I’ve been working on this route for the last two months.  The Orange ‘X’ is a rock climbing route (or problem as they are appropriately called) in the bouldering room of our local climbing gym.  Consisting of a sit start to a small crimp, then progressing under a six foot wide roof to a couple of three finger pockets and a small nubbin of a toe hold from which one next needs to nail a small two finger pocket on a past vertical wall and lock off to a very distant and shallow incut, before finishing with a lunge behind the climber’s head to a large jug, the Orange ‘X’ route has become my obsession since it was set in September.  I love challenges, and this one had plenty of them.  Strength moves, balance moves, body position … I would be lucky to get a dozen attempts on it before I would be so exhausted that I could barely squeeze a door knob.  Injuries also plagued my attempts as did just the mental fatigue of failing over and over again.  

And yet there was something about that Orange route that kept drawing me.  Part of it was the difficulty that I had seen others have with it as well and a determination to do what few could do.  I was also haunted by another problem that I had worked on for weeks only to have someone take it down before I had mastered it.  Finally, there was also this need that I have to better myself, to make myself stronger.  It’s a belief that if you are not going forward, you are falling backward, and the only way to do that was to work at something that was just at the outer limit of my ability.  And so this afternoon, on what must have been at least my hundredth attempt, I did it, clean with no falls.  Hanging on that top hold, I just smiled with the satisfaction of a climb well done.

My work in the Kingdom could benefit from that kind of mentality.  In fact, isn’t that exactly what Jesus has invited us into?  A determination to do what few could do?  Our King told us that ‘small was the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’ (Matt 7:14).  Opportunities missed?  Ya, you might want to talk to Peter ‘bout that one.  Perhaps that is why he warned us to be ‘self controlled and alert’ (1 Peter 5:8). And as for testing our selves at the limit of our abilities, well James even had the audacity to suggest that we should ‘consider it pure joy …whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4).

You see, much like my Orange ‘X’ route, this Kingdom living that we are about requires the same determination and resolve.  And what else would we expect.  Everything worth accomplishing does.  It is what makes it a great route … or a great life for that matter.  You probably have no clue what a crimp, an incut or a jug is unless you have been rock climbing yourself, but I have no doubt that you, like me, have had to hold on to something that seemed impossible to grasp and subsequently have fallen time and time again.  Please don’t give up.  Please don’t stop trying.  Of course it is hard but it is not impossible.  Jesus promised to walk with us always, even to the ends of the earth.  That’s a pretty long route, but when you have finally figured it out, and you reach up and touch that last hold, then you will lean back, with a smile on your face to those words: ‘Well done’.

To the King,

David