Often in life we come to challenges and we are apprehensive to trust in our faith in Jesus. He is our redeemer and will finish the work he started in us. As we grow and mature in our faith we should be conscientious of these opportunities to grow and take these matters to the Lord in prayer.
The River of Redemption is a classic parable about the weight of our past and the courage required to let go.
The Parable:
In a valley shadowed by gray clouds, there was a village where every person carr... moreOften in life we come to challenges and we are apprehensive to trust in our faith in Jesus. He is our redeemer and will finish the work he started in us. As we grow and mature in our faith we should be conscientious of these opportunities to grow and take these matters to the Lord in prayer.
The River of Redemption is a classic parable about the weight of our past and the courage required to let go.
The Parable:
In a valley shadowed by gray clouds, there was a village where every person carried a heavy stone on their back. These stones represented their regrets, mistakes, and the wrongs they had committed. The larger the mistake, the heavier the stone. The villagers moved slowly, bent double by their burdens, and rarely looked at the sky.
At the edge of the valley flowed the River of Redemption. It was a wide, rushing torrent of crystal-clear water. Legend said that anyone who stepped into the river would be washed clean, and their stone would vanish forever.
One day, a young woman named Elara, exhausted by a stone that grew heavier each year, decided to reach the river. When she arrived at the bank, she saw an old man sitting by the water.
"Is it true?" she asked, panting. "Will the river take this weight?"
"It will," the old man said. "But the river does not take the stone from you. You must be willing to let go of the stone."
Elara stepped into the water. The current was strong, pulling at her legs. She felt the stone on her back pull her downward, threatening to drown her. Fear gripped her. If she let go of the stone, she didn't know who she would be without its familiar weight.
"I'm afraid!" she cried.
The old man shouted back, "The river can only wash what is open to the water! Unbuckle the straps!"
With a final surge of courage, Elara unlatched the heavy leather harness. The stone fell into the depths with a massive splash. For a moment, she tumbled in the current, feeling light and untethered. Then, she stood up. The water rushed over her skin, and for the first time in years, she could stand perfectly straight.
She walked out on the other side of the river, her back light and her heart clear. She looked back and saw the old man.
"Why don't the others come?" she asked.
"Because," he replied sadly, "to many, the weight of the stone feels safer than the freedom of the water."
There is blessed assurance and an expectation of joy with the security of our salvation in Christ. "Shall not be condemned, shall not perish, IS passed from death unto life, Eternal life, Everlasting life, Sealed unto the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory." I pray everyone goes boldly into the future as we exercise our faith and trust in his purposes for our lives.
CAA Daniel Turner
Priory of St. Michael the Archangel
Fides Et Veritas
