Photo by Jenny Venturo
“Arrest! Arrest!” we all shouted frantically.
No, we were not witnessing a crime. There were no policemen, police cars, or handcuffs. It was just the seven of us, practicing our mountaineering skills on the snowy slopes of East Spanish Peak, Colorado. It wasn’t just because we were excited to use our new ice axes, although that was definitely part of it. We have been planning for weeks to climb some mountains in Colorado, and we wanted to make sure everybody knew the proper way to traverse the slopes and stop a fall.
By the time we were finished, the snow on the side of the mountain was deeply gouged - evidence of our determination to perfect the “self-arrest”. First we had to climb the slope, which was not only steep but covered with several feet of snow. This meant we had to climb on our hands and knees, using our ice axes to grab the snow and heave ourselves up. Then, we had to fall. Because in order to practice stopping a fall, you of course have to practice falling. We all knew the proper technique, because for weeks we had practiced it on the RV floor, and then on a blanket in the grass, before trying it here.
First we tried “falling” feet first, on our backsides. The key is to “arrest” the fall in the first second, before gaining momentum. We would flip over, pressing our shoulders into the back of the axe to grind the pick into the snow and stop the fall. When we mastered that we tried to simulate other falling positions. It was not as glamorous and coordinated as it sounds, especially when it was my turn!
It was exhausting, it was hilarious, and it was a lot of fun. And I hope we never have to use the self-arrest for an actual fall. But it is nice to be prepared. We learned though, that the skill is useless if you are not anticipating a fall. If you are walking along, thinking about whatever pops into your head, and you slip, there is not enough time to utilize the self-arrest and you could tumble down the mountain and injure yourself - or worse. You have to be ready. You have to hold your ice axe properly and you have to think about each step. You have to be mentally prepared for a fall - you have to see it coming and be ready to respond with the self-arrest.
As I was walking along in the snow with my ice axe poised, I thought about how easy it would be to get distracted and fall. It took all my concentration. And it got me thinking about my Christian walk. How easy it is to slip. How the devil is lurking about just waiting for me to fall head over heels into sin. I hear a juicy tidbit about somebody and talk about it - out of concern, of course . . slip! I go through a difficult time and start to complain . . . slip! I see something I shouldn’t and take another look . . . slip!
When you walk with an ice axe, sometimes you slip, but if you are ready, you can stop the fall. Hopefully the parallel is obvious. We have got to anticipate where and when we are going to be tempted and go very carefully! If we do slip, we must be ready to “arrest!”
Of course, if my whole reason for climbing a mountain is to avoid falling, I will get exhausted pretty quickly and probably give up. The reason we climb is to summit! As we pick our way along the steep ice and snow, we think about the top of the mountain. We stop to look at the peak. That is what we want - and that makes it worth it.
As I struggle along in my Christian life, it would be easy to call it quits if I didn’t have my eyes on my Savior. I must take time to stop and look at Him. He is what I want. My love for Him and my desire to please Him makes it worth it!
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:8-11.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Used by permission. All rights reserved.