"Guns" part 3

Isaiah 40, Matt 5, 1 Corinthians 1, 2 Corinthians 2 & 7, Galatians 3, Ephesians 1 & 6, 1 Timothy 2 . . . and a host of others!
Revelation 21:7-8

“Guns of Navarone” part 3

The orders were very clear, though unexpected and almost inconceivable. Mallory, the expert climber, was just handed the most difficult task of his professional and military career. He had three days to prepare for the mission and train his team. He thinks the mission will surely fail. After arriving at the drop off point, through a terrible storm and an attack from the Germans, he was convinced the mission would fail. The storm, as it happens, has settled on the island. So, now Mallory’s inexperienced - practically novice - team must scale the 400’ vertical cliff at night . . . in the rain.


Sometimes (like mine presently) life appears just as Mallory’s cliff: a straight vertical climb, with all of nature fighting against your success – as if the climb itself isn’t struggle enough. As if God placed this insurmountable obstacle before you, challenges you to climb, and walks away. Before coming to Christ 3 years ago, I would and did allow these obstacles of life not only overwhelm me, but defeat me. In my own inabilities, failures, and losses, I would succumb to these obstacles and challenges, allowing each to make me bitterer and bitterer; allowing myself to run further and further away from God and toward my addiction, which little by little numbed me to living life. I look back, now with Christ as my all, and can’t fathom “how” I made it through any struggles – even the slightest- without the hope, peace, and comfort Christ brings.


I am never alone nor must I rely on myself to overcome any of these obstacles. Christ has overcome them already. Truly, regardless of any circumstances, if we remain focused on and centered in Christ, we can truly know and experience Christ’s over coming power and that unwavering peace that passes all understanding that accompanies it! We shall overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, we shall overcome! Paul stated like this, “That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times (meaning heaven)!!” So, sometimes I just have to remind myself that the worse my suffering and more wretched my life circumstances are here the greater and more glorious it will be in heaven!! AMEN!


By the way, I have read things like this in the past and thought, if not said, “Yeah, this guy’s never experienced anything like what I’m going through. It’s easy for him to think this way!” Not true, we each face insurmountable obstacles, addictions, crimes, job loss, attacks, etc., (whether as victim, perpetrator, or both) on different levels at different times – Christ transcends these! I don’t want to go back and forth nor give Satan any credit – but I’ll wager my past and the circumstances I face, have face, and will face are no greater, no less than any of yours (past, present, or future). “There’s nothing new under the sun……”


Knowing and, often, following God’s call is very similar to the task placed before Mallory. God’s timing isn’t our timing . . .it’s perfect. From my limited experience in this walk, this timing thing goes something like this: . . . . . . . .wait . . . . . . .preparation . . . . . . wait . . . . . . preparation . . . . . .wait . . . . .preparation . . . . .wait . . . .preparation . . wait . .preparation . . wait . comesatyouatthespeedoflight! Climbing a 400’ foot cliff . . . at night . . . in a storm is overwhelming and we must move carefully; each step and hold is only preparation for the next! As we move close to the summit, care, precision, precaution is even more important, because the dangers are greater. The higher we’re allowed to climb, the greater the distance we have to fall . . . .often taking others with us – either way we go. I’ve done my share of that . . . . .



You know, though, the cool thing is that God works all things to good for those that love Him! So, even though Miller was supposed to lead this effort, he slipped, fell about 40’, and broke his leg. They didn’t scrap the mission all together; adjustments were made and they kept on going! I hope and pray when I slip and fall, I don’t break my leg. But if that does happen, I can rest assured that God has a purpose in it and, guaranteed, His plan, His goal doesn’t change! The mission will still be accomplished . . . my role in it may have to be altered . . .


I often visualize those passages in Scripture about working out one’s salvation as climbing a cliff. Though I know it’s a stretch to mine theology from rock climbing, I think you understand what I’m saying. Though we are spiritually climbing that “wall,” it’s only through God’s power, grace, knowledge, and strength we are able to do so. When we rely on our own training, skill, and strength, we miserably fail.


Climbing these cliffs of life is a tricky task! Some are overcome by the appearance of shear impossibility of the task, others rely on themselves alone to achieve the feat; failure surely comes to both. Success isn’t ours to obtain, though. It’s God’s to give! Accept it! Yes, it is that easy. . . . . living and resting in that fact is part of the climb!


Interested in seeing what climbing the cliffs of Lethos would actually look like (had it actually been portrayed as in the movie)? Well, this comes close –


Remember: it was dark . . . and storming!


http:http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif//www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7VugoNIMDc&feature=related