Why Climb?
I was going through a sermon note notebook and found some notes under the caption “Why Climb?” I wrote down a question the pastor had asked, “Which are you? A valley dweller or a mountain climber?” Obviously, he was asking in regard to our spiritual life. Are you content to live in the valley with everyone else, or are you willing to look up, see the distant range of spiritual growth and determine to go where few go?
In answer to the question – Why Climb? He offered two answers:
1) to see God – to experience God like never before, like you can’t in the unchallenging valley.
2) to see our Life – to gain a new and more accurate perspective on where we are and where we need to be.
There is just something about mountain climbing that inspires many. In response to the question, “Why try to climb Mt. Everest?” George Leigh-Mallory, the great English mountaineer who died climbing that peak, said, “Because it is there.”
If there are greater heights you can go in your spiritual life – if it’s there – wouldn’t you like to experience it? The reality is that in day to day life, it’s extremely difficult to get the clarity we need to hear God. But the clean air of the mountains can clear our minds and our souls.
There are only five more openings for this Summit that may just be a life changing encounter with the Creator with a small group of other men also seeking to hear God above the noise of day to day ministry.
Tony Compolo once said, “Most people are born and eventually die – but never truly live. They tip toe through life hoping to arrive at death safely.” If this retreat is something you will regret not going on years from now, now is the time to make it happen!
Why go to Yosemite Summit? Because it’s there – a deeper walk with God that is.