(For those of you who have only begun walking the Warrior's Path in recent months, we have reposted last year's retelling of "Christmas on the Warrior's Path". It marks the beginning of a new season for the Warrior's Path blog, where you can expect to find a more consistent stream of encouraging and challenging posts.)
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“Enemy occupied territory – that’s what this world is.” -C.S. Lewis
Somewhere, flung across the vast reaches of deep heaven, a lone planet lies spellbound in the iron grip a cruel Enchanter. Enraged at the Emperor who rules this star system, this Enchanter, this Dark Lord, has fallen with malice upon the Emperor's beloved garden-planet, bent on destroying every last thing the Emperor once cherished. The Evil One succeeds – beyond even his own expectations, for the inhabitants of the Emperor’s garden-planet are more easily swayed than any other Race of Beings he has ever known. Longing for knowledge, desiring Power above all things, these pawns of his vengeance fall under the spell of the Dark Lord’s whispered promises and foolishly take sides in his Rebellion against the Emperor. But their new Master proves false: he hates these frail creatures with the same seething fury that burns in him for their Father, the Emperor, (for they once held within their reach the glory of becoming the heirs of all His Empire) and in joining him they do not find freedom, but bondage, and a Curse.
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In sorrow words cannot describe, the Emperor removes His hand from the garden, choosing to respect His children’s choice to reject Him...choosing to let them bear the inevitable consequences of having listened to the lies of His Enemy. From this point forward, His purpose must be veiled. Love, the heat and light and power that made the garden-planet, is shrouded by the mist of legend. The Deep Truths of foundations and beginnings and owed allegiences are forgotten, or hidden by black craft of cruel enchantment. The world is broken, its glory dimmed. Death reigns. Darkness has fallen. One by one the free kingdoms of the world are consumed by fire and sword, or sold into slavery to the new Ruler of the fates of Men.
Hope is all but lost.
And then…
Somewhere in the East of the World a rumor grows, a rumor full of hope unlooked-for, and aid from beyond the heavens in the midst of our darkest hour. Most take the rumor for just one more sweet dream of a people straining to be free from a life of cruel bondage. Others have dreamt similar dreams in the past – they are the sweet myths of the ancient world, dreams of a Good Power that will arise to contest the Evil and prove the stronger of the Two; dreams that all will be forgiven, love with reign once again, the garden restored, the Dark Lord banished to an everlasting doom. It is an old dream.
But this time…this time it is different. This time the rumors are true. A young woman bears a child, and it is claimed that the child is of no earthly father. Some say he is a messenger from beyond the circle of this world. Others say he is the True King, the foretold Dragon Slayer, born for the single purpose of rescuing the garden-planet and its people from the tyranny of the Dark Lord. All agree that he signals the beginning of an invasion – the first note in a swelling symphony of salvation: The Emperor has not forsaken his children after all.
No ‘Silent Night’ this, no peaceful slumber covers the countryside like a pristine blanket of new-fallen snow. The Emperor’s trusted servants, bright heavenly warriors wreathed in holy fire, wearing glittering helms studded with the precious gems they have earned in ancient wars before the founding of the world, walk the streets of Bethlehem disguised as lowly shepherds: their glory dimmed, their power hidden, their majesty cloaked. And despite the seemingly pastoral scene, a flaming sword stands guard on every hill top, and every bridge and narrow pass is bravely held against the gathering assault from the minions of the Dark Lord who also have heard rumors of the Return of the King. The Dragon will unleash all Hell to see the child destroyed, for if he grows to manhood, he will become more powerful than the Enemy could ever imagine.
But even after thousands of years of holding the master over this rebel outpost, the Darkness is powerless to defeat the coming dawn.
A star blazes low on the western horizon in flaming glory. "A light in the Darkness when all other lights have gone out". The True King has landed. Hope, against hope, is kindled once again.
Welcome to Christmas along The Warrior's Path. May you never see it the same again.
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Derrick and David
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