this place. On the
other side the trail cut into the rock and came out on top of a smaller cliff
leading down to a meadow that ended at the lip of the canyon he’d been skirting
all afternoon. Joe could see a shelter down below by the trail. There was a
stair cut into the rock leading down to the meadow. Ten minutes later he was at
the shelter. This would be a good place to spend the night.
The shelter was a wooden structure
with three sides and a roof that extended out in front to form a porch. There
was a fire pit in front of the building. Inside there were two sets of wooden
bunks and a small table at the back. Joe took off his pack and dropped it on
the floor. He unrolled the sleeping bag on one of the lower bunks. He went back
to the pack and found that Paul had packed matches, a Swiss Army knife, toilet
paper and a flashlight. The matches made him want to have a fire so he spent
the next hour searching for wood. He brought an armful of branches back and
stacked them under the overhang. When he did, he noticed a plaque on the wall
just inside the shelter. It read: “Matthew 6:14-15: For if you forgive men when
they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do
not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Joe
wondered about that. So far in his journey the Bible passages all made sense.
He already knew the seventh truth was about heaven. What did this passage have
to do with heaven? He made a fire, ate his meal and turned in early. It was a
lot to think about.
Joe woke the next day, crawled out
of the bag and got dressed. He didn’t plan on staying long enough for a fire,
so he started to put things in the pack. He was almost finished when he felt
something in one of the outside pockets he’d missed before. He opened it to
find a Bible inside with a note sticking up from between the pages. It was from
Paul. He sat down on the bunk and read: “Joe, I hope you are having a great
time out there. We will pray for you at every meal. The Lord laid you on my
heart last night. That is the reason for this note. I don’t know what’s in
store for you up on the mountain. It seems to affect different people in
different ways. But I feel like I need to share with you some things I’ve
learned. First is a quote I got from a book. It’s from someone at an Irish
monastery. It says: “We are not citizens of this world trying to make our way
to heaven; we are citizens of heaven trying to make our way through this
world.” That quote reminds me of an old hymn I hear once in a while that goes:
“This world is not my home; I’m just a passing through. My treasures are laid
up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door. And
I can’t be at home in this world anymore.” Our real home, Joe, is
heaven. The second thing I wanted to share is a bit of a stretch because I really
don’t know your personal circumstances, but it has to do with forgiveness. I
know what the quote is at the shelter. Be sure to read it when you get there.
That is a profound truth. It’s actually the conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer.
From some of the things you shared with me (and some you didn’t) I felt that
the Lord’s Prayer and this conclusion were really important for you at this
time of your life.”
Joe opened the Bible and found the
passage Paul referred to. The prayer was there and then the two verses from the
shelter: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your
Father will not forgive your sins.” He didn’t know how Paul could have known to
tell him this, but…well; it was the very thing he needed to hear. He’d tried to
come to terms with this when he was coming down the mountain, but it was
obvious he still had some work to do. Joe stood up and walked out into the
meadow. To be honest with himself, and before God, he had to admit that he had
held in a lot of bad feelings for his parents. This was especially true for the
feelings he had for his dad. He had closeted them away, but they were there.
Always there. Joe had to forgive him. He didn’t know what to do, so he just
said aloud, “Dad, I forgive you.” Then he dropped to his knees and prayed.
“Father in heaven, I am sorry. Please forgive me for my bitterness and anger.
Please give me the strength to let go of the past. Help me to find all I need
in you. Amen.” Joe felt a burden lift from his heart that was almost physical.
He felt such a release he wanted to shout, but he just lifted his hands up and
smiled.
He went back to the shelter and
picked up the note to finish reading what Paul had written. “Joe, the last
thing I want to tell you is something I shared with you at the gazebo. Press
on. Reach out to what lies ahead. I say that because we tend to look back for
two reasons: either we are nurturing a failure, or we are gloating over a
success. In both cases we are chained to the past by regret. We can’t move on.
We become immobilized. We can’t move ahead until we start looking ahead. To do
that we have to quit looking backward. Remember: all your best days are ahead
of you. That’s it. I hope to see you soon. God’s speed, Paul.” Of course it all
made sense now. Heaven was a future hope, but the line between now and then was
unbroken. He couldn’t have pure hope for heaven if there was unforgiveness in
his heart.
Joe rolled up the bag and finished
packing. As he folded up the note to put it back into the Bible he saw
something else written at the bottom of the paper. It said, Luke 18:29-30. He
found the reference in the Bible and Paul had underlined the verses. He read:
“‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus said to them, ‘no one who has left home or wife
or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail
to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal
life.’” “Okay,” he thought, “I understand. I need to give my parents up. My heavenly
Father is all I need.” But then he read the verses again and caught the part
about ‘receive many times as much in this age…’ Wasn’t that true for
him? Hadn’t he remarked to himself several times about the people who had
become like parents to him? Philo, Abigail, Sharon
He ate an apple while he walked. The trail
crossed the meadow and then turned through a cut in the rock. It came out on
the edge of the canyon he’d followed the day before. After a few hundred yards
he saw a ravine ahead. Instead of crossing this ravine the trail turned and
followed it upward. The ravine got narrower and narrower as Joe ascended.
Eventually the walls met at a long stairway. Joe looked up and he couldn’t see
the top. The trail curved to the left and disappeared. Joe could reach out and
touch the sides of the ravine as he climbed. It was a long flight of stairs and
he was sweating when he got to the corner. This next flight of stairs was
shorter but steeper. Joe rested for a few minutes, had a drink of water and
then started up.
When Joe got to the top of the
stairs he came out onto a flat area that was almost devoid of vegetation. The
wind was blowing quite hard and Joe had to hold on to his cap. It was clear and
sunny, but the wind made it chilly. It appeared like he was almost at the
summit. There was nothing but sky everywhere he looked except for a peak to his
right that looked about a hundred feet higher than where he stood. The trail
led to a bridge that crossed over to the peak. As he crossed the bridge he
instinctively crouched down to protect himself from the wind. It was a long way
down. On the other side of the bridge was a door. There was another Bible
passage on the door. It read:
Your love, O Lord, reaches to the
heavens,
Your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the
mighty mountains,
Your justice like the great deep.
What a fitting passage for the end
of a long journey. Joe grabbed the handle on the door and pushed. The door
swung inward and Joe stepped inside. He expected a cave or tunnel. What he
found was a cedar-lined stairwell. He closed the door and realized that it was
comfortably warm in here. It smelled like cedar. He ran his hands over the
wall. The wood was inviting and worn smooth from years of use. Window shafts
had been cut in the rock to let light in so Joe didn’t need the flashlight. He
started climbing the stairs. There was a window at each landing. It was twelve
flights to the top. At the last landing was a door at a forty-five degree angle
like the kind that leads up from a basement to the outside. Joe set his pack
down, opened the door and stepped up into the sun.
The summit was about an acre in
size. Surprisingly there was only a slight breeze and it wasn’t cold. How could
that be? There was a low stone wall all around the summit. Joe walked over to
the edge. He could see forever. To the west he could see the ocean stretching
out to the horizon. To the south he could make out the haze over the city. To
the east was a range of mountains. Every one of them a breathtaking beauty. To
the north he could see the plain he’d walked across. Beyond that was a vast
forest. Down below him, he could make out a house. He was sure it was
Gloryhaven. He waved just in case. He walked around the perimeter again, but
suddenly stopped. What was that he smelled? It was flowers. He could smell
flowers. Joe sat down and took it all in. The majesty of this place was
awe-inspiring. It was also humbling. “What a mighty God you are,” he prayed.
Right there he decided to spend the night. If it got too cold, he could always
go inside. So he went down and got his pack. When he came back he looked for a
smooth place to put his sleeping bag.
Nothing had prepared Joe for what
happened that night. Until the day he died, it was the most glorious, profound
and moving event in his experience. Joe sat on the low wall and looked out to
the west. Big clouds lined the horizon out over the ocean far away. As the sun
disappeared behind the clouds it sent out golden rays in every direction. Then
when it descended below the clouds, but before it sank from view, the sun burst
out across the ocean and the trees and the foothills below him in a brilliant
ribbon of gold and red. It looked as if there were a multicolored road from
Joe’s feet to the sun itself. As the last rays of sun bathed his face Joe felt
as if he could step out and walk there.
He sat on the wall until it was
almost dark. He felt a great need to pray so he kneeled at the wall and began
to talk to God. At first he just thanked God that he could be here on this
mountain. He thanked God for bringing him here, and all that meant. He thanked
God for everyone he’d met that helped him along The Way. He prayed individually
for those people. He prayed that they would be safe and that they would stay
true to God. He prayed especially for Luther that he would forgive himself, and
that God would heal his mind. He prayed for little Andrew that his faith would
be real and that he would grow up to be a man of God.
Joe wasn’t sure how long he prayed,
but when he stood up it was completely dark and the night sky took his breath
away. The stars were everywhere, not just overhead, but in front of him and
around him. There were no buildings or other obstructions to block his view. There
were no city lights to dim his vision. He stood in utter darkness surrounded by
a billion suns. Joe was awed and humbled by the sheer immensity of the
spectacle. He went over to the sleeping bag and lay in wonder for most of an
hour looking at God’s creation. Then something occurred that was almost beyond
belief. As Joe lay there he felt his face flush almost like he had a fever.
Then he felt a slight tingling that began at the base of his neck and spread
over his whole scalp. Then the stars parted and left an expanse of blackness.
From the center of the expanse a high-arching rainbow emerged. At the very top
of the rainbow shone a brilliant blue light. The light grew and grew, but then
Joe realized it was not growing bigger, it was getting nearer. Soon Joe could
see that what was coming at him was a huge sphere that appeared to be made of
glass. Blue light emanated from within the sphere. Soon the sphere was so close
it was all Joe could see. It stopped moving. Joe stared at it afraid to move.
As he watched an image of a person began to form from inside. At first it was
indistinct, but then Joe realized it was someone he knew. It was Abigail! Only
she was not blind. In fact, she was reading a Bible. Then she stopped, looked
up at Joe and smiled. Suddenly the sphere started spinning. It stopped just as
suddenly and another image appeared. This time it was Philo, Hawaiian shirt and
all. But it was a younger version of Philo. He looked strong and confident,
ready to take on the world. The sphere spun again, this time he saw Polycarp,
his face as smooth as a baby’s. He was laughing and full of joy. The sphere
spun again and again and each time an image appeared. He saw people he knew and
many he didn’t know, every one of them happy and free of concern. Then Joe
realized what was happening. He was seeing a vision of heaven. As if on cue,
behind the images other things began to take shape. He saw a beautiful crystal
river flowing between rows of fruit trees. It seemed to be flowing from a great
throne. Then he saw a vast city shining from within and without, golden and
magnificent. There was a wide boulevard leading into the city and all the
people he had seen were walking toward the gates. Joe heard them singing, but
it was unlike any song he had ever heard. Amazingly everyone was singing
something different, and in different ways. He heard old hymns, and new songs.
He heard rock and roll, classical, jazz, punk, country and even blues. He heard
people singing as if in the shower. He heard children singing “Jesus Loves Me”.
He heard a thousand churches services. And it wasn’t just voices. He heard
organ music, guitar, drums, harmonica, piano, xylophone, flute, violin,
bagpipes, and what sounded like sandpaper blocks being rubbed together. He
heard bells ringing and people whistling. But what should have been a cacophony
was in fact a grand harmony. It wasn’t many songs, it was one song-subtle and
articulate. It was both complex and simple in the same way that all colors
together make white. Joe realized he was hearing a tapestry of every song that
had ever been sung to the glory of God. Later on Joe labeled it the
“Everysong.” It was a gift from God and a gift back to him. Joe lifted his voice
and sang. He didn’t know any church songs, but he just sang words and phrases
that came from his heart. “God I love you,” “The Lord is good,” or “You are
worthy.” His song blended with the Everysong. Joe released himself to the
worship of his God and Savior. He sang for what may have been hours as he
watched the vision of the procession into the city. Eventually the music faded
and stopped. Then someone stopped and looked at Joe. He couldn’t make out who
it was but they beckoned him to come with them. Tears came to his eyes and Joe
jumped up. He was ready to go. His heart pounded at the thought of going there.
He reached out to the sphere. He strained with all his might, but it was beyond
his reach. The intensity of his longing was too much to bear. His knees buckled
and he fell to the ground. As he lay there he heard another song. It was
unmistakable. No sentient being could hear that and not recognize it for what
it was: the sound of angels rejoicing; thousands upon thousands upon ten
thousands of angels-each one bursting with joy. Then even more wondrous, if
that were possible, Joe realized they were singing for him! They were singing
his name! Then he heard a voice. The Voice. It was both powerful and tender,
authoritative and compassionate. He heard Him say: “I tell you, there is
rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Joe was caught up in the joy. It healed him and reshaped him. Eventually even
that song faded. Joe was spent. He closed his eyes and slept.
The next thing Joe remembered was waking up at the
first gleam of dawn. He opened his eyes to a spectacular sunrise off to the
east. He stood up and stretched. He felt great; in fact he had never felt so
charged and full of energy in his life. He wasted no time in gathering up his
things. He thought about his vision the night before. The longing for heaven
was just as real if less intense, but instead of discouraging him it filled him
with a sense of hope and joy. It gave him purpose. Clearly it was not yet his
time to be in heaven. Joe reasoned that this was true because he still had work
yet to do here on earth. When his work was done, he would go. So the sooner he
got started and the harder he worked the sooner he would walk that boulevard
with his friends. He almost ran down the mountain.Questions:
11. In what way did Joe feel
that Lucy and Randi weren’t real people?
12. What did Joe have to come to terms with at the shelter?
13. Why was this issue so
critical for Joe ?
14. What is significant about Joe ’s vision?
15. In what way is Part Two:
The Journey Up a tribute to God the Son?
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