I found myself within the seas, drowning amidst the waters with others, cast about as the waves swelled up and down. And as I grew lost and frightened I called unto the Lord; But it was not the Lord whom I saw pass by and cast me a rope, it was one of his servants. Now I was weak, and try as I might I could not climb the rope thrown to me. So another servant came and saw me struggling and he too cast his rope to me, pleading for me to grab on; and because I could not climb the first rope, I grabbed a hold of the second, and again I was unable to climb it. So then a third servant passed by, and a fourth, all casting their ropes for me to grab onto. I soon found myself holding on to four different ropes, from four different servants, all with good intentions; but as they each tried to pull me up, I found myself being pulled in four different directions, which was worse than the waves that sought to drown me, and so I finally let go and accepted my fate; I stopped fighting and accepted my own death.
But then my Lord passed by in a fishing boat, and he said climb aboard, but I could not climb in on my own, so he reached down and picked me up out of the water and placed me in his boat. He strengthened me and nourished me and gave to me the water of life to drink. He brought me to a place of still waters, and did sit me down under my own vine and under my own fig tree, and told me to rest. My Lord passed by his garden often, and I did speak with him and he did teach me many things.
Years had passed by when a visitor happened upon my vineyard. He was famished and acting a bit delusional, so I offered to him some of the figs in my garden to eat, but he spit it out complaining it was too bitter; So I offered him some of the grapes from my vine, and he declined, saying grapes of the vine can make you drunk, and my lord said you shall not get drunk. So he said no thanks and left, assuring me he would find his lord the along the way.
Now this visitor made me think about my own experience, when I was in the waters drowning. How I cried to the Lord, and he sent a servant to throw a rope. And when I cried again, he sent another servant, and then another servant, and yet another, until I had finally given up and accepted my own death. So when my Lord did visit with me, I talked with him about it; I asked him why his servants could not save me? For they each carried a rope, and they threw their ropes to me, but why could none save me?
And so he explained it to me. He said my servants were once slaves, and the ropes they carry were the ropes that once kept them in bondage. They could not save you with the ropes, because they don't know how to use those ropes, because those ropes were the ropes that bound them. They could not free themselves from those ropes until I came along and cut them loose; But the ropes are what they know, and being yet free, they still hold fast to them. For it is not possible for you to climb to a position of everlasting life using a rope that once bound someone to death. It was not the job of my servants to save you, only to pull you to a safe harbor. But you didn't find safety in one rope, so you grabbed for another, and then another, and yet another. Then he explained to me, that none of his servants could pull me to safety on their own, because each being free yet carried their own rope, the ropes that once bound them to death; But they do not know how to use that rope, nor do they yet understand how to work together.
And then he continued by saying in reaching out and grabbing the first rope, you showed me you were willing. When you cried again, it showed me you wanted to live. When you cried the third time, it showed me you were determined. When you grabbed a hold of the fourth, I saw you fight, being stretched and pulled in all different directions. But then he said to me, it was when you gave up and let go of all those ropes of bondage and finally accepted your fate, did you realize that I was sitting there in that lifeboat all along. And he said unto me, did you not learn how to swim? Did you not get stronger by holding on? And in your weakness, did you not find me?
And then I said unto my Lord, but what of the others who are drowning, should I not go and help pull them out? And he said unto me, no, for now just sit under your vine and under your fig tree in my Father’s Garden and rest. I will continue to send my servants, as I did for you. They may not yet understand how to use the rope they have been set free from, but they are faithful servants in throwing that rope out to someone in need. Maybe one day you will be able to join me upon the waters and look for those who have let go. And I said why not now? But he said, do you really think you have enough faith to walk upon the waters with me? And I was silent and said okay Lord, it is sufficient that I sit at rest under my vine and under my fig tree in the Garden of my Lord and share my fruits with any visitor that should pass along my way.
But then I asked of my Lord: What of all those who are in the waters drowning? Or those who are too far out to reach the ropes of your servants, or those who have given up but cling to a piece of seaweed? What of them? And he said unto me; What of Them??? Am I not the creator of the heavens and the earth? Do you think that I can not pluck out of the waters whom I shall choose? Do you not think that I could command the waters to be removed, and they would not obey? And in the day of their calamity, if they should happen to drown, do you not think that I could revive them? And so I said thank you Lord, I understand. For if the fruit that I offer still seems a little bitter, then perhaps it’s sufficient that I continue sit at rest under my vine and under my fig tree until my fruit has become sweeter to the lips. But the wellspring that is in the midst of the Garden of my Lord is open to any who thirst.
