Once upon a time, I saw the land of peace
from a mountaintop of my own making.
And it appeared to me that what I needed
to sustain me on this path was
one more project,
one more possession,
one more accomplishment.
But these were detours that sent me
deep into the land of discontent.
More projects led to too much stress.
More possessions turned into too much stuff.
More accomplishments turned into too much of me.
Then I heard that simple voice,
still echoing in the distance:
“Follow Me.”
“Rest in my footprints.”
“Meander in my footsteps.”
“Keep me in sight as you walk the path
to the land of peace.”
Swept up in the warm echo of that voice, I realized this:
One day, when I have learned to live as if
You are always with me,
I will move beyond
all of my stress,
all of my stuff,
all of myself.
And I will taste this truth:
Each moment that I spent in Your shadow,
I was living in the land of peace already.
– Timothy Paul Jones
And as one ancient writer put it…many centuries ago…
This is what the Lord says:
“Stop at the crossroads and look around
Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it.
Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.
– Jeremiah 6:16, NLT
