“I press toward the goal to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14 Modern English Version)
If you were to climb Mt. Everest, it would take somewhere between two to three months, depending on the climber. Your climb toward your destination takes a longer. It takes a lifetime. Climbing Mr. Everest usually involves stopping at four camps, each with their own unique challenges as the ascent goes higher and higher. Your climb most certainly will involve camping at more than four levels, depending on how long it takes you to overcome the prevailing conditions in your life; the toughness of the test, the turbulence of your troubles that have to be brought to a peaceful end, the tiring trials that requires much effort and the expending of much energy to eventually conquer, and the tremendous temptations that try to terminate you effort to keep climbing. Yes, your climb will require you to spend some time at various “campsites,” so that you can continue the climb, committed, and clear of your unique challenges. But keep the faith and continue climbing through one campsite spot after the other.
Being fair, I will say that the successful climbers of Mt. Everest have a start and a finish in this life. They can come back down and do other things. That is not the case with you, my friend. Your climb has no finish in this life. Your climb only ends when you reach that height that we call heaven. It is only then that you will not have to climb anymore. You will be too busy praising the Lord around the throne and interacting with the saints of God who finished the climb before you. Rejoice, for in spite of the fact that there is no end to your committed climb in this life, you have an eternity to spend at a height where you will never have to descend from…not ever. Have a tremendously good Tuesday my friend! Oh, here is a P.S. You will have some help on the way when the hills are hard to climb! Hallelujah! Praise God! Be blessed!
“But now, God’s Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
the One who got you started, Israel: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end—because I am God, your personal God.” (Isaiah 43:1-3 The Message Bible)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King