I woke up to the sun shining into the cave. I prepare for the day's walk. I eat some more fruit and drink some refreshing water. I feel resurgence of God’s Spirit in my spirit and a renewed strength flowing into my body.
I step out of the cave and feel a strong wind against my body and the dust pelting my face. I quickly retreat back into the cave. I pull out a robe out of my supply sack. I remember the Master giving it to me as we neared the Land of the Closed Gates. Jesus said, “You will need this robe from time to time. Keep it with you at all times.” I took the robe from Jesus and thanked Him for it and put it carefully in my supply sack.
The robe was plain looking on the outside, but the lining was beautiful. It has a tapestry of red, royal blue, sliver, and gold threads. It was woven into a beautiful and powerful roaring lion with fire coming out of the mouth. I put it on and it fits perfectly with a belt to close the robe when I wrap it close, it has a hood and even an attached scarf to wrap around my face. I get a mental picture of myself and laugh out loud. I look like a medieval monk or someone out of a Lawrence of Arabia movie
As I leave the cave the wind is still blowing strong. I am walking at a brisk pace with the sure footedness of the Holy Spirit leading me. After traveling most of the day, I come to the top of a small ridge and see the oasis off in the distance. I realize it is too far for me to reach before night fall and I would be spending the night on the road. After several more hours on the road (path), I come to a bridge that is crossing a gorge. I check out the underside of the bridge and fine it is a perfect place to spend the night. It is out of the wind and has wood lying around to build a fire. I shake out my robe and a lot of dust and dirt fall off it. I am very grateful to have the robe. I eat and drink, then I pull my robe over me and fall fast asleep.
I wake up in the morning, and my body is telling me that sleeping on the ground is a young man’s game and I am not as young as I used to be. The wind is still blowing. I quickly eat and drink and my strength is restored. It amazes me how quickly I am energized by the water from the River of God and fruit that comes from it. I put my robe on and head out.
As I draw near this oasis, I immediately notice this place is different. Even from a distance I can see it is not well kept. The paved road has potholes and ruts. The buildings could use painting and some repairs. Some even have broken windows. It looks like it has been that way for a long time.
The people of the oasis are curious about me. They say, “We don’t get many robed travelers passing through.” I state, “I am traveling to a beautiful distance land.” They respond, “It sounds great. Maybe someday they will do the same.”It was the same when we talked about doing the good works of God that He had prepared for them to do. They made the same statement, “Maybe someday.” This is truly the Oasis of Procrastination. I am determined not to spend one night in this place. I passed the Pool of Procrastination and evening was fast approaching and I quicken my pace out of the oasis.
Night had fallen and I looked back towards to oasis. I noticed there seems even to be procrastination about turning on the lights. I kept moving well into the night, I was being urged forward by the Spirit of God. I finally come to a place, where there are a number of trees. There were leaves piled on the ground. I could move off the trail and be unseen by any passerby and the leaves would make a great bed. I thanked the Lord, for not having to sleep on the hard ground.
The next morning I continue my journey. After a few hours of travel, I begin to hear sounds; soon I can hear clearly, it is the sound of music. I round a bend in the road there is the oasis. Unlike the other oasis this place is beautiful with lots of buildings gleaming in the sun. As I enter the oasis, the buildings were impressive and the streets were beautiful and clean. The sound of music was everywhere, but something was not right. Every person I met is well dressed and talks about the blessings of the Lord and how much money they made. The closer I move to the pool in the center of oasis, the less people talked about the Lord and the more they talked a wealth. There were some who questioned why I was wearing such a plain robe. I explained that I was traveling and robe suited that purpose. They said that I was wise, for they heard rumors that were robbers on the road.
There were some who wanted to see what I was wearing under the robe. They had caught a glimpse of it and it looked beautiful. I untied the robe and let it fall open, revealing the Armor of God. They immediately began shouting at me, “You’re a radical, that I had come to stir up trouble,” “Why don’t you believe in the blessings of God”, “Why, are you here and to get out” and “I had come disrupt the peace.” I quickly sling the Shield of Faith in front of me, for these nice people began throwing things I me, including the fruit they were eating. I pull out the Sword of the Spirit, and then I realize these are people of God, they are deceived, but they are His. They all have been deceived by wealth and talk of prosperity. I quickly out distance the angry mob and make my way out of the oasis. Once, I was a safe distance away, I stopped to rest. It was then I noticed, the fruit they had thrown at me hit the Shield of Faith and my robe, had rotten and was dry. All took was a brush of my hand the rotten fruit fell off the shield and I shook the robe with the same effect. What surprised me, was when the fruit hit the ground, it immediately turned to dust.
I poured a little of the water from the River of God on my hands and the Shield of Faith to clean them. As I did this my hands and the Shield began to glow with the Power of God. I climb up a high ridge, night has fallen, I look down and see the lights of the oasis’s I had passed through. As I stand atop the ridge I raise the glowing Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit. The sword, the Armor of God and robe are glowing with the power of God. The power flows up into the night sky; it is as if I have become a beacon of the Spirit. The light begins to sweep across the land, like a searchlight. The light settles on each of the oasis’s and the ground under my feet is shaking with the power of God. The flow of power begins to fade and I let down my arms. The Shield continues to glow and I take time to eat and drink. Then I head down the other side of the ridge.
©COPYRIGHT 2011 RICHARD SPANGLER
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