YOU HAVE TO TRUST IN YOUR GUIDE

The “Kilimanjaro Warriors” recently reached the summit of the mountain after a grueling climb.  Several hundred make the challenging climb up the highest mountain in Africa every year.  What made this climb so unique and newsworthy?  The people belonging to the “Kilimanjaro Warriors” are wounded military veterans, many of which are amputees.  One of the climbers described the exhilaration of climbing the mountain and the agony of falling, skinned knees and the fear experienced as he descended.  He finished his story with these words, “The climb is not complete until you get to the bottom.”

The brave warrior’s words grabbed my attention, “The climb is not complete until you get to the bottom.”  Thinking over my life, sometimes it seems I have slid downhill a whole lot more than climbed the mountain.  That is impossible of course because you can’t go down the mountain unless you have already stood on the peaks.  So thinking about the times of climbing and descending in my life, I began to examine the differences between going up and coming down.  Why does the ascent seem easier than the descent?  Why does the anticipation of reaching the summit give you a kick of adrenaline but the exhilaration of reaching the goal swiftly fades as you make your way to the bottom?

When you are in the process of climbing, your focus is upward.  You can mark the progress and you reach a new “plateau” every day.  With every new height reached, you are met with a widening view of the scenery, a new experience, an exciting discovery; you overcome the challenges successfully because you want to reach the top.  You can see each ledge and toe hold clearly as you pull yourself up the mountain.  Finally you reach the summit and the whole world is laid out before you as your reward.  The air is clear, you can see for miles. Exhausted?  Yes, but the adrenaline kicks in and you are convinced that this place is where you were always meant to live.

After a few hours or days on top of the mountain, the granola bars just don’t satisfy, there are no streams from which to replenish your dwindling water supply, the exhilaration has waned and the view becomes familiar.  It is time to descend because in actuality your climb is only halfway complete.  The backpack is lighter now and suddenly you notice the “clear air” is really a strong wind that seems to relentlessly buffet your tired body.  The same path that you climbed up is the same path you will follow down but the footholds are backwards and seem less sure.  There are times when you must turn on your belly and blindly feel by faith, for the rocky ledge that was a welcome boost as you climbed upward.  Now, can you imagine being an amputee and going through this whole process.  You try to feel the rocky ledge but you have no feeling in your prosthetic limbs to tell your brain that you are on secure footing.  As the “wounded warrior” stated, “That’s when you have to trust your guide.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

Weary “Fellow-descender,” we all come to places in our descent from the peaks when we just have to TRUST OUR GUIDE.  He’s been down the mountain before; He knows the path.  You may feel as if you are dangling in midair on the side of a steep mountain but TRUST YOUR GUIDE.  You may have tripped and fallen, your knees may be raw and bleeding and you have lost sight of the summit’s beautiful panoramic view, but TRUST YOUR GUIDE. 

Finally you reach the bottom of the mountain and lie down in the soft warm grass.  A trickling brook promises cool refreshing waters and visions of a hot supper fill your mind.  You’ve made it; YOU’VE REACHED THE BOTTOM, THE CLIMB IS COMPLETE!!!

DO YOU HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN?

Benjamin Franklin wrote, “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.”  With that in mind, it is always good to have a “Contingency Plan” just in case the unexpected happens to the best laid plans.   I have often had to resort to “Plan B” when “Plan A” just wouldn’t come together.  It is a good thing to keep “Plan B” close when planning a party, cooking a dinner or picking out the perfect outfit for the occasion, but what about when we commit to following the Will of God?  God has ONE PLAN.  It is perfect so there is no need for a Contingency Plan.  The Bible gives us some examples of individuals who thought “Plan A” could use a little refining but always, “Plan B” didn’t turn out so well for them.

One of the first examples occurred in the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land.  The people were hungry and God rained down manna.  “Plan A” was that the people would gather just enough for today (except the day before the Sabbath) and trust God that He would provide for tomorrow.  Perhaps fear and hunger replaced trust or maybe they thought they could save some energy, but some decided to institute “Plan B” and gathered enough for today and tomorrow.  Well “Plan B” resulted in wormy manna and the people discovered “Plan A” was just fine.  A few years later, Joshua led the Israelites against the city of Jericho.  “Plan A” was to abstain from all the spoil of war with certain items being consecrated to the Lord and put into the treasury.  A man named Achan decided on “Plan B” and took a Babylonian garment, gold and silver, hiding them under his tent.  Once again “Plan B” didn’t work out so well, the Israelite army was defeated in their next battle, at AI and it ultimately resulted in the death of Achan and his entire family.  There are other examples in the Bible of people setting aside the Plan of God and instituting a Contingency Plan of their own.  Every time “Plan B” ended in disaster.

Let’s take a look at the people who put unwavering faith in the plan of God with no thought of a contingency plan; “just in case.”  Noah obeyed by building the ark and getting into it when God said “it’s time.”  There was one door, which God shut and Noah and his family were saved according to “Plan A”.  The account of Elisha as he prepares to follow Elijah says, he took the yoke of oxen, he had been plowing with, slaughtered them, used the yoke for firewood to roast them, fed the people and left.  Talk about burning bridges….Elisha burned the whole team of oxen; there would be no “Plan B” to come back to if “Plan A” didn’t work. As a result of Elisha sticking to “Plan A” with no contingency plan, he was given a “double portion” of Elijah’s anointing.   Finally, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were ordered by Nebuchadnezzar to bow to the image with the threat of death for disobedience.  “Plan A” said, “Thou shall have no other gods before me.”  Daniel 3:16-18 proves that the 3 men never considered “Plan B;” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”  Their faith in the Plan of God with no consideration for contingencies brought them through the fire, through the flood, built a nation and performed great miracles; God still rewards that kind of faith…If one person will dare to embrace “Plan A” with no contingencies.

Three times in my adult life has God said “GO.”  Even with my crazy personality of planning and lists, I understood that Steve and I had to follow “Plan A.”  We left family, friends, jobs, sold houses, packed up the kids and went.  Things didn’t always turn out the way we envisioned but the Blessing of God has been abundant.  FAITH says, “I may not understand the details but I trust in the Plan Maker, so I will go.”  FAITH says, “I wouldn’t do it this way but I’m following HIS WAY, so I trust it is for my good.”  FAITH says, “I cannot see the path clearly but my hand is held firmly by my Loving Father and when the way gets rough, I will be carried in His strong arms, so I keep walking.” 

God has always had only ONE PLAN; “Plan A.”  When you commit to follow God there can be NO CONTINGENCIES. You may have to kill and roast the oxen, build a boat or go through a fiery furnace.  It requires FAITH, TRUST, and COMMITMENT but His plan is perfect and it makes packing for the journey a whole lot easier.

STILL IN THE RACE

Our years are comprised of a lifetime of seasons; spring, summer, autumn and winter.  Every season is full of success, drama, crisis, failure and hope; hope that the next season will be better than the last.  During “Spring,” we are invincible; the “world is our oyster;” whatever that means. Nothing is impossible if we are willing to go get it.  As we move into “Summer,” reality sets in, our dreams mature and we begin to fill our trophy case with accomplishments.  Oh sure, we let go of some dreams but so many still await us, just over the horizon.  “Autumn” brings a “midlife crisis.”  Our trophy case looks a bit empty and some of the trophies have become a bit tarnished.  We begin to realize that the trophies of some dreams have been won by another and will never fill our case, so we get a tattoo, buy a Harley or go Zip Lining to remind ourselves and our world, “we’ve still got it.”  It is the “Winter” that brings peace.  Life slows down and we begin to reflect on the things that were. The unrealized dreams fade in their importance and we realize that the trophies are just reminders of the Legacy of our Life. 

I began to examine my own Trophy Case.  As I loving held each trophy, the memories flooded my mind.  Oh the feeling of accomplishment, as I accepted this one.  The hard work that went into receiving that one; oh yah, girl, you certainly earned that one.  I moved down the shelf and pulled out 2^nd and 3^rd place awards.  I put forth just as much effort for these but the memories weren’t quite as sweet.  I still heard my name called, stood on the stand, and still received an award; I just hadn’t been able to accomplish all that I desired.  Then I spied the most precious trophy in my collection.

Way in the back, practically unnoticed and a little tarnished sits a small trophy.  The engraved plaque reads simply, “PARTICIPATION.”  The others represent accomplishments and fulfilled dreams but this small award is my Legacy.  I haven’t always been in first place but I’M STILL IN THE RACE.  I may have stumbled, taken a wrong turn or stopped to get my second wind along the way, but I’M STILL IN THE RACE.  I can’t quite see the Finish Line yet, but I hear the cheers from a “great crowd of witnesses” and I’M STILL IN THE RACE.

The Apostle Paul gives us a glimpse into his “Trophy Case” in 2 Timothy 4:6-7 “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

What a Legacy.  Paul had no way of knowing that over 2,000 years later his simple words in a letter to his beloved Timothy would live on to encourage and spur millions toward the finish line.  The trophy may read simply, “PARTICIPATION” but look closely and you will see a few battle scars from the fight and a few scrapes from stumbling along the route.  Your lungs may be screaming for air and your muscles may have expended all their energy but your faith stands strong and you are STILL IN THE RACE.  The trophy is just a memento but Paul reminds all who participate and finish of the real award in verse 8,  ^“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”  

Don’t stop now, keep running!  We can all be 1^st Place winners and a Crown of Righteousness waits, if you STAY IN THE RACE!!!