The Golden Key

By Jeanne Page

In the dark of night, the Servant Girl is summoned to the Throne Room of the King where she is gifted with the mysterious Golden Key. With her Companion, she will unlock doors of discovery and journey to 'great' and 'unsearchable' places. Her story is a parable of prayer inspired by the sermons of Charles H. Spurgeon and expanded upon in the second half of this life-changing little book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jeanne Page
• Release date: Sep 12, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452368153

Jeanne Page

Jeanne Page began her lifelong journey into folk music at age 12, singing and accompanying herself on guitar. Since then, she has gravitated to focus primarily on the hammered dulcimer and Celtic harp and performs nationally with her band “The Next Chapter.” Jeanne is the director of two youth groups, "JUBALation" and "Jubal' KIds" and has several best selling instructional books and songbooks available through Mel Bay Publications. "The Golden Key" is Jeanne's first fiction/non-fiction publication. The second installment in this series, "The Singing Pilgrim" will be available in 2011. You can learn more about Jeanne by visiting her blog, at jeannepage.wordpress.com, her community blog at seeds2sow.wordpress.com and her band's website, www.thenextchapter.net .

Book preview

The Golden Key:

A Pilgrimage of Prayer

By Jeanne Page

Inspired by the Sermons of Charles H. Spurgeon

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2010 Jeanne Page

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This free ebook may be copied, distributed, reposted, reprinted and shared, provided it appears in its entirety without alteration, the author is cited, and the reader is not charged to access it. This work may not be used by anyone other than the original author for any commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please return to Smashwords.com to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

Contents

Introduction

Chapter One - The Summons

Chapter Two - Before the Throne

Chapter Three - The Golden Key

Chapter Four - The King's Garden

Chapter Five - The King's Vineyard

Chapter Six - Voices on a Mountain of Stone

Chapter Seven - The Lonely Wait

Chapter Eight - The Friend in the Furnace

Chapter Nine - The Golden Bowls and the New Song

Discussion (by Chapter) of The Golden Key parable, or Things I've Learned About Prayer That Somehow Worked Their Way Into This Story

Discussion Chapter One - The Summons

Discussion Chapter Two - Before the Throne

Discussion Chapter Three - The Golden Key

Discussion Chapter Four - The King's Garden

Discussion Chapter Five - The King's Vineyard

Discussion Chapter Six - Voices on a Mountain of Stone

Discussion Chapter Seven - The Lonely Wait

Discussion Chapter Eight - The Friend in the Furnace

Discussion Chapter Nine - The Golden Bowls and the New Song

List of Sermons by Charles H. Spurgeon that inspired this Parable

About the Author

Introduction

Welcome to The Golden Key: A Pilgrimage of Prayer! My prayer is that your relationship with Your King will deepen as a result of this journey.

The first nine chapters of this book comprise the story--the parable of 'The Servant Girl' and her journey after receiving The Golden Key from her King. At the end of each chapter you will find a series of questions for reflection concerning the main points of the parable, so that you may take a moment or two to consider what you have just read. As you will see, the parable is simply an opportunity to enjoy taking this pilgrimage of prayer alongside The Servant Girl. For those who want to explore the topic of prayer more deeply, though, the discussion portion will enhance your understanding of the main points brought out in the story. I like to call them Things I've learned about prayer that somehow worked their way into this story.

Before you begin on this prayer journey, though, I've included some questions for you to mull over for yourself--a chance to consider what you really do believe about prayer. May you be drawn into the Throne Room of The King as you take these first steps on your journey--your own pilgrimage of prayer.

Questions for Reflection

As a child, what were you taught about prayer?

As an adult, how has your understanding of prayer changed?

Describe your prayer life at its weakest point.

What puzzles you about prayer?

What are common struggles that we all face concerning prayer?

What keeps us from a deeper prayer life?

What can you imagine will happen if God deepens your prayer life?

What misconceptions have you held about prayer?

What is mysterious about prayer?

What do you think it means to be a prayer warrior?

What is the most profound thing God has taught you about prayer?

What is your deepest desire concerning prayer?

Chapter One

The Summons

Once upon a time…

…the heavens exhaled a warm and balmy breath. Wide clouds like river barges, floated lazily on the misty stream. The celestial current, now heavy and saturated by the ferries of fog, flowed lower still. With a sudden gust, the zephyr cascaded over an invisible edge like a frothy, veiled waterfall in the sky, leaving the clouds hovering above watching, and giving approval to its descent.

Downward it swirled, gaining momentum, dipping playfully-- darting here and there among the sea of Aspens. The trees, like an appreciative audience with their flat leafy hands stretched to the sky clapping with joy. With a roar of ovation the forest cheered it’s approval of the whirling dance—an untamed tempest.

And then away the wind dashed, now like a herd of wild stallions with hooves pounding across an open plain, gathering strength and speed and force, then leaping into the salt sea, kicking up the white foamy caps, running headlong into the thick, wide canvass of the sail, dragging the powerless boat beneath it forward, always forward. For hours and miles the black steeds of storm galloped across the waves.

With its energy spent, the wind slowed at last as it approached land once more. With puffs of air it blew the dust from cracks and crevasses, polishing twisted cobblestone lanes, flowing silent and unseen through the quiet village.

Still it slowed and now but a breath again, it glided like a dove, with a whisper of it’s wing tips rustling along the edge of the curtains as it passed through the open window. The breeze seemed to hover above the sleeping girl circling and descending until it’s soft feathers brushed against her heart and then melted into it.

The Servant Girl stirred, but did not awaken.

In sleep she smiled as the vision came to her…

The warmth of the morning sun flooded the courtyard where she knelt as she did every morning. A flat stone sprinkled with fine yellow-white dust rested before her. She dug her hand deep into the worn gunny sack beside her and scooped a mound of corn kernels onto the waiting surface. With a smaller stone, round and polished, and safely cradled in both palms of her hands, she began the process of grinding the kernels into powder. Back and forth she worked the flour between the two stones, just as she did every morning. But this was not like every morning. A shadow moved between her and the sun, gifting her with respite from the heat. She looked up in question at the source of the cool shade upon her and when she raised her eyes she beheld The One she had not expected—not this morning or any other morning--the High King, and Ruler of all.

His form was but a silhouette, for the sun’s rays behind Him seemed to burst forth like brilliant swords of light. She was blinded looking up at Him, and frustrated that she could not gaze upon His face for He was more like a shadow ablaze before her. The courtyard, her work, all sights and sounds melted into nothing while she knelt silently in His presence. She scarcely breathed as He gazed down on her for just a whisp of a moment. Something mysterious swirled within--something she couldn’t explain. A secret and noble stirring in her heart intensified in to a burning hunger that she had never before experienced. Oh she longed to see His face!

He stood in silence, yet somehow she heard His Voice. She was sure He had spoken to her, but she felt that she could not quite make out what He had said. She shielded her eyes with her hand, wishing that she could see Him clearly. She desperately longed for Him to speak again yet she dare not ask it of Him. He seemed to expect something of her, but then He turned and simply walked away. Her heart broke as she watched Him leave and she yearned to run after Him, to look full and unheeded into His face, to beg Him to stay, to plead for Him to speak to her again.

She had only met The King once when she was a very little girl, and although she had spent most of her life in His service working in the royal palace, she had never again had a close encounter with Him…until now. Like all of His servants, she had chosen to serve Him in any way that she could. She had fallen in love with Him as a little girl, and through the years she had been taught that He was a Good King: that He was a Loving King, and that He was a Just King. There were so many things she had learned about Him, but at that moment she found herself longing for something more. She didn’t want to just know about Him. She wanted to know Him. She wanted to love Him as a true Servant loves her King. And she wanted all that she did each day to be of true service to Him. Her heart burned for a deeper encounter—a relationship that she knew she was unworthy of wishing for. As she watched Him leave she felt the urge again to follow Him before this opportunity passed, yet He was The King, and she, the servant, and He was so very far away already…and moving further away still….

Come! The Voice whispered in the dark, and the curtains fluttered once more.

Something in the quiet command caused a quickening in her heart.

The bright colors of her vision blurred and faded as the Servant Girl wrestled her way to wakefulness. Her drowsy lids lifted, but the room was still clothed in black. She ran the back of her hand over her dream filled eyes and struggled to focus on the shadows of grey that lingered at her bedside. For a flash of a moment the silhouette reminded her of the one she had just seen and she thought she must still be dreaming.

Come! He said again.

Alert at last, but confused, she sat up in her bed. What? Come where? she stammered. Who….?

The Voice was quiet but insistent. The King has summoned you. Quickly! You must come now. Dress yourself. I wait in the hall.

She heard the hinges of the door creak as it opened.

But dawn is still hours away… She struggled to make sense of this sudden intrusion.

The King is about His business at all hours. He replied. Come—now. And the door creaked again as it closed behind Him.

The King had summoned her? Was she dreaming still? With trembling fingers she lit the small oil lamp by her bed. The dream continued to haunt her as she changed from her nightclothes to the work clothes she wore daily as a servant in the Great Palace. There must be a mistake, she thought. Why would The King send for her? She was sure that He didn’t even know who she was. Yes, she was quite sure, that the One who had summoned her was in error. She must explain to Him that someone had given Him the wrong information. Never before had such an order come to her and never in the dark of night.

Dressed now and with the lamp in her hand she opened the door to a momentary breeze which caused the flame in the little glass globe to flicker and dance. You won’t need that--you can leave it here, He said, and His words alone were like a puff of wind, extinguishing the glow of the lantern. It was true, a source of light emanated from the direction of His Voice. As she obediently replaced the lamp on the table she whispered, so as not to wake others still sleeping in the servant’s quarters. There must be some mistake… she began.

There is no mistake, He insisted. Come with Me.

Burning torches in wall mounts dimly lit the corridor and as He glided forward she fell in line behind Him. Through a maze of hallways He led her, turning down one, passing several open doors, then turning down another, more open doorways, and another hall, and another until she had completely lost her bearings. Where are we going? she asked, trying to keep up with His quick steps.

To The Throne Room.

She gasped and her feet were like stone, immoveable. The Throne Room?

Yes, He said without hesitation, and without slowing His pace.

She shook herself to break free from her momentary paralysis and hurried to catch up with Him. But I’ve never been there! she cried. I thought perhaps I was to prepare food for you to carry to Him, or clean a room for His use…

His only response was to turn still another corner into another hallway.

I’m just a Servant, she continued. I’ve never even been outside the servant quarters—not anywhere near where the King works and lives! She was near panic now and the threat of tears stung her eyes. What does He want with me?

He finally stopped and waited for her to catch up to Him. He has summoned you for a task. He started forward again, though slower now and asked, Are you not pleased that you’ve been chosen for an audience with Him?

Pleased?