A few years ago I was in a painful season of life, feeling placed on the back burner and forgotten. It was during this time that the Lord gave me Sir Knight of the Splendid Way. After reading chapter 7, ‘The Nameless Knight,’ I couldn’t get the book out of my head. I thought about the truths revealed in that chapter every day during that season, and many days since.

The story unfolds with a remote and lonely outpost, tucked into the hills and away from the sun. At this outpost lives an old Keeper of the Well who has been faithfully keeping the well for most of his life. When he was a young man,

“eager-hearted… fired by the hope of youth and fortified by the courage of faith…” (pg. 124)

he had dreams and aspirations of living an adventurous life for his King. But on finding one of the King’s precious wells unattended, he knew he must keep watch until a warden was sent. Day after day he faithfully manned his post, yet as summer turned into winter and winter melted into spring no warden ever came.

"Other men he saw go by to do the great deeds that he might have done, but for him there was no release, no call to nobler duty… But never for a day was that lonely post left unguarded” (pg. 124).

I often feel confused about where the Lord is leading me in my life, and why things haven’t shaped up to what I wanted or expected. The picture of my life is a puzzle to me, with so many random pieces that don’t seem to fit together. So many experiences that are preparing me for… what? I don’t know! I think I have dreams and passions, and yet my skill set doesn’t seem to fit into them, or the opportunity never comes my way. I’m constantly faced with the question of why the Lord would cultivate a dream in my heart if it must be just as constantly set aside.

There seem to be only two purposes for such desires:

1) Fulfillment: When the Lord fulfills the desires of the heart and you are fully able to glorify Him by living out His purpose in the way He whispered into the heart so long ago.

2) Sacrifice: When you trust in the Lord with all your heart and honor Him by giving back to Him that which was so precious, and saying instead “Lord, you are all I need” (2 Sam 24:24).

When Sir Constant, the protagonist of the book, takes a break from his knight’s quest at the outpost, he gets to know the nameless Keeper of the Well and the humble life he leads. Sir Constant marvels at the joy the Keeper of the Well takes in only serving a cup of cold water to weary travelers, blessing each one with the invitation to drink “in the King’s Name!” (pg. 119) (Matt 10:42), and wonders why the King chose not to use the Keeper of the Well for a more worthy calling in life. But then,

“it came to him…that the cry of the old Keeper of the Well—'In the King's Name!’ though but the frail and unwavering motto of a humble servitor, had kinship with the battle-cry of a noble knight in a close and deadly fight.” (pg. 119)

The battle of discontentment in my own life, born out of pride and festering jealousy, is a difficult one. Every day is a fight to humble myself and glorify my Lord where he has me right now. Professor Colin Smith once said something I'll never forget,

“Humility is having a proper view of your position and God’s position in the universe.”

God is my maker and my Lord. I have no right to feel discontent with what He is under no obligation to give me. Everything I have is a gift (James 1:17).

On his last day to live, the Warden is so weak that he needs help getting to the well, yet still he keeps watch and serves those who need a drink (pg. 119). It was on this day that a Shepherd comes to rest at the well awhile, telling the Warden and Sir Constant beautiful tales of the valley below and the Place of Fair Waters. The river which runs through this valley is so clear and noble that it is said the face of the King can be seen smiling there. The Warden listens with delight to the story about this place of which he knew nothing! It was a barren wasteland when he passed through so many years ago, yet now, because of the faithfulness of the Warden the well outpost has flowed into the land and cultivated it into a fruitful and beautiful valley (pg. 123). And when the Keeper of the Well learns from this Shepherd that the identity of the well’s keeper is completely overlooked in light of the King, he says,

“And that is enough.... it is ten thousand times more than enough!” (pg. 123)

This story, told in such beautiful and rich notes, has given me much to think about. Who can understand why the Lord has called them to their particular duty? The battle may rage fiercely and my pride may rise to join the enemy’s side, but yet I can trust one thing: my God is sovereign.

I still don’t have answers to many of my questions, but I know God has me right where I am for a reason. He knows my heart better than I do. He knows what's best for me. My job is to trust Him, to recognize His place and my place in this universe, and submit to His ultimate authority.

There’s so much more packed into just this one chapter, let alone the rest of the book, I’ve barely skimmed the surface. This book changed my life. In the big moments and in the small moments I think of Sir Nameless, and how I’m called to be him too. May my heart echo his cry, and find comfort in the sayings of the King,

“never for an hour wast thou forgotten, for I came often to see him who kept the well… For the King forgets none who are faithful.” (pg. 128)