A Supernatural Perspective

"I am fearfully and wonderfully made..." -Ps.

My friends and I hiked up to the Pickle Jar Lakes in Kananaskis, Alberta to go fishing but I myself did not fish. I astutely [clear throat] noticed an upward sloping cliff beside us that beaconed me to climb up it. The climb started off horizontally (but not levelly) and gradually sloped up. I had to crawl over randomly spewed blocks of stone, one or two cubic metres each, until I reached the upward slope.

The blocks gradually diminished in size. When they were about a cubic foot, these jagged and sharp rocks not only began to slide down behind me, but they also slid down toward me (I always wondered why rock climbers wore helmets). For the rest of the climb these rocks were shifty and unreliable.

As the angle of the climb increased, a huge slab of rock offered itself as a refuge from the danger of sudden death (or gruesome injury). It was as if I was climbing up inside of some tube, forced by gravity to the centre of the tube, covered in slippery slime - naturally present because we live in this world. On my left, sloping upward, was this solid rock. It offered a continuous supply of finger holds, but I still had to push up on the shifting rocks. However, every time there was a mini-avalanche of rocks, I could cling to this huge slab as a refuge.

'I will turn my mind into a parable...' I began to pray, 'God is my refuge, a sure help in time of trial.' The shifting rocks represented the things of this world like wealth and honor. I will use them for the climb upward toward heaven, but it is irrational to put my trust in them. My ability to perceive my environment and the small centre of balance that upheld me represented my ability to perceive truth.

So during this climb I had to cling to this face as a sure refuge. I know whoever meditates on the face of the suffering Christ already consoles him, and it will be eternal blessedness to gaze upon His face in eternity. And not just see Him - to touch Him...To smell Him...To hear Him speak to us in the silence... and yes...to taste Him. "Taste and see that the Lord is good..." "Take, eat, this is my body..." "Live in Me and I will live in you."