“The Garden”
An Allegory
I was out walking early one morning, and came to a beautiful garden. There were all kinds of flowers, the strange thing was that they were all ten times larger than normal and ten times more beautiful. I saw a rose bush; the petals were covered with large drops of dew. As I drew near, the aroma came to me long before it should have. It surrounded me as if it went right through me. I was captivated by the smell and the beauty. There was a crystal-clear creek running through the garden. Water was splashing up as it hit the rocks. It looked like diamonds glittering in the sun. The sound of the stream was like angles singing. It was as if it was all around and through me, it was bigger than life. I moved away from the stream and continued up the path, the overwhelming beauty of singing fading behind me. The grass on either side of the winding path was greener than I had ever seen. As I gazed around in wonderment at the largeness and beauty all around me, I noticed that I could hear silence. It was as if my ears were ten times more sensitive than normal. I could hear sounds more clear than ever. My whole mind, body and spirit wanted to just run into the garden and listen. Then I heard a whisper, but more than a whisper, it filled the entire garden and went right through me, filling every cell in my body. It came from everywhere all at the same time. The stream rushed with joy, the diamond drops of water gleamed streams of light and the flowers gushed aroma with jubilation, filling the garden with all their aromas blended together. I turned around and around looking to see who had whispered, but saw no one. Then again, the whisper came again saying, “My son”. It filled the whole garden again. The words had the sound of, I’m so glad you came. It was everywhere at the same time. I melted inside, weak in the knees, I dropped to the ground. I felt as if I had dirt all over my body and ashamed and incomplete. Then I heard the whisper again. “I am so glad you came when I called, come, and see a special tree”. Even though the voice came from all around me, I knew which way to go. As I walked down the path a beautiful tree came into view. It looked like a giant live oak except it was white with leaves that gleamed like pure gold. From its limbs hung golden chains with round, solid gold balls on the end’s. They had the appearance of fruit. Each had a word inscribed on it. I couldn’t see the words from this distance. Then the whisper came again. “These golden balls are your needs”. “Consider your heart, what are your needs”? I thought, I have so many, I wouldn’t know where to start. I feel so incomplete inside. As if knowing what I was thinking, he said, “You have not because you ask not”. I had read that scripture so many times, but this time it went through me like a knowing. I heard the whisper again, “What are your need’s”? “Choose and eat”. I looked up at the great tree and then noticed a Plaque, like a seal on the broad trunk that read, “Freely I Give”. Then I looked at the Golden fruit and this time I could read, even from this distance the writing on them. The script was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was like old English, but many times more beautiful and the words were projected as light rays of Gold. The word read “Love” as if the whisperer had said it Himself. “What is your greatest need”, came a whisper. Love, I said. “Take and eat” He said. I reached up and immediately the fruit was in my hand. I raised it to my mouth and ate. My other hand grabbed my chest as I bowed forward, a great rush of pity and mercy swelled in my heart. Great tears filled my eyes and rolled onto my clothing as I thought about my friends and family at home. It was as if I could see right into their hearts and see their misery and inabilities. My heart broke for them. Then a rush of great gratitude filled my being for the whisperer. It was like I could see the one who spoke to me it was so real, but I couldn’t. Then the whisper came again, “Come” We walked around the great golden tree. “Read” He said. I looked up at the fruit. One had Patience written on it, others had different words such as Kindness, Long Suffering, Love, Forgiveness, Gratefulness and so many more things that I needed in my heart. As I read, I was shocked to see some with these words on them, Home, husband, wife, job, car, and many other things. Then a whisper, “You have not because you ask not”. My hand went to my heart again as I said, “I know, forgive me”. I could almost see His face as he whispered the words that engulfed my whole being. “I am glad that you come to the garden alone, while the dew was still on the roses”. “You are my own”. Suddenly I was out of the garden, walking toward my home, singing a song I didn’t know.
And He walks with me and He talks with me.
And He tells me I am His own.
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
David McClary
Avoicefromthemountain.com
