Further In and Further Up

At the end of the Last Battle by C.S. Lewis, as the world of Narnia is ending, a magnificent door is opened to Aslan’s land and all who enter gain a renewed strength and vigor and joy. As they begin to run faster and faster with no effort or strain or difficulty, Aslan encourages them with these words, “Further in and further up! Further in and further up!”

Those words ring in my ears as we begin to close the final chapter of our California book. My Jesus has opened a new door in Georgia, and I can hear His encouragement, I feel His presence by my side, and while I am not taking my steps daily without much effort, every movement forward feels like trudging through a muddy mire, difficult, tedious and laden with sadness, still I hear Him gently whisper, “Keep going. Further in and further up.” And in that encouragement, my soul stirs with small sparks of hope. There is more ahead and more beyond.

Onward and upward. The way through the muck and mire and mud of life is always further in and further up, forward and higher ground. I find myself re-reading and meditating on Psalm 121 through these difficult days. A psalm of ascent, nonetheless. How fitting.

Psalm 121 (NIV)

A song of ascents.

¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
⁸ the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

As I read this psalm, I realize the traveler is not ascending…yet. They lift their eyes because the ascent is ahead. Onward and upward, further in and further up. They are probably still in the valley, maybe the valley of the shadow of death. They must keep going and go through what lies ahead, but their help comes from the Lord where they lift their eyes to focus.

This is where I am. Resolute in lifting my eyes daily to Whom my help comes from. The tears will fall, and the steps are hard, but I am determined to go further in and further up with my Jesus on the path He has charted. Not once has He left my side. Never once have I ever walked alone.

Maybe you too find yourself in the muck and mire and mud of life. The steps are hard and sticky. Lift your eyes. Set your gaze ahead. Further in and further up. The valley and the bog will have an end, but until they do there is always more of Jesus to know. Dive further into Him, and He will lead you further up. He makes the journey worthwhile. He gives it meaning.

I’m going by the upper road, for that still holds the sun,

I’m climbing through night’s pastures where the starry rivers run:

If you should think to seek me in my old dark abode,

You’ll find this writing on the door, “(S)he’s on the Upper Road.”

–selection from Streams in the Desert, July 2. (Emphasis mine)