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Rock Creek, by Bradley Cleveland

Rock Creek, by Bradley Cleveland

Up High

Tim Riter May 26, 2014

Down low, mid May arrives

aspen buds burst into leaves of soft, shimmering green

            a green that softens the harsh winter white and gray

creekside trails beckon travelers

            wide and clear

            almost a Sierra highway

            as eager fishermen compete for four feet of creek space

 

Up high, early April survives

aspen buds yield just a hint of the green that May will bring

            the promise of a spring yet unsprung

faint trails, some almost nonexistent

            make sightings of fellow fishermen as rare as the open space below

 

Up high feeds my soul

like down low could never dream

 

 

Even when loving people, I need relief from them. Even when loving the comforts of civilization, like warm showers and soft beds, I need the relief of more primitive living. Even when loving the ease of modern life, I need the relief of challenge. Of going up high. Of going beyond beaten paths.

Two points. At least, that’s the plan right now. First, to fully follow Christ, to best be the person God created us to be, we need a holy dissatisfaction with the status quo. A college prof, decades ago, defined that Latin term as “the mess we’re now in

 Paul knew that: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him” (Philippians 3:10). Ah, to dream the impossible dream, right? But he also knew he hadn’t made it: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on” (verse 12).

Knowing who God was, knowing who Jesus was, knowing who he was, gave Paul a keen awareness not only that he hadn’t been formed enough, but that he needed to press on, to strain toward greater Christlikeness.

 But. Inertia impacts spiritual formation. A body at rest tends to remain at rest, until acted upon by an outside force.

 Second, we’re all like that—needing some external force to push us out of our comfort zone and into God’s high country. God should be that force, but I’ve found he often uses external aids.

 Rock Creek, tumbling down an eastern Sierra canyon, does that for me. If another fisherman is spotted, I move up higher. The brush that I have to push through gets thicker. Fewer holes can be found. But I see God’s grandeur and less of man’s creation. Rock Creek humbles me even as I grasp God’s love that provides all this beauty for us people. I re-center. The greater difficulty of up high pushes me into God’s arms. I like that.

 So, I go up high.

 Kick Starting the Discussion

 How satisfied are you with your spiritual connection with God right now? How satisfied do you suppose he might be? Do you have a Rock Creek, something that reminds you of your need to grow and connects you more tightly with God? If not, why not? What do you do to feed your soul? Is it regular enough? How can you press on toward knowing Jesus more?

 

InHappenings TagsRock Creek, Solitude, Spiritual Inertia, Status Quo, Press on, Spiritual Formation
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TimGlacierMcDonald.jpg

A bit of an unreconstructed Jesus freak. Almost old enough to have known him when he walked this world. About 27 on the inside. Investing his life in university and teen students. Inveterate cross country motorcycle rider. Nature lover. Entranced with the power of written and spoken words. Still learning.

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