Mar 30 - "The Crag"

Psalm 31
"In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame; *
deliver me in your righteousness.
Incline your ear to me; *
make haste to deliver me.
Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold; *
for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.
Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *
for you are my tower of strength.
Into your hands I commend my spirit, *
for you have redeemed me,
O LORD, O God of truth."
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Just over a year ago, my wife Greta and I took a leap of faith. We had a whole series of events pointing us toward the fact that leaving Chicago and moving to live closer to family was what we were being called to do. It was a big risk. The real estate market was starting to turn sour and my company was in a major state of transition, which put our livelihood in question.

Nonetheless, we put our faith in God and He provided. When we started talking to friends about our decision to move, one of our neighbors made an offer on our house. At work, when I spoke to the head of my company about working remotely, he told me many of our executives were going to do the same thing to save on headquarters real estate costs and he supported my decision. When we came to Indianapolis to look for a place to live, we found our dream home at the very last stop on our list. We had been climbing along for quite a while, we put our faith in God and He gave us a place of rest. God is glorious!

When I read this Psalm, the word which speaks most directly to me is ‘crag’. A funny word, but one which brings to mind a beautiful, but dangerous picture of climbing up the face of a mountain. I imagine this…

…you start your climb at dawn. The morning light coming up brings your challenge into view. The low angle of the orange sun shows the stark contrast of rocks and ledges over which you will crawl in the coming day. You can almost see the path you will take: straight up here; angle to the left, then up over there; sideways to the right for a few feet, then up some more. Your heart beats quickly in anticipation for this journey, but you feel strong and sure.

As you progress, through the morning, your arms and legs start to feel the strain of the climb. With each pull to the next set of rocks, your arms quiver from the strain. Your fingertips are raw from gripping sharp edges. Your legs, fresh and strong just hours before have now become liabilities, shaking as your toes grasp onto tiny outcroppings. You have to keep moving up. You can’t stop because there is nowhere to rest, no easy place to recover.

At one point, you pull yourself to the next rock and realize, you’ve taken wrong path. Without knowing it, you have climbed into a spot which does allow you to easily move back down and head a different direction. The climb above you is almost straight up. Your arms and legs are shot and you can barely hold on. It would be easier to give up and let go… You pray for help.
But wait, out of the corner of your eye, you see a break in the sheer face on which you have been climbing. You crane your neck to the right and can see it. Could it be a place to rest, or is it a mirage? Have your weakness and desire combined to create something which does not really exist? You inch your way over and up just a bit more, using your last bit of strength. And there it is. A crag. The rocks have been split to form a resting place. You climb into the opening and drop in, exhausted. Your arms and legs finally are able to stop the constant push and pull. There is clean, cool water dripping from a spring in the rocks. Your thirst is quenched and you rest. God has provided.

So, as tough as life may seem at the moment, look for the strong rock; seek out the castle or the crag in which you can crawl to safety. It is likely within your reach, maybe just out of sight, but if you hang on, move forward just a bit more, He will be there for you. Put your faith in God and He will provide a place of rest and respite, before you have to move on, refreshed and renewed, to continue your climb.