the only One I need

Now, when you set out on a journey, you may take along a heavy lunch basket. After a while you might leave behind some of the things you are carrying and say, “Oh, we don’t want to be loaded down with these,” but you will still hold on to your food. As you progress further, even that begins to feel heavy. “All right,” you say, “let’s eat some of this now and throw the rest away.” But then you think, “We must at least bring the water.” Soon that also becomes heavy, and you might say, “Aiyo, aiyo, even this water is too heavy to carry! I can’t walk!” Then you discard the water to make your load still lighter. Next the coat you are wearing to protect you from the cold begins to be burdensome, and so you throw that away too. You continue walking with just a flimsy shawl over your shoulders, but soon even the shawl is too much. So you throw that off and walk on. After a while, swear starts pouring down your face, so you have to take off your shirt and leave that behind also. Next the shoes you are wearing to protect your feet become a nuisance, so you kick them off. Now you are walking in your socks. But even they feel like a burden, sticking, itching, and annoying you in all sorts of ways. So, you pull them off. Then the hat on your head becomes a dead weight. Because you are suffering under that weight, you get rid of it. Now all you have left is a loincloth to cover your backside. With only that small loincloth you suffer and struggle on until you reach the end of your journey. That is how it must be done. But there is still more. As you go even further wearing just the loincloth, you will cut away the attachments you have to everyone and everything.

In this way, one by one, you must discard all of the things you have acquired for yourself. This is what you must do on the journey to God. Then you will say, “Oh, now everything is gone. I have given up everything. God, you are the only One for me, the only One I need.”

Then God will come and lift you up, saying, “Come, come.” He will lift you up and say, “Hold My hand, I will take you.” And He will take you. So do not be discouraged. You still have time. But keep walking. Do not stand still. Up until this time, you have been carrying so many dead weights, so many burdens. Only when they all have dropped away from you will God appear, saying, “Come,” and take you along.

(YM)

~ by taufikr on July 7, 2009.