Many years ago I along with some friends decided to climb to the top of the Mountains of the Moon. (The Ruwenzori Mountains in Uganda) Not being foolish by finding a trailhead and heading up on our own, we hired a guide. When we started out the guide pointed up the trail and told us he would be along in a while. “But wait,” I said to him, “shouldn’t you go first.” Looking at me he said, “My job is to get all of you safely to the top. If I am in front I don’t know what has happened behind me. I will be the last one into camp each night.” And so he was. Three days later we all were safely on top standing on the equator at noon on July 4 in a howling snow storm. This ranks near the very top of one of my best learned and most important lessons in life.
While Jesus says, “I am the Way” and “follow me”, he has an advantage our mountain guide did not have. Jesus knows where we are all the time. He can both lead and follow at the same time. Jesus is the Super Guide.
One of the things I noted when we were on the top of the mountain was there were dangerous snow curls hanging over the edges of cliffs and it would have been very easy to inadvertently walk out onto one and thus plunge to one’s death. Life is full of such deathtraps. Once again our Super Guide knows exactly where they are and if we follow Him we can be sure to safely miss each one. “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thou art with me.”
Written by Roger Bothwell on March 12, 2015
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org