December 23, 2009
“Roll over! Dig your axe in! Get up on your toes! Put all your weight on the axe! Hold fast! Hold fast!” All these thoughts were racing through my mind as we hurtled down the face of the glacier – four of us roped in and falling together. My hands and arms were scratched and bloodied from the ice crystals in the snow. My knuckles had gone numb from the cold and pounding. I was actually having to put into practice what we had been taught about self arrest techniques when climbing a glacier.
This summer my son Benjamin and I joined an expedition of fathers and sons to climb Mount Adams in Washington State. We flew into Portland, headed west up the Columbia River Gorge, then crossed the state line north to rendezvous with the rest of the group led by a Christian organization called On The Edge Adventures. It was a grueling multi-day hike which included a technical portion of climbing with crampons and climbing axes. To prepare for this, we spent a few hours training in self arrest techniques. In the event that you fall on the face of the glacier you have to know how to stop your descent to death. And, being that you are roped in with three other men, you have to know how to stop another man if he falls. So, there we were in teams of four standing across the mountain face having successfully completed our training. The instructors began to walk toward us and I could smell a rat. Something fishy was going on. The next thing we know, they had grabbed the rope between each of us and started running down the mountainside, which in turn, caused us to fall down and begin our “descent to death”. All of us were able to successfully self arrest, but not without a great degree of effort and discomfort.
Two observations I took away from this: 1. Whether we realize it or not, we are roped in with others in life – joined together. 2. Whether we want to be or not, we need to be roped in with others in life – joined together.
Your life is not an island. We are not alone – especially if we are married and have children. We are tied in with them and if we fall, we are pulling them with us. It’s not just about me – my decisions have consequences, both good and bad. We need to remember that there are others on our lines and we can lead them into life, or otherwise.
We also need to make sure that we are tied in with brothers who are willing to dig in to help us when we slip. Brothers we can call out to for help when we are falling. We need to keep the ropes of relationship in place so we can be cared for and care for others.
We are not alone on this journey. Our lives are joined with others and we need to make sure we are firmly tied into others lives – joined together. Let’s make sure we are roped in for life.
Ephesians 4:16
“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
Strength and courage,
David