The night went by painfully. The cold invaded my body despite the layers of clothes I wore. Standing up took a little more effort than before. I had to find whatever I was looking for and fast. I looked around me, and apart from the dead trees around me, all I saw was the terrifying blizzard.
With a sigh, I picked up my belongings and took a second to redefine my path. Where was I heading for? In the end, I gave up and marched forward. I never had a direction in the first place. There was no use leaving tracks. The snow would easily cover them, so there was no turning back as well.
Hours went by, and I still couldn't find anything. I began having flashes of doubt. There was nothing out there. It was a mistake. I should have resigned to fate and let the winter take us away. The harshness of these conditions, the lives lost, and the lives at stake caused a wave of resentment to bubble within. I kept pressing on with a scowl.
More hours went by, and I had expended all my energy. Walking in the deep snow assisted in sapping my strength, and the lack of food made it impossible to continue. I tried to take one more step and failed. I fell on the snow, and like a bed, it felt comfortable to lie on. I felt sleepy. I allowed myself to rest a little, drifting away.
I jolted awake as though someone set fire to my clothes. I shook off the snow that had gathered over me and quickly got up. For a second, I was surprised I had that much energy. I didn't feel cold anymore. I was so busy observing myself that I failed to consider my environment.
"Ahem." Someone cleared their throat.
I thought I made the sound and got a little confused. I touched my throat to be sure everything was fine. There was no pain. My eyebrows scrunched together as they always did when I got perplexed. Then I heard the sound again. My head turned sharply to the sound, and my heart nearly failed.
Behind me was the biggest lion I had ever seen. It was as tall as an elephant and white as snow. My face froze as I groped around my inventory, searching for my weapons. They were nowhere to be seen. The lion was watching me, and I could see it was amused. There was something fishy going on.
"Are you... looking for something?" The lion spoke in a very regal and friendly tone. I nearly fainted.
"You can talk?" I stammered in an internal whirlwind of shock, fear, and confusion. It seemed more and more like I was in a child's bedtime story. The lion smiled and sat, looking at me curiously, his tail wagging leisurely without any ounce of worry or uncertainty.
"It would seem so, little one. Why are you here? What do you seek?" The lion asked. There was no trace of animosity or ill will in his eyes, yet I knew he had the power to destroy me with a thought. He was radiating power naturally. This wasn’t a lion. This was something, someone far greater.
"The winter, it's killing everyone in my village. I came on this journey to find the source of the winter and... uh..." My brain froze at that point. My motivation was more inclined towards killing the source of the winter, but if the entity responsible for the winter was anything like this lion, begging was the only option.
"Then you've come to the right place. You see, the source of everything, the weather included, is me." The lion said with a smile. I couldn't help but frown. The source of everything?
"Why?" I whispered, resentment brewing. "If you're the source of everything, why did you abandon us to the winter?"
"Sit, child." The lion softly commanded. The air around him changed as he got serious. He allowed me to sit first before circling around and settling down beside me. He sighed deeply.
"Like everything else, winter has a purpose. I created summertime to make your world comfortable to work, to sow in the land. I created winter so your hands will stay from work. There, men would rest from working and contemplate their existence and the world." The lion said. I could tell he wasn't defending himself. It made me angrier.
"We suffered for over a year in the bitter cold, losing our loved ones, watching the children suffer and die, and you tell me it's for rest?" I questioned resentfully. The lion looked sad as he listened.
"I have no pleasure in the death of anyone. What creator would I be if I delight in the destruction of my creation." He rose. "My winter exists for mercy, for preservation and correction. But I shall by no means allow the guilty to go unpunished."
"How are we guilty? What crimes have we committed?" I asked.
"Until now, you have disregarded my existence and replaced me with idols, engraved images, and even philosophies. You could perceive my existence, but I meant nothing to you. You carried on living in your pleasures, so I let you do as you please." The lion said, pained.
"But when things go wrong, you ascribe the faults to me. Are you not guilty? Did you not see two dark spirits? Did you not see an illusionary river? Do you all assume that the darkness comes from the creator and that good things come from doing evil? Do you think you won't be judged?"
"The blizzard you face is not from my hand. My winter passed long before, and the lands have been in the heat of summer. Why should I help you, seeing that you entered into my dominion to kill me? On what obligation should I allow you to return to the land of the living?" The lion questioned. I could see his hackles raised and his eyes glistening with pain and righteous anger.
I couldn't refute his argument, and all the anger in me vanished. All I felt was fear. I stood before an entity that had tolerated my existence and still had the guts to berate him. I also felt bad because we truly were in the wrong.
In the years before the unending winter, whenever we had a bountiful harvest, we would praise the sun, or praise the best farmer, or praise ourselves for being skilled in our craft. Our women bore children easily, and we praised our ancestors. We hunted, returning with fauns, and we praised the forest. We didn't acknowledge him for any of the good things.
I knelt in fear and repentance and pleaded.
"Forgive us for all we have done. Please show us mercy. The entire village is dying under dark power. Help us, and we will follow you." I bowed low, sincerely hoping he wouldn't hold grudges against us.
The lion relented, and the air around became calm. I looked up to see the lion looking towards the north. His mane tossed gently in the breeze. He looked regal.
"Go back into your body. I have heard your plea. As you return to your village, you will see a sign. The winter will end." He said.
I didn't understand what he meant, but I nodded anyway.
"By what name do we call you, Lord?" I asked. I would show my people all I've seen.
"Yah." He said. Right there, a wave of sleepiness hit me, and I fell instantly.
****
I found myself covered in snow, flat on the ground. Then it dawned on me. I had died of exhaustion and extreme cold. I laughed at myself as I recalled barraging Yah with resentful questions when my life was already in his hands. I got up and dusted the snow off.
On my way back to the village, I heard a rumbling, and I looked up to the sky. I saw something huge disintegrate. Right up there, I saw Yah look down at me gently before disappearing. Then I saw the sun and knew everything would be alright.
By the time I reached the village, the snow was thawing out, and the children were playing outside. After a very warm welcome, the whole village sat around me as I told them the tale of the lion, the purpose of winter, the sins we were guilty of, and the name of the one who saved us all. Yah.
Author's Note:
Perhaps you're passing through a time in your life, where you find no warmth, no peace, no joy, only fear. Is it the fear of living on, or the fear of death, or the fear of the future? You must know that your maker also made seasons, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest.
Understand that seasons have significance in the flow of time, and that you mustn't lose heart in the winter. Seek your maker in that season. He's calling you to rest.
Isaiah 55:10
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
Job 37:6-7
[6] For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.
[7] He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.
What took you so long 😂