The gatekeeper nudged her forward with his wings — much like the sycamore tree did with its branches back when the kingdom child was a sojourner in the wilderness.
“Go ahead!” Thomas prodded her on. “Follow the light! Go on!”
To return to the wilderness would have been the way of folly, so the only choice she had was to forge on. With a winged creature encouraging her forward and a sparkle of light leaving her behind, the kingdom child made her decision and sped to where the star was leading. Even in her rush, fascination gripped her after she took a turn and found herself in the middle of a town square bursting full of life.
She paused for but one moment to take it all in before her guiding light circled her and bounced ahead of her — as if to remind her of the task at hand.
Follow the light.
And so she did. All the while, as she strode through alleyways and tried not to get hit by horses, carriages, vehicles, and passersby in the highways, the kingdom child could hear the voice of Lady Wisdom whispering in her ear.
Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding.
Right then, the sparkling day star turned a corner and flickered across a garden pathway that led to a walled estate. Above the open arch serving as its entry point, a sign read, Academy of Light.
The kingdom child sighed. Of course, her first destination would be a place of learning! How could she imagine otherwise? What better way for a child to know the ways of a kingdom than through the wisdom of those who had already gone before her?
A smile lit up her small face.
As if in approval, the spark of light hit her on the chest and saturated her, filling her heart with light — like a deposit of things yet to come until she herself could be a light guiding others through the way of her Beloved.
Until then, she yet had a lot to learn, and she was in the right place to do it.
Full of anticipation, the kingdom child rushed beneath the arches and up the steps that led to massive wooden doors opening a way toward a world of knowledge.
Without a second thought, she pushed the doors open and took her first step forward into the halls of the Academy of Light.
What greeted her was nothing at all like one would expect from a kingdom of light.
Manna
Verses for Meditation
Good friend, take to heart what I’m telling you; collect my counsels and guard them with your life. Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding. Proverbs 2:1-2 (MSG)
Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:3
Author’s Reflections
Unlike the wilderness, the kingdom of God is not a place of solitude. It is still a place of intimacy between God and His people, but more often than not, we find ourselves in the company of our brothers and sisters.
Among them, there are those God has sent to encourage us to keep going as we search for His kingdom to come alive in us. They take us through our first steps in our search for insight into the ways of the kingdom.
Whether or not they remain as authority figures over us, it is important for us to recognize who those people are in our lives, so we can give them honor and sincere gratitude for guiding us through our initial introduction to God’s kingdom, as well as His ways.
Who are the people in your life who introduced you through your early stages of being part of the kingdom of God? List down their names and find a way to express your gratitude to them.
This is from allegorical devotional, The Kingdom Child.