Coming Down The Mountain - Part 5

As we left the shed and started to descend the trail, I was feeling very frightened. As I looked down the trail we had come up and thought of the steep inclines and slippery snow, I could imagine how I would keep from falling and possibly being seriously hurt. How could we ever make it down? Back down the mountain we started. This is how it went. Step, step, fall. Hold Mel’s hand. Step, step, slip. Step, step, fall. We did this little exercise long enough to realize that our return journey was going to be even longer and harder than our hike up.

All of a sudden, I became aware of a man standing just below me on the trail. I didn’t notice where he came from, but there he stood, holding his hand out to me. I remember thinking, “What a friendly person.” I looked at his mountain-wise attire including his high and dry hiking boots. “How kind of him to shake everyone’s hand as he zooms down the mountain decked out in his ‘four-wheeling’ boots.” I took his hand and shook it, smiling. As I tried to withdraw my hand from his grasp, he refused to let go of it. “Hold on. I’m going to help you down this mountain. You’ve taken more steps on this mountain, today, than anyone.”

For the next several hours we inched our way down the steep, icy trail. Often we were side-stepping. Always, he was ahead of me, planting himself and allowing me slide my slick tennis shoe into the side of his big boots. Sometimes I just held onto his backpack and skied down behind him. At other times I held onto his back pack, looked down at the small patch of snow covered ground between him and I, and put my feet carefully into his footprints. Over and over again, step after tedious and often dangerous step, he supported me. From the moment he took my hand and for all the hours it took for us to work our way down the mountain, I kept thinking, “I can’t believe he’s really doing this for me!”

In humility, I heard the Spirit of Truth whisper to me: “I can’t believe he is doing this for me!” How often in life, when people are struggling do you simply give them a hearty handshake and a good wish and send them on their way, when what they really need is constant, painstaking, time-consuming help getting off the mountain, whatever that mountain is for them. With each step I hoped that I could become more prepared and willing to go the distance with the people the Lord brings into my life.

This next message, I suppose, was the most profound message that came to me during this experience. The spirit spoke, "This strong selfless man who somehow knows your need and is willing to sacrifice himself in your behalf is doing for you what the Lord Jesus Christ will do for you at all times, if you allow Him. He knows you. He knows how many steps you have taken on life’s treacherous path. He knows what your handicaps are, and He loves you. He loves you so much that he bled from every pore to receive the power from the Father to bring you down life’s mountain, not just having survived the ordeal, but changed and prepared for Eternal life.

Nannette, everyone is ill equipped to conquer this trail alone. Your savior on the mountain was capable of helping you down a trail miles long, but your Savior Jesus Christ has the love and power to help all who come unto Him. You who are aware of His love and power must direct other strugglers to Him in word and in deed. You can bear testimony of His assistance by telling others how He is helping us. You can move ahead each day with enthusiasm and faith in Him, so that others may “see your good works and glorify” not you, but Him. Finally, you can literally be empowered by Him to help others who cross your path. He often uses others as his hands and feet and voice. If you want to help Him you must know, like your friend on the mountain knew, that giving someone a hand, a real hand, requires the gift of self."

To be Continued. (one more time)
By Nannette W.
Posted Saturday, August 30, 2008

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