Trail Theology
He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me on my high places. 2 Samuel 22:34 NASB
My high places – “Just keep going up. At first you won’t see it, but just keep going up.” We were four miles into the climb. Not a hike. A climb. Every step was altitude gain. And every step hurt. Being over sixty was almost incompatible with the trail to Chilnuala Falls. Wondering if we were ever going to get there, we met a young woman coming down. “How much further?” “Oh, maybe another half-hour,” translated into forty-five minutes at our rate. “But it’s really great. Just keep going up.”
There we were, back at “keep enduring the pain.” Why? Because of the promise of something great, a promise based on the word of someone we didn’t know about a place we had never been. Suddenly I realized that this trail was a lesson in theology.
We have a promise. God makes it. When we arrive, it will be magnificent. It will all be worth it. But now, on the trail, it’s all about the painful next step. Now it’s just the belief in the promise, the evidence of the fact that someone else has been there. Now it’s all about trusting that the report is a good one. We met another lady on this trail.
“What’s it like up ahead?” “Oh, no problem. The trail flattens out.” She lied. Probably not intentionally. She just thought the trail got easier. It didn’t. It just kept going up. So we kept going up. Now we were committed to making it to the top even if the promise didn’t turn out to be true. Now it was a matter of stamina and resolve. Just keep going up.
We arrived. Awesome!
Then I thought, “But now we have to go down.” And going down, back to the lowland of everyday reality, was more painful than going up. Every step down jammed the toes into the shoes. Every step down made the knees hurt. I fell once (a loose rock). She fell once (slippery pine needles). Going down was awful, alleviated only by the memory of the realized promise. Another lesson. When you reach the top, you still have to descend again. You might have the vision of grandeur dancing before your eyes, but you still have to descend—and it hurts. Up hurts. Down hurts. Not in the same way, of course, but nevertheless, uncomfortable. Like life. You see, it’s not over when you arrive at the promised height. It’s not over until you carry the memory of the wonder back to the world below. God might set your feet on high places, but He does so only to provide meaning for the trip back to life in the valley. Remember, it’s my high places—those moments of spiritual magnificence that are yours alone—those moments that prepare you for the long path down.
Topical Index: bamotay, my high places, vision, life, 2 Samuel 22:34
Awesome picture thanks Skip…
Paul said our citizenship is in heaven from where we expect our salvation.
First would this citizenship refer to collective brotherhood for a church or rather our internal personalization of what we have learned concerning YHVH will.
Secondly if Yeshua be salvation would this be an indication of being called as Sons and Daughters or anointed servants should we stay in Jerusalem in discussion of God’s will till separated by the Holy Spirit…
And yes I can appreciate the fact that your climb was easier than the decent. Just as it may be easier to be equipped as a servant than what it is to actually be one…
Walking a path of nature. Walking in light.
Walking a path of deception. Walking in darkness. Walking a path of denial. Walking in danger. Walking a path of accountability. Walking in guidance. Walking a path of obedience. Walking in Yeshua. Walking a path of faith. Walking in YHVH.
Awesome view, can imagine standing at the top in awe of his Majesty!
Your story of your hike sore feet and are we there yet, the journey.
Reminds me of G-d’s GPS (Godly Personal Support) In the book of Numbers..
My thoughts . LOL moments in the book of numbers..and, gratitude, to those that welcome change adapt or are stuck in transition , journeys, of any kind ..
in the book of Numbers, the past few years , this books is amazing to me, it has opened my heart and new ideas this year studying and re-reading, seeking new commentary .. .We read of all sort of conflicts, loss, delegations, systems, community, real life collisions, leader skill developments , relational conflicts with G-d, and man, trust issues , clarity seekers and issues of lack of it , courage , humility , fear, acknowledging our circumstances, moving towards a chance of freedom, waiting in difficulties discomfort, both individual and communally. Numbers is a book of leadership transition and Destination without shared vision at times Archery or a mindset , because of change and transition or based on G-d, GPS, expected waiting, detouring from a normal three days journey into years.. Author, Dr. Eric Brown in her book “Leadership In The Wilderness ; Authority and Anarchy in the Book of Numbers”, writes “The future will only look like the present if you do not allow it look like anything else,” “Life, is change and numerous ,” ” Transitions in the journey in the wilderness, are transitions and are not to be confused with destinations “..
LOL moments or thoughts for me..in thought in this book..Numbers
The tribe of the Gershonites . They seem so intriguing to me, based on vulnerability, risk of their do or die , type of job , their closeness to G-d.. Maybe I might of named us the Gershonites instead , Judahites, based on how much we move, relocate as forever in history.
The Gershonites are literally the movers . I haven’t seen , too many moving companies called by this name or association. LOL, a Jewish moving company.. I would named them ” Desert Movers” The Gershointe Brothers Inc. LLC., there slogan, we travel in a community , A G-dly moving journey , we have years of experienced in desert journeys for over 2000 years… it may take some time please be patient during your wait for delivery ..we stop for clouds , fires ….
Wouldn’t they be holy just by osmosis or designation and position over time with closeness to the cloud , fire and ark?? Movers like the Gershonites are not the Hollywood or a Hollywood in this book .. may be understated, but, I think important, they all involve risks , of many kind, and keep showing up .
My prayer, for transitions and destinations
Adonai we seek you, each moment of this wilderness journey, we ask for your heavenly help, blessings of courage to rise above the failings our stumbling, resistant wandering, the humility to ask for help. Adonai be our strength, our safe place, may we turn towards you, seek changeable solutions, help me in patience’s in this process , a zeal and openness to learn, grow, show me where I am resistant.
Adonai , we pray for heavenly help in transitions, hold us close with your loving embrace, touch our eyes and remove our slumber , dry our tears, give us enthusiasm and a new hope even here in this place of uncertainly , transitions , change, loss. and isolation.
Wash over us with your word as a cleansing Mikvah, may it be as a balm of love over life’s scrapes, cuts , bruises, loss grief, pain of despair in mourning as hemorrhages of heart’ s , during the journey in the wilderness and narrow places of the unknowing , uncertainties , may we seek you more and grow in trusting you more , love and care, and trust can’t be measures in human awards, but by little experiences with you in this place.. Thank you for your boundaries and even the little places of joy, celebrations and of peace .
We praise you and thank you may your Shalom Aleichem boundaries of Peace surround our minds an hearts and words.. if only moments , we give thanks.. You are our hope our destination.. Amen..
CW, ” the Hebrew words: Shalom Aleichem are translated by the official language-Urdu- of the Pakistani people as salaam alaikum. Meaning the blessings of God upon you. I receive the peace you sent out with the Hebrew greeting; somehow just reading it gave me joy and His Peace. And a reminder of our need for The Creator of the Universe’s boundaries– YES. Thanks-
Walking a path of love. Walking in Love.
Hi Skip, I would say compared to most people, your life is pretty sublime. All the places and things you’ve seen. Most people are lucky if they make it to their local park five miles down the road for a walk in nature. Shalom!
This TW really spoke to me today. In other words, it pushed a few buttons. I read an email again I wrote about a year ago talking to a friend about honesty and deception. I was pointing out their errors in these things. And today I realized my deception again. My dishonesty. No, it wasn’t the first time I had made this acknowlegement to myself. Now I’m just owning it here in this community. Doing versus being. Good paradigm shift.
What triggered it was thinking about these trails or paths we walk. And some of the ones I’ve been on. Walking the path of righteousness. Or the trail of righteousness. I’ve taken the wrong path so many times in the past. It led to some very dark places. I choose to walk this new path with YHVH as my guide.
I appreciate your sentiment that my life is sublime, but that’s the way it looks from the outside. Inside is a man who knows a lot of dark trails, destructive steps and a steep struggle. It’s the way of most of us. We all look much better on the outside, but it is the inside that God sees and that we know so well. If only my life were just as wonderful on the inside as it appears on the outside. But then maybe I wouldn’t be able to write about the pain on finding out who we are.
In one of your TWs’ you wrote if you don’t know what to do, ask God. I did. He answered through this TW. Shalom Shalom.
Been there, done that too!
Had to climb steeply much more than 200 unending steps and pathways. upwards to see the center of a volcanic crater! When you are half-way, you have no choice, no options whatsoever to go up or down! You wonder why you took that journey in the first instance. And then go up you must, not to be defeated that you had already gone half the way, it would be a waste of effort to go back down and achieve nothing. We stood there for a breather, and met some folks coming down too.
They kindly encouraged us, “not far to go now” , “it’s worth it”.
Didn’t think we could go any further, nor another step! But, we pushed on, not turning around to look down,it was a long way. Can we make it down afterwards? That utilizes another set of leg muscles going down , with the fear we could stumble downhill too. Pushing that thought aside, we struggled onwards, barely able to lift our legs.
Miraculously, we got to the top, and back down! And, the view? To look way down into the wide crater.
I would prefer that breath-taking, simply refreshing waterfall in TW.
Thank you Skip, I really needed this story today and thank you CW for such a great prayer.