Ah...time flies, doesn't it? The old saying implies it only flies when you're having fun, but I've modified that saying to this: Time flies whether you're having fun or not! All that to say I can't believe it's been a month since I've blogged!
Since then, we've had nearly all days with well over 100 degree highs. UGH! And no rain until just the past few days. I also took a vacation to Texas, where, amazingly, in July, of all months, it was actually cooler in Texas than it was in Oklahoma! As Bob Dylan penned, "The times, they are a-changin.'" Is that an understatement, or what?
But, on to more spiritual things. I had a lovely quiet time this morning, OUTSIDE, on my back patio. It was only 77 degrees! WAHOO! And, it was wonderful! I read several things that inspired me, but one thing, from 'Hinds' Feet on High Places,' reminded me of an experience I hadn't thought about in some time. If you've never read this book, it's by Hannah Hurnard and I suggest you do so. Anyway, in chapter nine, Much-Afraid, the main character, comes face-to-face with very high walls of rock. Now, you might think, big deal! But...she's to journey over these foreboding mountains! She declares, 'I can't do it; I can't. I shall never get to the High Places.'
Well, many years ago, I was hiking in the Rockies with two friends. Now, we were on man-made trails, so it wasn't terribly dangerous or anything. Interestingly, before we sat down to take a break, I'd been at the back of the group, or third in line, as we were going single-file. We took our break just before scrambling up the side of a short waterfall to get to a higher elevation with a beautiful lake. But when we resumed our hike, I was in the middle. I got about half way up...and froze! I was terrified that if I put my foot in the 'next obvious place,' I wouldn't have enough leverage to move upward, but would fall backwards. Karen was above me & offered me her hand, to pull me up. But, I was afraid I'd pull her down with me. Sally was below me and offered to push me up. That also made me afraid I'd fall backward and possibly knock her down on the way. If I'd been at the back, as I had been previously, I'd have gone back to our break-spot and waited for them (never making it to 'the high places.') The Lord had positioned me right where He wanted me. I was MUCH AFRAID, so prayed, as they did, that He'd help me up that cliff and the next thing I knew, I was there...with both my friends and on we went to the beautiful lake in 'the high places.'
The book is a spiritual analogy of our journey to the High Places, but I was struck as I recalled this long-ago incident of the personal spiritual analogy He'd given me. It was so similar to Much-Afraid's, even down to the name. It's easy to read this book and kind of sneer at her fear, at least it is for me. Yet, He reminded me that, yes, I'm still fearful, too. Perhaps the fear I despise in her is the fear I despise in myself. But, praise His Name, that's not the END! The end is that He has promised us hinds' feet so that we might be able to navigate those steep trails on our earthly journey! Is that not marvelous? Let me end with one of my favorite verses from Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places. Shall we allow Him to do so!
