An Incomplete Analogy

I like analogies. They usually cause me to think about something in a different way and deeper than I normally would. Since I've been doing a lot of climbing in place of shoulder therapy lately I almost feel like I'm back in college. For those of you who don't climb, I'll try to explain a little better.

I was working on a new overhanging route at the gym. It was definitely pushing my limits but I can always let go before I do anymore damage to my shoulder. I was stuck at one obstacle and asked a couple of climbers who were better than me for advice. "You've got to cut away your feet" they said. For those of you who don't climb or are just starting, this is bad energy and strength management. It means putting all your weight on your arms (hmm, bad shoulder) and then using your core muscles to prevent flying backwards off the hand holds and instead moving in a controlled manner to the other side. And once you start the move you're committed or dangling. Doable, but takes a lot of strength away from the rest of the climb and is usually seen in novice climbers but with more flailing.

Anyway, where I was going with this... We all talk about Christ as the Rock (although right now I'd like to think of God as the rope). I've thinking about my walk with Christ and some of it's similarities to climbing with shoulder rehab. The first step was placing my feet on the rock (critical in faith and climbing) and study the Rock. Not only to learn but to know well. Each obstacle to overcome meant spending more time with the Rock, and once you're past one...don't worry there'll be another. Yet there comes a time when I need to commit, trust, and focus on the Rock and path not any hestitations, fears, or personal limitations. (That's where this analogy is incomplete--faith wise I would never want to take my feet off the Rock. And when we reach out to Christ he grabs on to us as well. Try to get that out of any rocks in the Chugach!) So when I'm moving along Christ's path and am uncertain of something, climbing tells me to try the route, commit to it, and if I fall...well I'm wearing a rope. God will catch me. I don't need to worry about what would happen without God...that's covered.

So my whole stint of back to school and trying for this med school stuff. God's got me sailing through 5.13s (102% in A&P so far)....

God bless and don't be afraid to take some risks.