A greasy bag
of fish and chips in hand,
A chap makes
his way to the storybook tree
Never
knowing that today, in the shadow of the tree,
He will have
an encounter with Eternity.
The lack of
the usual rainy day allows him to consider another way
The sunny
noontime beckons him to break his routine,
Enjoy the
warmth, savor the moment.
But as he
heads out, he has no idea that God plans to meet him today
Who is this
man? No one special.
Just a man
in a park.
A man in a
park who God knows by name
And loves
despite the man’s ennui.
He arrives
at the park.
Watches the
children play as their nanny looks on.
Sees the
beautiful flowers
Hears the
sound of children’s laughter
Not noticing
the storybook tree
Not knowing
its story.
Not caring.
Two men are
honored by the storybook tree.
Two authors
who through stories impacted men’s destinies.
For from the
carved book rises timeless figures.
Smaug, a
dragon desolated by a hobbit. Aslan, the valiant king lion.
Both
authors, both stories give glimpses of eternity.
And this man
sits in their shadow,
Never
knowing their story.
Never
wanting to know their God.
But then,
the encounter happens.
A messenger
comes.
His faith is
questioned
Faith that
so long ago he snuffed out
Because what
kind of God would let him hurt as he has?
No, he
replies, I’ve never seen God,
So why should
I believe that he exists?
The
messenger gives a reply.
“You cannot
see the wind, but you can feel its effects.
You cannot
see God, but you can feel His effects.”
Discussion
lingers as his lunch time ticks away.
“One must
seek God,” he says,
“And I do
not have time for that.”
Not
realizing that God, the Hound of heaven, is seeking him.
His lunch
time finished, he turns to leave.
The wind
caresses his cheek.
Eternity
beckons.
Yet he walks
away,
Too busy
with this life to consider the next.
Just a man
in a park
In the
shadow of the storybook tree.