The Young Man

A young man lifts an old Bible
And waves it in the air
Tears in his eyes, he swears to God
“I’m your man”
And sets his foot to a path of faith

Alone, he labors day by day
His name unknown
Sacrifice laid upon sacrifice
Work upon work
Brick upon brick
Tear upon tear

A lone man
determined to build a work for God
Pushes through every challenge
Every heartache, every valley
A lone man
Climbing up the mountain side

Ledge by ledge, rock by rock, rope by rope
He ascends
No hand but God’s reaches to help him
To lift him
To encourage him

He sees the summit now,
Oh, that glorious peak!
That prize for God!
Harder He struggles
Mustering strength he did not know was there
Climbing, stepping, pulling, fighting

“Look there!” Says one
“We’re with you” says a second,
“Glory! I’ll help!” Says a third,
“We will walk beside you!” Says another
As the man sets his foot upon the peak

Living on the mountain top
Was more than he had dreamed
Bathed in the love of many
And the blessings of God
The man labored with great strength and great fruit

Sunshine all around
Trials and afflictions came and went
But many called him “brother”
And pledged their support
While he pushed forward with all the strength
God had given him

But some became bored
Some critical, some jealous
Some forgot
Some looked for new excitement
Many were fickle, as the natural man has always been

Yet God’s man, his physical strength failing
Pushed on as he always had
The only way he knew
Facing each new obstacle
With faith and determination

He stumbled on the path
But Love lifted him
When no one else would
And like no one else could
Brushing the dirt, he moved ahead

Affliction came, greater than he had ever known
But nobody knew his name
No lips whispered a prayer
No man offered a hand
He shouldered his burden and pushed ahead

The day came when his strength failed him
Alone in a forsaken valley
Wolves bounding hard on his heels
Only One stood with him
As he climbed feebly to his feet

An old man sits alone
In a cold room
A blanket wrapped about his shoulders
Forgotten
By the ones who shouted and hollered
And swore they’d always be there

He lifts his eyes to Heaven
Frail and meek
His voice wavering and weak
He speaks
“Thank you, though all forgot and forsook,
One did not.”

A quiet, still voice spoke
As in a whisper
“Be not afraid, my son
Men will ever seek fortune and fame
Their eyes and lust rove to and fro across the world”

“They seek some new excitement to consume upon their flesh
Some wealth to satisfy their lusts
Some crowd to know their name
While my children labor alone and unknown
Even to those who call my name with their lips.

“No man knew you when you were young.
No man knew you when you labored in the valleys.
No man knew you when you labored in Affliction.
No man need know you now.

“Be strong and of good courage
For I am with you always
Through every peak and valley
Through every success and failure
Through every harvest and drought
I am there, my son.”

The man closes his eyes as in rest
A smile on his lips
His shallow breath slows and stops
His tears dry upon his face
And holy rest comes to his soul.