The Inward Journey

A piece of Gene Edward's work...."The Inward Journey".... a friend shared this piece with me but until you read it and ruminate on it....hmmmm....my words fail me.

"You have asked, 'Why all this pain? What is its purpose? Why is it allowed?'" said Messenger, turning full round to face the young man. Uneasy and quite unsure of himself, as though he had caused some major problem with his question, Chris(tian) stumbled a reply.

"Yes, but they aren't entirely my questions. I'm taking this class...and ...." Christian stopped speaking; such words seemed absurd here. "I am confused, though," he added more realistically.

"Then let us move toward that light. There you will find and answer. Perhaps it will not be the answer to your....or their...questions. But you will find..."

Messenger paused and looked intently into young Christain's eyes. "We are at the edge. We are very near to beginning."

"Is that light...uh...beginning?"

"No. That is something before the beginning. Before angels, before the heavenlies, before all realms. Before man, earth, skies, time, and space. Before all. All, except suffering and pain."

"They are here? Before anything?"

"Before anything," said Messenger, his voice fading.

Messenger's steps had become slow and unsure. Just in front of them was a light, something like the glow a street lamp might make.

"You may go alone. I have no desire to see what is there...not twice," said Messenger in a voice almost cold.

"Just beyond the light, there is something else out there. Isn't there a boundary?" Chris asked.

"No, replied Messenger. "There is nothing else, nor can there be, until there is first that." Messenger pointed again in the direction of the light. "That must be before all things. That and pain, that and suffering were before even the beginnings .... nor could there have been anything..... unless ...." Messenger fell silent.

Cautiously, Christian moved forward. Plainly, there was something lying out there before him.

"Oh no. Oh no. No," cried Christian. "No, no, please no!" he cried again as he dropped to his knees.

Just before him, lying in a pool of blood, lay the cold, dead, and mangled form of a snow white lamb.

For

He was slain
Before the foundation
Of the world.