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Just like everyone else I was born on a wide pathway. It wasn’t always a nice path but it was easy to stay on because there were lots of people, mostly heading in the same direction and with the occasional exception most people were nice enough. Occasionally you would see some going in an opposite direction and this could be devastating for those who happened to be near them. We had one thing in common though, we all carried knapsacks. Some seemed to have heavier ones than others - mine was ok though!
But as I continued my walk along the path I noticed two things. First, the pack on my back seemed to be getting heavier and second, I started to notice narrower paths leading off the wide path. Sometimes I’d stop and wonder what was down these paths, but then those coming up behind would push me along. They’d actually say things like, ‘It’s boring along there!’ and ‘You’re not good enough for that route.’ Somebody even said, ‘That path doesn’t exist,’ whilst another told me ‘You’ll have more fun if you stay where you are!’
So I listened to them and carried on along the route to wherever I was going, which seemed like nowhere really. But that was ok because it’s what I’d always done and it meant I didn’t have to make any changes. But these other paths kept appearing and I couldn’t stop wondering ‘What if?’
So I decided that when another chance came to go down there I would quietly slip away from the people I was walking with and see what it was like.
I found, having taken a step onto this new way, that it wasn’t as easy to stay on. A voice in my head kept saying, ‘You don’t need to do this. This isn’t for people like you!’
It was made harder because I’d come from an ‘anything goes’ path to one that had no entry signs to places like Greed Street, Lust Corner and Jealousy Close. One day I got so far along the narrow path that I reached a gate.
Through the gate I could see this beautiful garden. It had a river flowing through it and there was lush green grass everywhere. The name above the entrance said -
Few Gardens
built by Grace
But I couldn’t get in. The gate was locked. There was no bell and no handle. I rattled the gate. “What do I do next?” I asked myself. It was then a voice behind me said ‘Why are you trying so hard to work it all out? All you need is this.’ And he handed me a key.
The key had the word ‘Faith’ written on.
‘Go on in.’ said the voice. ‘It is yours to enjoy, everything in there is for you.’
I turned the key and walking through I suddenly felt lighter. The knapsack had gone. It had been lifted from my shoulders. Others, who were already in the garden, smiled and welcomed me with a warmth that I never knew on the wide path.
I felt overjoyed. I could still remember stuff from my other walk but here, in Few Gardens, there was a new freedom. People here were different. Don’t get me wrong, they still looked the same and some even looked sad and weary at times. But even those people always had time to listen and be encouraging. I was told the voice I heard when I came to the gate was the Owner. Everybody talked positively about him, they said how great he was and always wanted good things to happen to each of us. You could ask anything of him and nothing was impossible.
Soon after I’d arrived the Owner had said that everything in Few Gardens is for me to enjoy. I wanted to see what else there was. I wanted to learn more, to experience and enjoy everything that I had been told about. But even as I walked into the garden I couldn’t see anything more than I’d seen from the entrance.
Then someone said I should read the guidebook I’d been given when I came into the garden.
So I did and began to see these other gardens that had been there all the time. At the entrance to these were names such: the answered prayer garden, the garden of gifts, the do not worry about anything garden, the walk on water garden, the joy, peace and trust gardens and although not completed because it’s a work in progress, you knew the Owner has plans for your own peace and well-being garden.
After a while I managed to gather a number of keys. I had keys such as good works, tithing, attending church every week, I’d collected a bible study group key as well, but none of these fitted. Then the voice spoke to me again.
“There is only one key that will let you into all these other lovely places.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
The voice replied, “What did I give you when you first arrived?”
And I remembered, it was the key of faith.
It’s worth mentioning that the garden wasn’t all sunshine. On some parts of the path you had to walk through valleys where it was cold, dark and not very nice, but you always knew the Owner was nearby and I found it was those times that my guidebook was most helpful in showing me how to understand Few Gardens better. What was really important was how I needed to be reminded, through my reading and walking, that the only thing that really matters is faith. Faith is the key that unlocks everything the owner has provided for me.
You see going in through the gate was only the beginning. It was an important step and it took the heavy rucksack off my back. But the peace and joy and the freedom is only the start. There is so much more to enjoy. Funny thing, though, because I noticed that some who came through the gate, never saw beyond the first view. It’s a lovely view and there’s nothing to stop you staying there for the rest of your life. But if you want to enjoy the gardens in all their fullness you need to keep walking through it and using the key of faith to unlock all these other wonderful places.
from Walking in Faith
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