“There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen: The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.” – Job 28:7-8
A missionary was once transferred from one village to another, but because he did not know how to find his new village, he had to follow a guide through the dense jungle. This missionary began to be wary and questioned the guide as to whether their trail was in fact leading them to the right village. The missionary persisted to the point that the guide said, “See these wounds in my arms? See these scratches on my brow? See this machete? I made this trail!” At that point there were no more questions.
Our focus verse speaks of a place that the vulture’s eye has not seen, and the lions do not know exists. This is a place where we can commune with God—a place of peace and calm where no enemies lurk in the shadows, and there is no fear of interruption or attack. It is a place that cannot be destroyed by the things we experience in life, because it is hidden away from this world. No one is there but God and the soul who seeks Him.
Anyone can find this place of quietness, but we will not find it in the jungle. We find it on our knees by our beds, at the altars of our churches, in our prayer closets at home—we find it in prayer. Our Guide, Jesus, leads us along the path that He created—and we know He made the path because of the stripes on His back and His nail-scarred hands. When He died on the Cross, He made an entryway into the Holy of Holies, a place of solemn communion with God. That secret place of peace forms around us when we close ourselves in with Christ and fully surrender our will to Him.
One of our greatest endeavors in life is to find this place of full surrender. It cannot be seen with the naked eye, but the eye of faith knows that it is there and can find it by persevering in prayer until the light breaks through. And because of Jesus’ sacrifice, “whosoever will” may come to this haven of rest.
Have you seen the place which the vulture’s eye hath not seen? Have you walked where the fierce lions have not trodden? Our Guide knows where it is, and we have no reason to doubt where He leads. If we follow Him, He will take us there.
