The Ascent
First of all how did it get to August ( Also how has it been 2 years since I started this blog). I’ve been living a lot of life in the past 4 months. But I’m back here in my little space with all of you.
Yesterday I went on a hike with some friends, which has always been a favourite thing for me to do. I don’t know, there’s something about the combination of green bush and blue sky and brown earth that just centers me. And I needed to be grounded after the month I’ve had. I also find that God, more often than not, speaks to me in the journey. I’d like to share some of those thoughts with you guys today.
Holy Spirit wasted no time on this one and so my first reflection came shortly after arriving at the nature reserve. My friends and I took a quick look at the map- saw the paths that we could choose, looked at the distances of those paths and off we went.
Selah.
Choosing a path. In order to choose a path; a map would very well come in handy, I think. And those maps were drawn up by people more experienced than us as they had walked those trails and made the way so that we may be able to find our way. I think we all use some kind of map of life, whether they’ve been drawn up by family, past experience, personal preference or our beliefs. I’ve heard pastors refer to the Bible as a map. And in that very book it is written that the Word of God is a lamp into our feet and a light unto our PATH. (Paraphrased) The thing about a map is that you need to study it BEFORE you start your journey. You need to pre-plan your personal path by studying the paths that others have taken before you. That doesn’t mean that you can’t alter your path as it goes and create a completely different path, however in order to do something new you have to know what’s already been done.
The Ascent. Now as we continued on this journey we did in fact take a bit of a detour. We hit a fork in our path and one of my friends body language was just the motivation we needed to head down a different path. Now in life you will have to constantly be checking that you are going in the right direction, but don’t be too rigid on your path. Some of the best experiences happen off the beaten track. The proverbial road less travelled by. But make no mistake that detours don’t always mean beautiful scenery. Funnily enough the person who struggled most with where that path lead us was the same person who was itching to try this “other” path.
Our ascent was not a pretty one, it started off ok. But got a bit steeper as we went and the view left much to be desired. It is at this point that my friend wanted to head back down that same path that she was excited to explore and find a different way. We encouraged her to stick it out. Now here is the part that you would expect me to say that the view on the top was worth the climb. Allow me to disappoint. There was never much aesthetic appeal in this journey. I will say to you the same thing that I said to my friend: sometimes it is not about what you see, sometimes the reward of a difficult journey remains very much unseen. As a physiotherapist I knew that those uphill battles and the rough terrain was building muscle, that all of our lungs were learning to work a little bit harder, that our hearts were getting a little bit stronger. Rewards: unseen.
The Summit. We did however reach a bit of a summit. The peak of our climb, a small external and seen reward. Where the land leveled out and we could see the Sun creating a beautiful orange glow. At this summit there were a pile of rocks. They seemed to be a place holder of some kind but they reminded me of the altars that the Israelites would build. There was a single word ringing in my ear - Remembrance. See if I remember my bible stories correctly: God would instruct the Israelites to build Altars to Remember something He had just done for them. An enemy defeated, territory gained. The thing with the Israelites(and with us) that God knew is this: they suffered (more often than not) with amnesia. Time after time they would forget what God did for them. And so God had to help them to remember.
Let me end off with this: after the climb, when you reach summit points in your life, build a memorial in your mind and remember. Remember the time you took the unmarked path and created your own journey. Remember the struggle of the climb and the faith-muscle it built. Remember the previous summit-rest that God has brought you to.
Enjoy the journey friends, see you on the other side
Love and Light
Doe
