“Teach me to do your will, for you
are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”(Psalm 143:10)
Carol and I went on a quick vacation to
Colorado recently. I love the mountains – the cool, thin air; the
ever-changing horizon; the awe-inspiring vistas at every turn of the
road or trail. One of our favorite destinations is the Rocky Mountain
National Park. There are dozens of trails with hundreds of miles of
exhilarating and breath-taking sights.
On our fourth day at the park, we were
driving along the Trail Ridge Road (the highest continuously paved
highway in the U.S.). This year we had Carol's sister and
brother-in-law, and a good friend from Texas with us. As we were
beginning to make our way down the road back to our cabin, I turned
to Bill (my brother-in-law) and said, “You know, there's a trail up
ahead that I've always wanted to hike. It will take us all the way
down into the park, and Carol can come pick us up in a couple of
hours.” Bill said, “Sounds like a good idea to me.”
So we pulled over at the Ute Trail
trailhead, and Bill and I got out of the car. We put a couple of
water bottles in a backpack, a rain jacket, and at the last minute I
grabbed the hat that Carol had put in the back of the car. We told
the women good-bye. Then I knocked on the car window, and when Carol
rolled the window down, I told her in my most serious dramatic voice,
“If anything happens to us, know that I love you.” Carol laughed
and said, “Be careful. I love you too.” Then I grinned, turned
around, and Bill and I began our six and a half mile hike.
The Ute Trail starts above tree line.
For the first two miles of our hike, we were treated to beautiful
mountain views on our right, and left, in front of us and behind us.
Above tree line, plants and animals have to scrap for life; the fierce winds and
the long winters make for harsh living conditions. Nevertheless, we
saw some beautiful wildflowers, some of them growing in lush green
grass, some of them growing in the shelter of big boulders.
The trail at that point was relatively
flat, and was well-worn. For the first two miles, Bill and I were
able to walk at a nice pace, given the high altitude (about 11,500
feet above sea level). After a little more than an hour, we could see
that the trail would begin to descend at a crest just beyond an
outcropping of rock. Then, as the saying goes, it would be all
downhill from there.
 |
A picture of me. Just before my trip
Notice that the trail is not flat.
And there are lots of rocks.
Photo credit: Bill Hays |
At the outcropping of rock, the trail
became less distinct. I was in the lead, with the backpack on my back
and my camera hanging around my neck. As I was walking along, I
looked to the left and to the right, trying to discern the trail. I
should've been looking straight ahead and down at my feet, because I
tripped on a rock. I don't really know what happened, but I know that
I stumbled a couple of times and then I was propelled head first into
a sizable rock on the ground.
Life lesson: When your foot hits a rock
that is firmly embedded in the ground, the rock wins. Every. Time.
And when your head is propelled into a rock that is firmly embedded
in the ground, the rock wins. Every. Time.
There I was, on all fours, at 11,500
feet. I let out some sort of guttural noise (maybe even a few choice
words), and grabbed my hand. I knew right away that I had cut my
head. Poor Bill, he saw the whole thing, and he got to me just as I
took off my hat and exposed my wound.
At this point, I need to say a word of
thanks to my Mom. Mom taught me a long time ago to keep a
handkerchief in my pocket. So I took my hanky out of my pocket and
pressed it on my head wound to stop the bleeding. It worked like a
charm.
Bill and I sat there for a few minutes.
I know my adrenalin was pumping, and I think Bill's was too. I took
stock of my state – no broken bones, no bruised knees or twisted
ankles. Just a gash on my head, and that was under control. So I said
to Bill, “I think we can make it all the way down to the trailhead
where Carol will be waiting for us. Let's go.”
We didn't have any first aid stuff with
us (another life lesson, I suppose). So I took off my sweatshirt and
tied it around my head to keep the handkerchief on the wound.
 |
Another picture of me. After my trip.
Photo credit: Bill Hays |
Dorky, but effective.
Fast forward to the end (because I know
you don't want to hear about the entire hike): We met up with Carol a
couple of hours later; she took me to the ER in Estes Park (shout out
to the fine people there!), where I was in and out in less than an
hour. My souvenir for the trip: seven staples in my head, and a
throbbing headache. We were back on the trail the next day.
After our return to South Carolina, I
found myself at my desk at home during my quiet time one morning.
These words of the psalmist jumped out at me:
“Teach me to do your will, for you
are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”Psalm 143:10
Hint: it's the part about “level
ground” that really struck a chord with me. I have learned that
level ground is much easier to navigate. It's also easier to stay
vertical on level ground.
What is true regarding the paths our
feet tread is also true regarding the path we choose to follow in
life. You see, if we veer from the way God leads us, we will find
ourselves on rocky soil. And we'll trip and fall. And probably get
hurt.
God has shown us the way we should go.
He has given us his word, the Bible.
“Your word is a lamp for my
feet, and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105) “How can a young
person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.”
(Psalm 119:9)
Even more, God has given us his Word,
Jesus Christ. “Follow me,” he says. “Come to me, and I will
give you rest.”
Look, I'm not narrowing God's word down
to a bunch of rules that say “thou shalt,” and “thou shalt
not.” To be sure, those are in the Bible, and we need to heed them.
But really, I'm talking about the life-giving nature of God's word.
Because the more our lives are informed by God's word, the more we
will discover God's love, God's righteousness, God's truth. And God's
truth is life. Abundant, everlasting life. Choose the level path that
God has made for you.
I learned a little bit about level
paths while I was in Colorado. But I also learned of the goodness of
God, who delivered me. Even though I stumbled and fell, God got me up
and he delivered me to safety. From now on, I'm going to be more
careful about the paths I choose to hike.
Listen, I know that sometimes we make
wrong choices, and we take the wrong path. And we stumble and fall.
But God is gracious and compassionate, and he will pick us up and
give us the opportunity to get on the right path again.
And again.
And again.
That's the kind of God we have. His love is everlasting.
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16)
The trail was closed on one end, so I turned around and walked back the way I had come down. As I made my way back up, I noticed a beautiful carpet of new green growth coming from the saturated ground. I stopped to take a picture (because that’s what I do when I see something beautiful), and then continued the hike back to the main gardens. Later that day I posted several of my pictures on Facebook (again, because that’s what I do when I have captured something beautiful on my camera).
