Light is sown like seed for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Psalm 97:11
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The Joshua Tree. A Christian Allegory
The Joshua Tree. A Christian Allegory
Dear reader, are you seeking answers to the mystery of life? Do you sometimes feel stuck in a daily routine or alone in a spiritual desert without the hope of finding the exit door? Are you at the end of your rope? If so, I invite you to join me in a quest for answers to the difficult passages and arid places in life.
Sighing and the Divine Response
September. 1st. 2017 UPDATE: Now you can listen to the complete recording of "The Joshua Tree" ebook thanks to an excellent and true work of love, cooperation of my good friend w. c. whitaker who graciously lent his vocal talent and skill as a reader and sound man.
I want first and foremost to thank my Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus for the Holy Spirit´s inspiration for the birth of a seed planted in my heart in 1988 as I was pondering at the way His providential hand had guided me all my life. That seed, birthed in a simple thought of a lost man walking in a desert grew throughout subsequent years of further learning experiences and the inspiration from the Word of God into this spiritual journey that I am finally able to share with you.
I also want to express my gratitude to all the "Joshua Trees", examples and models who helped shape my life by letting the Truth, the light and the life-giving Lord Jesus grow and manifest the fruits of love, abiding in Him and serving others faithfully in words and deeds where ever He planted them. If you are listening to this or reading the parable, you know who you are.
Then
Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named
it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us." I
Samuel 7:12.
Link
to
the MP3 audio file.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God (Genesis 21:33). Here is old Abraham just planting a tree and living by his well. Why are we told this? It is symbolic of what is taking place in his heart and life. The tree immediately brings to mind Psalm 1, which says the man of God will be like a tree planted by rivers of living water, bringing forth its fruit in season. Here is a life that is fruitful, that is concerned about those immediately around and is pouring out blessing into their lives and hearts.
Abraham calls on the name of Jehovah, the Eternal God. If the church desires to do anything to help this poor, blind, bleeding, struggling world in which we live, it will only be as Christian people rediscover what it means to live daily in the strength, the power, the purpose, and the glory of calling upon the Eternal God. This is what writes joy in our hearts, joy that the world is so vainly seeking to find. Abraham found joy, and thus he was the center of blessing to the land of the Philistines. In finding and rediscovering those springs of spiritual strength, he did more to advance the cause of social justice and welfare in the land of the Philistines than any of their programs and plans could have done.
Excerpt from Ray Stedman´s devotion. Continue reading "This Thirsty World"
Note from the author: Now you can listen to MP3 audio file by clicking HERE
Prologue
The
Scream by Edvard Münch
LINK
to the next chapter
SIGHING
AND THE DIVINE RESPONSE
"The
unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the
simple. I open my mouth and pant,
(or sigh)
longing for your commands. Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you
always do to those who love your name. Direct my footsteps according
to your word."
Psalm
119:130-133.
The
LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, even
through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of
the
men who sigh and groan
over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst."
Daniel
9:4.
Sighing
is not the only prerogative of lovers languishing and waiting
for the beloved or the facial expression of discouragement of a
student facing homework that is beyond his intellectual capability.
It is in fact as inherent to man as laughter is.
Sighing
is not the only prerogative of lovers languishing and waiting
for the beloved or the facial expression of discouragement of a
student facing homework that is beyond his intellectual capability.
It is in fact as inherent to man as laughter is.
In my generation, Nihilism,
the Absurd of Eugene Ionesco’s theater, artistic expressions such
as the painting “The Scream” by Edvard Münch, the literature
and the life style of intellectuals such as Camus and Sartre were
faithful mirrors reflecting the alienation, the despair and the
perplexity, all, experiences of our modern life. They had no valid
and satisfying solution to offer for the complexity of increasingly
insurmountable problems. The influence of their promising modern
ideologies and philosophies have only produced a bitter fruit
poisoning the existence of a humanity close to her last
sigh.
However, there is another sigh that comes out of the
depth of the human being.
In Ecclesiastes 3:11, the wise King
Solomon declares that: “He
has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity
(the desire for or the
thought,
concept or essence, of eternity) in the human heart; yet no one can
fathom what God has done from beginning to end”.
It
is the act of sighing or panting that best expresses this absolutely
essential need of a human being suffering from separation in the
search for his creator who alone can satisfy his deepest need. ( As
the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after you)
The
Lord God is the Father (Creator) of the spirits of all mankind (Acts
17:25) and he wants to guide us by his Word, by the sound of his
voice on our way back to our eternal home. In Numbers 27:15, 18,
Moses said to the LORD, “May
the LORD, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint
someone over this community to go out and come in before them, one
who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD’s people
will not be like sheep without a shepherd”. So the LORD said to
Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the
Spirit, and lay our hand on him;
Before
one can go out,
before knowing freedom, one has to find the door to
go in
that leads to liberty, to eternal life, to our destination. Who is
this man, this guide? What is this door, where can it be found? So
many questions, so many sighs!
What about you my reader, my
friend, are you asking yourself these same questions? Do you know
these deep sighs that will only be fully satisfied with a
response that would fill the deepest part of your soul? God knows
your thoughts even before they are formed in your brain. In fact,
it is he who is seeking you. He is just waiting for you to
sigh, he understands the burdens that we all bear.
Jesus
invites you:” Come
to me all you who are weary and busrdened and I will give you rest.
Matthew
11:28.
Hope to see you again.
The Joshua Tree - King Ozymandias - Foreword
Written and published by Jean-Louis Mondon
Note from the author: Now you can listen to the MP3 Audio file by clicking HERE
Ozymandias of Egypt
(Delusion of Grandeur)
Link to the
first chapter HERE
I
met a traveler from an antique land
Who
said: two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand
in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half
sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And
wrinkled lip and sneer of old command,
Tell
that its sculptor well those passions read,
Which
yet survive, stamp’d on these lifeless things,
The
hand that mock’d them and the heart that fed.
And
on the pedestal these words appear:
“My
name is Ozymandias, King of Kings.
Look
on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing
beside remains. Round the decay
Of
that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The
lone and level sands stretch far away. Percy
Bysshe Shelley 1792-1822
The Stairway to Nowhere
Well then, my friend, did you sigh
Last night while falling asleep:
Or are you feeling like this king
Master of his domain
Following his own whim?
What drives you and leads you?
Your castle made of cards
So patiently constructed
Can in a single night
Become an abandoned ruin,
A no-man’s land where children
Laugh and play without worrying
About why and how
Such an accomplishment
Such a beautiful edifice
With a proud and tall stairway
Is left to lie, forgotten
In the great hour glass,
The hallway of memories
Lost forever
In the labyrinth of the past.
For
whoever wants to save their life (or soul) will lose it, but
whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be
for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or
what can anyone give in exchange for their soul.
Matthew
16:25, 26.
Come
with me if you want, if today you have lost the hope of finding the
key the exit door that leads to life. Jesus said: “Ask
and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it
will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks
finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
FOREWORD
One day, in blind ignorance,
A man stumbles over a stone,
The first step of a stairway
That leads to the most high place.
In haste, without pause,
At the cross road between light and darkness
Pride opens his mouth and mocks the stepping stone
Calling it a stumbling block.
Then, further deceived by his lack of understanding
He turns around indignant and walks away
From the Rock that Love placed there
To help him on his journey.
So
tonight don’t forget to sigh. It’s as natural as crying or
laughing. It is the others who do not like to hear the complaints
of our souls. You have to understand them. They do not know how to
take them. A sigh as soon as it is released flies off upward like
sparks from a campfire in the night. But someone is listening and
hears you. If you persist, he will answer.
So
long and take care. I hope to meet you at the desert gate.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
"The Joshua Tree" a Desert Parable - Near the Desert Gate
Written
and published by Jean-Louis Mondon
Note
from the author:
Now
you can listen to the MP3 audio-file by clicking
HERE
To
go back to the previous chapter click:
Here
Chapter
One
Near
the Desert Gate
May
you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 16The
highest heavens belong
to the LORD, but
the earth He
has given to
mankind. Psalm 115:16
As
it is written: “He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.” 10Now
He who supplies
seed to
the sower
and bread
for food
will supply and
multiply your
store of seed
and will
increase the
harvest of
your
righteousness.
11You will be enriched in every way to be generous on every
occasion, so that through us your giving will produce thanksgiving
to God. 2 Corinthiens 9:10
Some years have
gone by. Still wearing his self-imposed blindfold, our lonely
pilgrim, in spite of his condition, has traveled quite a distance
to a remote and desolate place where even with the best eye-sight,
experienced men have some difficulty finding their way. But now,
he is not only blind and ignorant, but hungry, thirsty and
exhausted. His only desire is to find a place of rest, an oasis
that his weary soul has dreamed of and longed for, ever since his
journey began. However, he despairs of finding such a place
because, as he looks at himself and his surroundings, that haven
seems to recede further in the hopelessness of his situation.
Thinking that the end was near, he had just resigned
himself to accept his fate. After all, what could he do? Years
ago, during the turbulent years of his adolescence and his early
manhood enough vigor and idealism filled his heart to fight
against real or perceived enemies. Little did he realize that the
causes that he so wholeheartedly embraced were only detours in his
life. Neither did he know that the weapons he used in the battle,
securing short-lived victories, would eventually be the very means
of his defeat. Now years later, all his resources spent, the
overwhelming dread of an impending doom coursed through his weary
body and soul.
He
remembered the time when dreams and aspirations seemed so
reachable. With concentrated effort, coupled with the unswerving
tenacity that had been characteristic since his childhood, he had
managed to accomplish a few challenging things in spite
of disappointed scoffers, and other critical individuals that
make it their business to see that nobody rise above the level of
mediocrity that they have established as a standard for
themselves. He didn’t quite yet understand the outworking of his
life. Nevertheless a sense of destiny kept him going in spite of
past failures that slowed him down and had forced him to change
course many times on his uncharted journey.
But this time,
it was different. The surrounding landscape was so unfamiliar and
his weary mind could not draw enough inner strength from one
of the reassuring pictures that his fertile imagination would
produce in time of crisis. No enemy in sight to slash with a quick
turn of his sharp tongue, one of his favorite weapons to cut down
to size any who threatened to make him look smaller than he
already felt. Nothing to grasp, no helping hand, no end in sight,
no sight to see but a sea of sand, solid waves of shifting shadows
blown by a merciless wind. Looking back, he discovered that his
tracks had been erased. No chance of ever going back.
A
hazy grey cloud inside his head overwhelmed the pure azure sky
overhead and in spite of the strongest efforts of his will, he
could not break through out of it. Until now, will power had been
his best ally, the means by which he accomplished almost anything,
whether it was the most menial tasks or fulfilling the deep
desires and dreams of his life.
Nevertheless,
everything was now so totally new and different. The unexpected
had taken on the form of the impossible. A slow giggle emerged
from his cynic side as he remembered the old adage "where
there is a will, there is a way”. In his present situation, the
reverse would apply, “where there is no way, there is no will”.
For a moment
he mused with a bit of his personal philosophy: "people
should not throw empty words into the air or on pages of books
where they are going to travel through the ages, carried by
airwaves or copied endlessly by scrupulous scribes and maybe
deceive countless generations raised on clichés and slogans
spouted by unscrupulous demagogues. Even if one stumbles upon a
truth worthy of being shared and embraced, it is too late to
enlighten those who have gone before. There are also situations
and attitudes that prevent the truth from being known and
proclaimed on a large scale".
Such was his
predicament. “How silly of me, he thought. Here I am thinking of
a way to warn and save others from the tyrannical oppression of
the mind and I can’t even save myself."
Going back
to his anti-cliché, it dawned on him that perhaps, it is true;
where there is no way, there is no will or at least no will that
will provide a tiny hope for a way. Could it be that the
conditions which lead to the deepest despair are designed to force
us to abandon any hope that we might place in our human resources,
whether individual or collective? It seems that is only when all
the doors have been slammed shut in our face that we realize that
the One who slammed them shut is the same One who can open the
door specifically stamped with our name.
By
this I mean that man basically is a poor chooser. He imagines that
out of all the tempting opportunities presented to him, he is
capable of selecting by and for himself the ones most suitable to
him. All the while, there is a door with his name on it, but he
cannot find it, so focused that he is on the other doors. The
question is and remains: How does a man abrogate his will?"
Oddly
enough, deciding to give up one’s own will is in itself an
exercise of the will. Actually, it is more the recognizing of
one’s proper place in the eternal scheme of things. I think
there is a good reason why Adam and Eve were placed on earth in
the garden of Eden and not on one of the stars. God is in His
heaven and Man on planet earth which is his proper domain.
There is
something to be said and certainly to be emulated about the
humbleness of the old farmer or gardener bowing his tired
frame down to the earth to plant the seed after preparing its womb
to bring it to germinate into new life. His bowing down is the
best expression of worship, of total dependence upon the One who
provided the seed, the nutrients in the earth, the rain water and
the sunshine to make the seed grow. The One who provided the
intelligence to develop the skills to create the farming
implements and the methods. The Creator of the spirits and hearts
of all mankind created the first Man to be an earth dweller and a
farmer, not an astronaut".
While pondering on his helplessness and the present failure of his predilection for escaping reality, a salient idea emerged from the forefront of his consciousness. He needed a point of focus to gather his ever fleeting thoughts as a pinpointed laser ray to reach its target.
He picked up a handful of hot sand. Making a fist and placing it on top of his other hand also formed as a fist, he slowly and deliberately let the sand pass through this improvised funnel in the shape of an hourglass and let the grains escape through the lower fist instead of gathering them as a real hourglass would. The sand cascaded in a continuous stream onto a growing mound on the desert floor.
“Tempus fugit”(time flies), he ironically thought to himself as he tirelessly placed one hand on top of the other in an endless circular motion. This simple concentration exercise turned into a Sisyphean (siss-SIF-eean) task but provided a physical, reassuring point of contact against the vastness of the desert, the limitless amount of sand and the inevitability of the passing of time.
"Well,
he said to himself, finding the courage to cling to a positive
thought as a life buoy in the middle of this vast ocean of sand
extending as far as the eye could see, everything begins with a
zero, then comes one...from zero to one the distance is very short
and if I continue counting every time I take a step, at least I
will be making progress."
Believe me, in the
desert, things get reduced to the simplicity of zeros and
ones equations out of sheer necessity. What lies between zero
and one is a little like asking what came before God. Who wants to
be number zero? Men usually want to be number One, women hope that
men will tell them they are a 10. Even on a pain scale, I
don't think that there exits a zero, I have never seen anyone
without pain, visible or hidden.
The choice is clear. I
said choice, not answer.
On
this hopeful note, the story continues with a surprise new
chapter.
To continue to the next chapter click:
Here
http://thelightseed.blogspot.com.br/2011/07/joshua-tree-desert-parable.html
Jean-Louis.
AnonymousFebruary 24, 2011 at 5:20 PM
Cher Jean-Louis,
Tu es au top pour décrire avec précision les sentiments et les gestes !
J'ai beaucoup apprécié ton texte très claire et très parlant.
Si Jean-Louis n'étais pas prof, je pense qu'il serait un excellent cinéaste !
Inutile de dire qu'il est déjà un romancier dans l'âme :)
Merci de nous faire voyager à l'intérieure des sentiments et des pensées si justement écrits.
Poeple, open yours eyes with an appetite !
It's really a vey good trip !
Nessy
Jean-LouisFebruary 25, 2011 at 12:49 PM
Merci de tes commentaires precis qui m' aident a me perfectionner. Toi et Anne-Marie etes des mirroirs fideles et honnetes que j'apprecie beaucoup. Je n'ai que faire de la flatterie. Et aussi merci d'employer la 3eme personne quand tu parles de moi, car cette personne on sait bien quel Esprit l'a engendree, qui l'inspire et qui la façonne et l'equipe. Des fois moi-meme je ne me reconnais pas.
Je suis tres heureux et aussi tres reconnaissant que tu continues une conversation intelligente. Sans cette communication comment saurait-on de quelle mamiere on affecte nos lecteurs? Mais crois-moi, j' ai encore beaucoup a apprendre sur ces sujets. Cela me donne de la motivation pour continuer a voyager. Et comme tu sembles pouvoir lire l'anglais facilement, je continerai a ecrire les episodes suivants en anglais pour rattraper ceux ecrits en francais et puis ensuite on verra. Comme tu as pu le remarquer, j' ai ajoute pas mal de texte decrivant les pensees et les sentiments de notre pelerin pour le situer dans le temps et sur son cheminement spirituel. Alors a bientot. Bisous a tous et une caresse a Minouche.
"The Joshua Tree" A Desert Parable - The Encounter
"THE JOSHUA TREE" A Desert Parable (continued)
To read the preceding chapter
click Here
Second Episode
THE ENCOUNTER
Just when the desired goal of shutting out all external stimuli has been achieved or so he thought, a warm voice shook him out of his altered state of consciousness. In spite of its gentle tone, the voice triggered a reflex that rippled throughout his body caused by the unexpectedness of his breaking the silence barrier.
“Welcome to the desert, I was waiting for you and here you are just on time” the unexpected voice said. These words gripped his heart with an uncontrollable anxiety.
"That’s it," our lost traveler spoke to himself, thinking he was alone. "Either I am waking up from a terrible nightmare, or I am in the throes of delirium just before dying of thirst, of a heatstroke and madness. First, dementia sets in indicating a decreased blood circulation to the brain."
"But then, what if this were real?" continuing his monologue, arguing with all the motivation of his survival instinct. "After all nobody enjoys dying alone. What if?" In a desperate attempt to maintain a grasp on reality, he squinted with his deficient eyes to focus on the fuzzy image standing in front of him.
"No, you are not going to die, I assure you. As long as there is life there is hope." the strange voice continued.
"Easy for you to say. You should try being in my place." The lost man uttered these words without realizing the weirdness of the situation.
"Yes I understand, the reply came back" -- giving the confused man the sensation of playing a solitary mind game of paddle ball, having heard this cliché so many times before -- "but I was in your situation before. "This is why I am here with you. Perhaps one day you will be in my place after you meet my Master."
The mere mention of that word, "master", jolted him back from his distraction, the match getting more challenging to his overblown ego.
"No thanks! Me, submit to a master. It’s been a long time since I have been out of school. Who do you see in front of you? A child who needs to be taught? Have you ever heard of pulling yourself by your own boot straps? And God helps those who help themselves?"
"Indeed, those are wonderful comforting words. But let me introduce myself: Joshua, guardian and desert guide. How about you?"
"Mine is Theophilus McCall."
"What a beautiful name! Do you know its meaning?"
"No, my parents named me at my baptism."
"Nice to meet you, Theophilus. Well, It’s getting late. Why not continue our conversation tomorrow? You really need some sleep. Good night."
"The Joshua Tree" A Desert Parable - Welcome to the Home of Mirages and of the Horned Viper
Third Episode
WELCOME TO THE HOME OF MIRAGES AND THE HORNED VIPER
Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;
whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. Ecclesiastes 10:8
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment;
and a babbler is no better.
Eccl 10:11 (KJV)
To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Revelation 3:14:17,18.
AN UNUSUAL CONVERSATION
Early in the morning Theophilus wakes up grumpy. After a night of disturbing dreams, he gets up and through his barely opened eyelids, he is able to make out the fuzzy silhouette of a strange vision cut out on the background of an intense blue sky. Refusing to believe his weakened eye sight, he rubs his eyes trying to get a better focus on the scene.
“Good morning Theophilus. I hope you had a good night sleep”.
Now, he couldn’t believe what he heard. There, at only a few feet distance, planted in the desert sand what appeared to be a tree or more exactly a cactus stood up, resembling the ones he had seen in the science books of his childhood.
Completely taken aback, his first reaction is to think: It is not happening. If I told my family and my friends, they would lock me up in a psychiatric ward. I must be hallucinating or I am seeing a mirage”.
"Calm down, reassured Joshua who could perceive his state of mind, you are not going crazy. You can tell that I am real, can’t you? Are you bothered by my talking? Of course, it is a bit unnerving; your world is different and I can understand your reaction.
Relieved that after all he was not crazy -- wwho wants to look for lost marbles in the middle of the sandy desert floor without help from anyone? — Theophilus replied:
"Are you kidding me? As if it were natural to accept that a Joshua tree has the gift of speech, that he could care about a man and discuss things about which he does not have the slightest idea."
Then, he remembered the preceding night’s conversation and blushed in shame at the thought that he had carried a conversation with a cactus in the desert. He had a furtive glance around to make sure that nobody had been a witness to this absurdly surreal scene.
Josh: "You are right. I like to kid around. Well, then. Tell me the story of your life. I see you are passionate about travel adventures trying to find yourself. And how are you going to know if you finally found yourself if in the first place you don’t know who you are and what you look like?"
Theo: "Hey, watch it! You start annoying me. What about you? What do you look like? You can be proud of yourself, you found yourself, indeed, didn’t you? What a beautiful place to spend the rest of your life! Congratulations! Your master must be very proud of you. Tell me again, why can’t you speak clearly like everyone else?"
"Because you don’t have enough wisdom to understand the words of my master, replied Josh, But you are right. He is the one who gave me this responsibility which I am handling in the best way and also keeping his words. One day, when you meet him, you will understand."
"I knew it! It is you who are incapable of intelligent reasoning. You are hiding behind someone else´s teaching. You cannot even have an original thought."
"Ouch, Touché! But I forgive you. You have lost your way, you are not seeing clearly because your center of vision comes from Lao d’Sé. A little bit of good compensates for and balances evil. You believed in their remedies for your illness, didn’t you? Well, you can see the result. Now you see double!
"It’s not true! I didn’t drink anything, I assure you."
"It’s not a question of drinking. On your way, did you meet a sand viper with two horns that lies in wait for its victims and poisons them surreptitiously? The poison weakens their vision until they become incapable of telling the difference between reality and their own erroneous perceptions. For example, they are poor but believe that they are rich, they think that darkness is light and are convinced that evil is good. The worst part is that they don’t realize that they are deceived because of the serpent’s power with his subtlety and his many disguises."
"Rubbish! All this is philosophy! As for me, I have more pressing needs. I want to get out of this blasted desert to go back to my world where the cacti don’t talk nonsense about spells on people in dire need of real help."
"Well, then, I am ready to help you. Where are you going? What are you looking for?"
"Come on, it’s obvious! I want to go back where I come from and I am looking for the exit door."
"Yes, of course, they all say the same thing. But there is a slight hitch; here as you know, we are in the desert. This is a very different place. People that are lost need a guide. But there is no way back and to get out of the desert, one has to go not through an exit door, for no such door exists, but through an entrance doorway. This is why my Master placed me on your path."
"Not again, please. You are not going to bother me with your master. What can he do for me? Sell me a camel or a flying carpet? Or offer me a lamp with a genie inside? Does he live in an oasis nearby where he sells maps of the desert?"
"None of it. And by the way, the camel is too big, and the entrance door is very small. And He is the one who has the keys. He does not sell anything, but He alone can satisfy your thirst and your hunger, and give you new clothes that do not wear out. Moreover, he can heal you of your disease and restore your sight so that you will not lose your way again."
"Stop making fun of me. Nobody is that generous a giver. There is no freebie in this world. Everything has a price, that’s the law. I simply need to gain my strength back, and find a pharmacy where I can buy some salve for my eyes that are irritated instead of becoming a mere desert souvenir, a broken statue sculpted by this blasted sand."
I am afraid that your condition is a little more serious than you think. But you are not well enough yet to meet my Master. Get some rest in my shade and later, I will take care of your heart which right now is your most urgent concern. We will continue our chat once you feel better. Tomorrow, you will meet my brother who will help you find the Master of the Joshua trees."
My friends, take care until our next encounter.
"The Joshua Tree" A Desert Parable - Encounters on the Path
THE JOSHUA TREE A Desert Parable (continued)
To read the preceding chapter,
click: http://thelightseed.blogspot.com.br/2011/07/joshua-tree-desert-parable_06.html
Photo found on a Facebook page. Origin unknown
Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison.
When such a person hears the words of this oath and they invoke a blessing on themselves, thinking, “I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way,” they will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry.
Deuteronomy 29:18,19
See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God
and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Hebrews 12:15
From now on let no one cause trouble for me,
for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus. Galatians 6:17
Fourth Episode
ENCOUNTERS ON THE PATH
After having spent a few hours under the shade of the Joshua tree in a sleep free of nightmares to which he was used, Theophilus felt invigorated.
"Are you hungry or thirsty? This question from Joshua who had watched kindly over his sleep brought him back to reality."
"What do you think? Of course, I am hungry and thirsty. But I don’t see any Starbuck or McDonald around here, retorted Theophilus who, in spite of the desperate situation he was facing, was indulging in sarcasm."
"Yes, you are right, answered Joshua without any defensive tone in his voice. This is why I am a guide; I have all the resources needed to help castaways like you survive in the desert."
"Oh yes, and how so?"
"It’s simple. Put your hand over the scar in the middle of my chest and press hard enough to make a syrup with the taste of honey come out. It will satisfy your hunger and quench your thirst. Thus you will be able to be on your way until you find one of my brothers who will help you to pursue your goal."
"Thank you, answered Theophilus who found this cactus more and more peculiar, because as he got closer to Joshua, his barely opened eyes could make out a soft scar where usually cacti have long and dangerous needles."
"Tell me, Joshua why all cacti have thorns, but you have scars instead?"
"Well, my friend it’s obvious. How could you get close to me enough to feed yourself? And besides, those are the marks of my Master."
"Satisfied with this response for now, Theophilus followed Joshua’s instructions and felt his strength coming back. However, he still had a pressing question."
"I know that some people remove cat’s claws or genetically produce thorn less roses, but I think it‘s against nature. How do you defend yourself against attacks that you didn’t even provoke?"
"Well, it’s a little difficult to understand. It’s my Master’s handiwork, He is a very good surgeon, you will discover. But don’t worry, my brothers will explain everything to you. Have a good trip."
"Still wondering about his conversation with Joshua, Theophilus continued on his way with difficulty, but with a growing glimmer of hope. The sweet tasting syrup had calmed his worries and a strange feeling invaded his being in spite of the many questions bouncing off the walls of his skull."
He was regaining a little of the lucidity he had experienced as a child when life used to be simple, pleasant and without worries. Without even realizing how much of his journey he had accomplished, since his mind was so absorbed in his new adventure, Theophilus arrived at his next touristic stop bathed in the light of a sunset as can be watched only in the desert.
Once the fire ball cursed by the desert Bedouins had ceased lighting his path, he was able to distinguish a luminous shape strangely similar to the first Joshua tree. This discovery filled his mind with the reassurance that he hadn’t lost his way. Nevertheless, he was wondering how he could have not deviated from it in this unknown immensity.
A Light in the Desert
"Good evening and welcome."
The comforting voice reminded him of his first encounter with the Joshua tree. Though this time, it had lost a little bit of the surprise effect, all the more since the voice was coming from a figure strangely resembling the other Joshua.
He felt at ease and sat down surrounded by the only light emanating from the cactus. It spread all around them and provided a heat that felt welcome against the night’s cold settling as a companion to the surrounding darkness. That night, he met Joshua’s brother, himself named Joshua who offered him food, drink, light and heat. However his morning query that was left unanswered was still bothering him. So before falling asleep against the Joshua tree’s thorn-less trunk, he asked him this question:
"Tell me Joshua, this morning your brother told me that you would reveal to me the mystery of the absence of thorns and the presence of the soft scars. Also, he vaguely insinuated that there was something wrong with my heart. I don’t see how."
"Well, actually a lot of people have this problem. Do you remember when you were young and felt abandoned, confused and lost in a merciless world without understanding why? Then growing up, the injustices, abuses and deep wounds that left their marks on you, the thorns bushes that you encountered at the turning point in your family, professional or social life that you didn’t know how to deal with? It’s normal, people defend themselves the best way they can."
"The sad part about it is that these thorns find their way to their heart and become encrusted producing a poisonous infection without a chance of healing. These thorns appear on the surface and multiply each time another thorn thrown at us penetrate the sensitive skin of our fragile ego and with time form a stone-hard and cold callous building a self-inflicted protective prison. The only antidote to this poison is a radical change of heart that only the Master of the Joshua Trees can provide with his healing power. He is the only one who can help you by giving you a new life so that you do not have to keep those ugly thorns that harden your heart, darken your vision and poison your life and that of the people around you."
"Yes, I begin to understand, answered Theophilus who remembered that the first Joshua had mentioned a horned viper whose poisonous bite weakened its victims and rendered them blind and incapable of recognizing their true spiritual condition. So, that explains the absence of thorns on your skin, doesn’t it?"
"Exactly, my Master teaches us how to reject the thorns and to not let them penetrate our hearts. He will reveal it to you when you meet him soon. Your made a lot of progress. Tomorrow, after a good night’s rest , you will be on your way. Keep hoping because you are about to meet our Master."
My friends, I shall see you soon for the next and last episode of our desert adventure.
To read the next and final episode click: Here
http://thelightseed.blogspot.com.br/2011/07/joshua-tree-desert-parable_15.html
THE JOSHUA TREE A Desert Parable (Final episode)
To read the preceding chapters,starting with chapter I
click Here
Jesus said: "Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:25
"He must become greater; I must become less." John the Baptist. John 3:30
John 10
The True Guide - The Good Shepherd and his sheep - The True Gate.
“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. (or kept safe) They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Dear reader, do you remember the Scripture passage mentioning Joshua in the very first chapter? Joshua represents a type of Jesus in the Old Testament. The similarity between these verses attests to the fact. We have here a true prophecy announcing the coming and ministry of the Lord Jesus.
In Numbers 27:15,18 Moses told the people: “May the LORD, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd”. So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;
THE TREE OF LIFE
The Dream
Early the following morning, after breakfast, Theophilus took leave of his new found friend, thanking him for his kind hospitality.
Thus, day after day, he encountered Joshua’s brothers who helped him recover from his ordeal. His sight was improving and his hope to finally get out of the desert gave him an increase in courage and a new direction towards a definite goal. He was eager to meet this Master who caused the blind to see and healed the hardened hearts.
One shared his light, the other the coolness of his shade. Another listened to him patiently and attentively. All of them shared what they had received with gladness and unselfishness. The peace that ruled in their hearts, the words of wisdom and encouragement , the fidelity to their beloved Master went beyond any human value that he had know in his world.
He learned that his name meant “friend of God”. What a contrast with the life that he had lived until now!
One night after an interesting conversation, he had a very different dream from those that usually haunted his conscience. He found himself, unconscious, almost dead in an operating room surrounded by a team of nurses in white coats.
Next to him, another man about thirty years old was lying on another table just beside him with an intravenous needle in his arm connected to another needle inserted in Theo´s arm. The blood in the man’s arm was turning into a liquid light when going into Theo´s vein, washing his heart that started beating again. His brain became filled with the light that was spreading throughout all the parts of his being through the system of arteries and veins irrigating his lifeless body. A breath filled his chest and he opened his eyes.
The Tree of Life
Waking up with tears of joy flowing from his eyes.
Theophilus became the astounded witness of an amazing and unforgettable scene.
There in front of him, stood up a Joshua tree, majestic and radiant that bore an uncanny resemblance with the man from his dream whose blood transfusion had revived and restored his as good as dead soul. He fell down, prostrate on his face against the hot desert sand. He knew without the shadow of a doubt that he was in the presence of the Master of the Joshua Trees. He didn’t dare move from his position such was the power emanating from the glorious appearance. An indescribable ripple of healthy fear coursed through his being.
"Rise, Theophilus and look at me, the master spoke finally after a few minutes of gracious silence allowing Theophilus to recover from the unexpected awesome encounter.
." The imperious tone of voice was enough to make him obey. He was reluctant at first to lift his gaze directly into the eyes of the Master. Lifting his head up slowly, he saw the pierced feet, then, the pierced wrists. He gathered enough courage to focus on the chest where a scarlet wound in the shape of the tip of a lance or the eye of a needle remained from a cruel wound.
"Don’t be afraid, look at me. I am Yeshua, the Master of the Joshua Trees. What is your quest? Why do you want to meet me?"
While the Master was asking these questions, his eyes whispered softly words Theophilus never heard before, words of love that penetrated deep in his heart.
"Master, I am looking for the desert exit door. Your trees told me that you possess the keys that open the door leading to life and that a word from you can set the captives free, can give sight to the blind, make a poor man in spirit rich, and heal the afflicted and broken hearted. You can also give knowledge and understanding to the ignorant who think they are wise, and you can clothe with your pardon and righteousness the fearful nakedness caused by sin which I try to cover with my religion and good deeds."
"All you have spoken is true and correct the Master acquiesced. But you have too big a notion of yourself to be able to go through this door. First, you must answer a few questions."
"Yes, master, as you wish, Theophilus replied respectfully."
"What is your name? Who are you, the Master challenged the docile pilgrim?"
"Well, Master, before, they used to call me Theophilus, but I will accept whatever name you wish to call me."
"Where do you come from, followed the next question by the inquisitive Master?"
"Alas, Theophilus responded in a despondent, hesitating fashion: 'From the land of deadly illusions and appearances, a world filled with violence and deception'."
"Good, the Master continued, still probing. Are you rich, or do you intend to be?"
"Well, Theophilus admitted with a conscious delay, realizing the gravity of the moment whereas until now, his hope had been carried through with a buoyant exhilaration toward a fortuitous hoped for end of his quest. Master Yeshua, before being made aware of the desert deceiving landscape, I had credit cards, bank accounts, a good and profitable business, cars, a beautiful house, but all that didn’t help me very much. To tell you the truth, I will accept gratefully whatever you want to give me, for I heard that you are a gracious and generous giver."
All the while, after the quaint exchange with the Master, Theophilus was feeling his body shrink little by little. What a strange sensation!
The Master continued: "What about your reputation?"
" Alas, Master, people are mesmerized by appearances. But I can sense that you already know me and my desire is to become what you want me to be."
"What do you hope to gain from me was the next incisive question from the Master?"
Theophilus cried out spontaneously as if the thought jumped out directly from his heart to his lips bypassing the meandering of the rational processes in his head "Freedom from the chains that keep me tied up and hinder my walk, and then for a good measure, understanding truth and knowing which way to go."
"You have answered well from your longing heart. The Master was pleased and shared it with encouraging words. Theophilus, I certainly can do that for you. But what will do once you are free if I give you the key to the door?"
"Master, I want to belong to you and serve you, for you are the one who saved and healed me."
Each of Theophilus’ responses was followed by a change in his size until at last, the Master's stature appeared gigantic in comparison although without overwhelming him. Then, the Master bent forward and catching him tenderly in the palm of his right hand, he lifted Theophilus up to his chest and hugged him close against the wound shaped like the tip of a lance or like the eye of a big needle.
While on his way up, Theophilus was helplessly watching on the screen of his memory the video from his first meeting with the touchstone at the crossroad of his destiny, the first step of a stairway which leada to the royal capital of the heavenly kingdom, illumined by the eternal light. He seemed to possess a law of gravity defying lightness, with no desire to resist the attraction propelling him towards a universe of unconditional freedom. Being transported on this celestial stairway, the bridge between two worlds without any effort on his part, he was about to enter a territory invisible to the human eye and yet so real.
Instantly, going through the open door at a breathtaking speed, Theophilus found himself standing on the desert floor that he had just left.
"Welcome to the kingdom, announced the master in a warm tone of voice. Open your eyes and look at yourself."
His eyes opened by the voice of his Master, Theophilus looked at his legs, his trunk, his arms and discovered that he had turned into a Joshua tree with soft scars in the place of the usual armor of thorns . Joshua, Yeshua spoke to him solemnly:
"From now on your name will be Joshua Theophilus O’Call because I called you to my service and you responded with good will."
Tears of joy mixed with gratitude flowing from his eyes, Theophilus answered:
"Master, where do you want me to serve, the newly transformed Joshua Theophilus inquired, eager to know his first assignment?"
The command from Master Yeshua was clearly delivered in the caring tone of voice of a father who sends his son on an important and difficult errand.
"Right here in the desert along side your brothers working as a team to guide those who have lost their way or those who have wandered from the way of truth and need help in finding me."
"Yes, Master. I gladly accept the charge. But if I may ask,how do your trees find food and drink? There is nothing in the desert, but inhospitable sand, rocks, vipers, scorpions, a lot of deceiving mirages with here and there a few enduring beautiful flowers and refreshing oasis as refuges for weary pilgrims "
Yeshua touched his eyes and now he could very clearly watch a fantastic scene through the desert floor as if it were made of transparent crystal. From the feet of the Master, roots full of a sap that resembled light amber honey extended all the way under the feet of the Joshua trees and fed them constantly night and day.
"Please, Master, what do you want me to call you?"
"Call me Lord Jesus, for I am both Savior and King." I will, thank you, my Lord and Savior, replied Joshua and humbly inquired:
"Lord, I can see the trees, the roots, the leaves and the cactus flowers, but where are the fruits?"
The perfect explanation ensued from the king´s lips which delighted and satisfied Joshua´s heart who had finally found the meaning and the purpose he had been searching for all his life.
"Every time one of my servants extended to you love, kindness, goodness, patience, they shared their fruits with you. When you enjoyed their light, their protective and refreshing shade, their peace, their wise words of counsel, comfort or encouragement, those are the fruits that grow from the source of life that I give each one of them."
Eden Restored
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5
This is what the LORD says:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.
7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
9 The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
10 “I the LORD search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:5-10
Dear reader and listener, if you have been touched by this allegory and can identify in some way with Theophilus, I invite you to meet the Lord Jesus, the Savior of fallen humanity, the One who has the keys to the Kingdom of God, the One who is the Door that leads to true freedom, to the knowledge of the Truth, to Life abundant and eternal and the only Way to the Heavenly Father. Without Truth we cannot know the Way to the Door of the kingdom and to the Life in Jesus without whom we are reduced to a mere existence without hope.
Thank you for your visit. Have a good and safe journey.
Jean-Louis.