The narrow path

It's been a while, for a variety of reasons of no interest to the world, but once more to blog. I received an email at work the other week called "The Narrow Path", which conjures up associations for those us who are Christians (see here), when it was actually a series of quite amazing pictures from either China or Japan (if anyone knows please tell me - though I can only figure out how to add one to this blog so far - maybe this will be the start of something).

With those associations in mind I was reminded of the following quote by Pere Didon, whom I think was a French priest I know nothing else about, and a hundred other quotes:

I do not want people who come with me under certain reservations ... The roads are rugged, the precipices are steep, there may be feelings of dizziness on the heights, gusts of wind, peals of thunder, fierce eagles, nights of awful gloom; fear them not! There are also the joys of sunlight, flowers such as are not in the plain, the purest of air, restful nooks, and the stars smile thence like the eyes of God.

I think I have a flare for the dramatic, but I like it. I know it's not God speaking but, playing along with one's own association, it does make one stop and consider with what reservations they come.

I really like the allegory Hinds Feet in High Places by Hannah Hurnard, the "story of how Much-Afraid escaped from her Fearing relatives and went with the Shepherd to the High Places". Much-Afraid is given the companions Sorrow and Suffering to begin the difficult and narrow journey upwards, tempted by many "fears", at the end of which she comes to the grave of her own hopes - where she must offer herself on the altar. Having made the sacrifice she awakes to find that her crippled feet are now those of the hind, and that Sorrow and Suffering have been transformed into Joy and Peace.

Will leave you to your own associations ...