Saturday, April 30, 2011

Desert Daydream

The sun is high in the blue, cloudless sky.
No wind.
Hot and dry.
The desert is so quiet that I can hear my heart
beating in my ears.
Each step sends a little cloud of dust
up from under my feet.
I stop.
Deafening silence.

I strain my eyes to the horizon
of the seemingly endless desert.
The Negev.
Desolate lands
just to the west of the Dead Sea.
My tongue clings to the top of my mouth.
How can anyone survive out here?
Alone and thirsty.
My eyes narrow as a figure appears on the horizon.
A person? Way out here? Alone?
I walk to take a closer look.

He is sitting on a rock with his back to me.
The hood of his tunic covers his head.
He is writing in the sand in front of him with a stick.
Now I can see his sandaled feet.
He turns his head.
When I see his face, I no longer feel any thirst.
Love and joy are in his eyes.
His wide smile emanates gentleness and kindness.
He removes his hood and stands to greet me.
He motions with the stick for me
to sit down on a rock next to him.
He is still smiling and I can feel him
peering into my soul.
His welcoming posture reveals
flawless goodness and self-control.

We embrace for some time
—a powerful, unhurried embrace.
He says quietly, "Son,"
and at the sound of his voice and his deep familiarity,
I am overtaken by his faithfulness.
He holds my shoulders firmly
with his calloused hands and looks into my eyes.
The peace in his eyes seems unending
and his smile is filled with patience.
He is not in a hurry.
And now I realize why he is so comfortable
way out here in the nothingness of the Negev.
He isn't alone- never has been.
It is a great Fellowship that he is enjoying,
and he has invited me into the Inner Ring.
Tears streaming down my face,
I sit down, enthralled and embraced
by the substance of his presence.
And so our conversation begins...

© 2009 MAGOH