All of my Life I knew the lord.

When I was young I sought him.

Later I walked my own path,

a path that seemed right to me.

My path was easy street

I was never lost or so it seemed.

One day I fell into a pit.

The pit was deep and slope was very slick

making it impossible to get out.

Soon the pit felt like home.

Later I remembered the lord.

At that moment I realized the pit was a prison.

Now a man came into the pit.

I did not know him so I asked for his name.

‘I am innocent” said the man.

“I am innocent as well” I replied.

“I should not be in this prison.”

The Innocent one told me of a new path called the path of the righteous.

I was fond of the innocent one.

He was not like anyone I had ever known.

He seemed to know the lord.

I knew the lord.

We talked about the path of the righteous often and I learned much from him.

I learned it was a hidden path known to only a few.

A few who knew the Lord.

I learned the path of the righteous led to heaven.

“Have you found it?” I asked.

“No” Said the Innocent one.

This made me sad.

If this innocent man could not find it how could I?

By now I realized I was guilty and deserved prison and punishment.

I cried out to the lord “save me”.

That very moment the Innocent one lifted me out of the pit.

I traveled far and remembered the words of the Innocent one.

The righteous path belongs to those who know the LORD.

Only they will find it.

I was sad as I remembered him.

He was free to leave the pit however he volunteered to stay and serve out my sentence.

I was determined to find the righteous path on my own but I was given a companion by the innocent one.

His name was Helper.

He was related to the innocent one and he reminded me of him.

We became fast friends.

He often reminded me of what the Innocent one had taught.

As we traveled we met many people with many names.

One called pride, one called doubt, one called fear one called regret.

I felt sad for them so I told them about the hope that sustained me.

I told them about the righteous path.

Every one of them asked how they could find it.

I did not know what to say.

Helper reminded me in a whisper: “Seek the Lord and he will guide you”.

This is what the innocent one had told me.

I was grateful the helper had once again reminded me of his words.

Along the Path, there were many pits and ditches.

I nearly fell many times but each time Helper lifted me up and steadied me.

Still, the pits and ditches discouraged me.

The Helper felt my discord and whispered another reminder

“The innocent one warned that the path of the righteous was hard to find. It is narrow and the going is hard”

Until then, I thought the path I sought would be hidden and without pits or ditches.

I was beginning to understand.

After many, miles down the path, I saw another man far off.

As I got closer I said to Helper “maybe this is the righteous path”.

At that moment, I began to recognize the man up ahead.

He turned and I was filled with joy!

It was the innocent one.

I ran to him.

We traveled on a short time before I was able to speak.

I was now sure that this was indeed the righteous path.

So I said “You found the righteous path”

The innocent one turned to me and smiled as he said;

“No… I simply walked and you followed”

I now KNOW the LORD.

This is me. I knew the lord small “l”

I knew him as Savior and I called him lord but I never made Him LORD of my life

I never surrendered my whole heart, my whole life to Him.

As a result, I walked my own path instead of His.

I missed the people he placed in my path that I was supposed to help

I fell in the ditches of pride, addiction, and lust

They were a prison

In this prison, I cried out to my Savior

Jesus met there

In the midst of my pride my resentment my lusts and my addictions

He met we there with arms wide open

Love and forgiveness was on his face

I surrendered to Him all my life and I followed him out

The Innocent one traded His throne in paradise in exchange for my filthy prison cell.

Today I am free to be loved and free to love others

I still walk a path with pits and ditches but I do not walk alone any longer!