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The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who
delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.
Psalm 37:23-24
delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.
Psalm 37:23-24
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I walked up a ski hill last week.
My husband and I were at a pastors’ conference at Boyne
Mountain near Petoskey. I had an hour of freedom, so I thought I’d go for a
wander up a hill.
Mountain near Petoskey. I had an hour of freedom, so I thought I’d go for a
wander up a hill.
It was a lovely walk at first. Scrubby crabgrass tickled my ankles. Dry brown grasshoppers popcorned in the
afternoon sunshine. Behind me a small lake had come into view, surrounded by
rolling hills of russet and gold.
afternoon sunshine. Behind me a small lake had come into view, surrounded by
rolling hills of russet and gold.
By the time I was half way up the slope, though, my heart was
thumping in protest. My legs wobbled and
whined, and my stone feet begged me to stop.
I wanted to make it to the top, but it wasn’t going to be easy.
thumping in protest. My legs wobbled and
whined, and my stone feet begged me to stop.
I wanted to make it to the top, but it wasn’t going to be easy.
When I finally took the last aching steps up that long, long
slope, lungs heaving, arms tingling, head light in exultation, I discovered…two
guys and a pickup truck.
slope, lungs heaving, arms tingling, head light in exultation, I discovered…two
guys and a pickup truck.
They raised their heads in surprise as a middle aged lady in
dress clothes came huffing up over the crown of the hill. I gave a little wave and turned around to
check out the view.
dress clothes came huffing up over the crown of the hill. I gave a little wave and turned around to
check out the view.
The top of a ski slope, it turns out, isn’t too
exciting. But that’s okay. The important part of the story isn’t the
top. It’s the climb.
exciting. But that’s okay. The important part of the story isn’t the
top. It’s the climb.
Life is full of hills. There’s the good stuff of life, and
there’s the bad stuff of life, and it’s all hills.
there’s the bad stuff of life, and it’s all hills.
However easy a hill may start out, by the time you get
halfway up, you’re going to be tired.
And you’re probably going to want to stop. Sometimes the best you can do
is to plod along, one foot in front of the other, and keep aiming for the top.
halfway up, you’re going to be tired.
And you’re probably going to want to stop. Sometimes the best you can do
is to plod along, one foot in front of the other, and keep aiming for the top.
Of course, the top of a hill isn’t always what you
expect. Sometimes you just get two guys
and a truck.
expect. Sometimes you just get two guys
and a truck.
But we look back and see the struggle to get there, and we
realize that it didn’t matter what was at the top. The value was in the climb. The holding on, the not giving up, the
grasshoppers along the way.
realize that it didn’t matter what was at the top. The value was in the climb. The holding on, the not giving up, the
grasshoppers along the way.
From the top we can look back down the hill and remember
that Someone climbed another hill for us.
We can watch the feet of our Savior as He plodded along, dragging a
cross all the way to the top. And we can witness the love that gives meaning to
our every little struggle up every little hill.
that Someone climbed another hill for us.
We can watch the feet of our Savior as He plodded along, dragging a
cross all the way to the top. And we can witness the love that gives meaning to
our every little struggle up every little hill.
———-
I met Marissa in the ladies’ room at Boyne Mountain. We exchanged pleasantries, but when she learned
I was there with a group of churchy-types she started telling me her story.
I was there with a group of churchy-types she started telling me her story.
It hurt to listen to it.
And it hurt her to tell it. But
she couldn’t stop pouring out the details of the difficulties she and her
family were enduring. She told me of
unfairness and heartaches and mistakes and betrayals.
And it hurt her to tell it. But
she couldn’t stop pouring out the details of the difficulties she and her
family were enduring. She told me of
unfairness and heartaches and mistakes and betrayals.
Every moment I expected her to lash out at our group of
cheerful Christians, to bring them to task for filling the world with false
hope about a God who did not take care of His creations.
cheerful Christians, to bring them to task for filling the world with false
hope about a God who did not take care of His creations.
And then Marissa, crushed by her world, looked at me and
said, “I still believe in Jesus Christ. But
even Jesus Christ wouldn’t put up with this life.”
said, “I still believe in Jesus Christ. But
even Jesus Christ wouldn’t put up with this life.”
She was so hurt. And
so sad. Her hill was so steep that she
didn’t know if she could make it. But
Marissa, with every reason to give up, clung to her Savior. This strong, fragile woman with rebellious
eyes and defiant chin chose to claim as her own a name that she might just as
well have used as a curse.
so sad. Her hill was so steep that she
didn’t know if she could make it. But
Marissa, with every reason to give up, clung to her Savior. This strong, fragile woman with rebellious
eyes and defiant chin chose to claim as her own a name that she might just as
well have used as a curse.
There in the middle of a bathroom in the middle of a church
worker conference, God was using the strength of a stranger to show me
something I needed desperately to see.
He showed me how to make it up a hill.
worker conference, God was using the strength of a stranger to show me
something I needed desperately to see.
He showed me how to make it up a hill.
And you know what?
She was right. Jesus wouldn’t put
up with the hurt she was facing. He
wouldn’t see her wounded heart and do nothing about it. Love wouldn’t let Him. He picked up a cross and carried it….up a
hill. For Marissa. For us. For the sake
of all who climb hills of hurt, who need something to hold on to.
She was right. Jesus wouldn’t put
up with the hurt she was facing. He
wouldn’t see her wounded heart and do nothing about it. Love wouldn’t let Him. He picked up a cross and carried it….up a
hill. For Marissa. For us. For the sake
of all who climb hills of hurt, who need something to hold on to.
———-
Hills, hills. Looming
large and frightening. Leaping with joyous grasshoppers. We go up them all, one
foot in front of the other…our Savior by our side.
large and frightening. Leaping with joyous grasshoppers. We go up them all, one
foot in front of the other…our Savior by our side.
First published in The Alpena News, October 19, 2013
Julie J. Riddle 