Thou
wilt make known to me the path of life; In Thy presence is the fullness of joy;
In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever.
Psalms 16:11 (New
American Standard Version)
When my niece was three years old my brother and
sister-in-law visited the National
Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in
Oklahoma City. In the museum was an 18’
statue of a Native American Indian Warrior portrayed sitting on his pony in
total discouragement. The statue, by the
late artist James Earle Fraser, is called The
End of the Trail. It is meant to
portray the final and sad ending of early Native American culture. As my niece gazed on the statue she asked
“Why is the Indian so sad, Daddy?” My
brother said “Because he’s reached the end of the trail, honey.” My niece looked at her dad with wonder and
asked “Then why doesn’t he turn around and go back?”
I’ve met many folks in my lifetime that felt as though they’d
reached the end of a reasonable existence and their trail of life was over.
Nothing else in life held an answer to their problems. In the beginning the purpose of their lives appeared
to have a direction but somewhere along the way those things lost perspective
and reason.
Dejected people are the specialty of God the Father and His
Only Begotten Son. There is still real
hope and the trail does not have to end.
The earthly life of Jesus Christ was to bring hope to all, to preach the
good news of God’s kingdom, proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight
of the blind and to free the downtrodden (Luke 4:18, 19). When we reach the end of the trail we need not
turn around and head back. Christ is
waiting at the end of any trail to lead, encourage and guide. He will light our path not to show us the end
but to illuminate a new direction for our lives. With Christ the end of the
trail can become the beginning of a new journey.
Jesus, when I feel as though I’ve reached the end of my trail
I ask that the One I meet there will be You.
Guide and teach me by Your Holy Spirit.
Give me Your wisdom to see it as a new beginning. Let Your Word be a lamp unto my feet.
Ken
