I love rock climbing! It's mentally and physically challenging, and I'm pretty sure that God loves it too. What other sport do you start by looking straight up to God while praying non-stop and then praising God when you're done?
Harness…check. Shoes…check. Helmet…check, check. Then you find a buddy, who in the next few minutes will hold your life in their hands. So, what do you do? You find the biggest, burliest friend that you have. One that could bench press a dump truck. You then proceed to place one end of the rope through your harness and back out again taking the tail of the rope around your figure eight then you finish the knot up with a safety grapevine and an overhand to finish it off. All the while, thinking to yourself, "man that looks like a hangman's noose"! "Did I just tie a noose around my own waist?" You take a couple of deep breathes and think to yourself, "it will be okay, you don't want your buddy to see you cry". You lean back in your harness a little, just to make sure "your buddy" is on top of things and can hold your weight at a moments notice. So help you if he lets you fall, you will hobble, creep or crawl over to him on broken bones and kick the snot out of him!
The time has come and you put your game face on. Ready, climb on! You start out and this is fun! Reach, grab, stand, repeat and repeat again. Now you are nearing the middle of the pitch and your arms are burning as you continue your ascent. Reach, grab and stretch. Now your legs, all of the sudden, are mimicking the same action as your dogs when scratching his itchy belly. Your brain starts sending messages down to you legs like a drill sergeant; "come on guys pull it together, and your only option is UP"! Is it raining? Nope you are producing the water works. Sweat is running out of pores you didn't know you had and muscles are screaming "you did this to me"! Pushing away from the wall just enough to lift your eyes upward to see that there is truly a pinnacle, a horizon, glory to God in the highest. Surely you will live to see another day! With the target in sight, a new found strength pushes you on towards the prize. You reach, grab, and stand. You're almost there now. Reach, grab and stand. Victory at last! Kiss the rock, kiss the anchor and if someone was up there with you, you would kiss them too! You get a good grip on the rock and yell over your shoulder, "hey guys I made it, y'all can start calling me the human lizard"!
A command come from the bottom of the pitch, "let go of the rock face and put all your weight in the harness". You look down toward the speck on the ground that is speaking, thinking to yourself, "they must be talking to someone else". Then with a quick gaze around, you notice the command is for you alone. So, as a safety measure, you shriek back "you want me to WHAT?" But you know the only way down is the direct route you had taken up. So, you raise your chin, square your shoulders, shout "ready and take". Then you drop all you weight into the harness as you place your legs wide for a good base and keep you eyes on the rock face. Slowly you feel your stomach drop then catch when the slack is taken from the rope. Finally, your feet touch the ground and a permanent grin is on your face. Your hard work is over, you did it! You have just finished a task that can not be accomplished by everyone. It was your first climb and you met the challenge that was set in place for you. Well done!
All joking aside, my journey to being more like Christ looks very much like that of a rock climber. I pray that I start every day, every decision and every chapter in my life by looking up for guidance. I know that God gives us the equipment we need in order to be more like him, just like every piece of gear a climber wears helps him in any situation he may face. I will continue to place my faith and trust on the solid rock. I want to keep reaching and seeking for a better understanding of who God is and what he wants with my life. And just like every climber, after he has reached the top of his pitch, he will go and seek another one to farther his skill level and technique. I aspire to never be satisfied with where I am and always keep striving to be more like him!
A command come from the bottom of the pitch, "let go of the rock face and put all your weight in the harness". You look down toward the speck on the ground that is speaking, thinking to yourself, "they must be talking to someone else". Then with a quick gaze around, you notice the command is for you alone. So, as a safety measure, you shriek back "you want me to WHAT?" But you know the only way down is the direct route you had taken up. So, you raise your chin, square your shoulders, shout "ready and take". Then you drop all you weight into the harness as you place your legs wide for a good base and keep you eyes on the rock face. Slowly you feel your stomach drop then catch when the slack is taken from the rope. Finally, your feet touch the ground and a permanent grin is on your face. Your hard work is over, you did it! You have just finished a task that can not be accomplished by everyone. It was your first climb and you met the challenge that was set in place for you. Well done!
All joking aside, my journey to being more like Christ looks very much like that of a rock climber. I pray that I start every day, every decision and every chapter in my life by looking up for guidance. I know that God gives us the equipment we need in order to be more like him, just like every piece of gear a climber wears helps him in any situation he may face. I will continue to place my faith and trust on the solid rock. I want to keep reaching and seeking for a better understanding of who God is and what he wants with my life. And just like every climber, after he has reached the top of his pitch, he will go and seek another one to farther his skill level and technique. I aspire to never be satisfied with where I am and always keep striving to be more like him!
I love this! Is there any sort of Outdoor Christian magazine you could submit it to? This is wonderful. I felt all the emotions with you. Good writing friend.
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