Exercising Courage
Yosemite National
Park is one of my favorite places on earth! Its granite domes and spires
polished smooth by glaciation never fail to fill me with awe and wonder. Half
Dome, El Capitan, Glacier Point, Cathedral Rocks, Clouds Rest…their names only hint
at their beauty and massive size.
As a child, my
family often went camping in Yosemite Valley. During the day, we’d swim or go tubing in the
cold waters of the Merced River. The Mist trail was also a spectacular day
hike, following the river from the valley floor first to the Vernal Falls, then
upwards to Nevada Falls. There were a series of wet, steep steps on portions of
the trail which made the hike down from the falls challenging.
Sometimes we would take a tram to a popular
viewing destination overlooking the valley called Glacier Point. From that
overlook, there was a different view of the imposing Half Dome, the remaining portion
of a former giant granite dome.
There were often special programs offered in
the evenings at the amphitheater in the campground, one of those being the
“Fire Falls.” After a talk by a park ranger, we’d look up to Glacier Point
where we could see a faint glow. Then, someone at the top would shout “Let the
fire fall!” as a cascade of embers poured over the walls of the cliff, his
words echoing through the valley.
Occasionally rock
climbers could be seen scaling the formidable granite walls of El Capitan,
looking like ants in comparison. Their sheer courage as well as their skill was
always beyond comprehension. Standing with my head tilted back, I couldn’t
imagine how someone could climb it…nearly three thousand feet of slippery
polished granite.
But in 2017, a
young man made history by climbing El Capitan by himself without ropes or any
assistance. And he did it in three hours, fifty-six minutes! His climb was
documented in the awe-inspiring National Geographic movie, “Free Solo.”
It took expert
rock climber Alex Honnold eight years before he felt ready to free solo El
Capitan. He had carefully selected his route, analyzing each portion of it. But
still Alex was gripped by bouts of fear. There were a few falls, setbacks along
the way, including a sprained ankle, and times when he decided to turn back
because “things just didn’t feel right.”
His friend Peter,
who was also an experienced climber, helped him prepare. If something bad
happened to Alex and he had not done that beforehand, Peter would have felt
like he had let Alex down. He and Alex discussed the risks at length—both of
them had lost friends who were attempting free solo climbs.
Alex would have to
have complete focus throughout the entire climb; his life depended on it. They
talked about his having a warrior mentality, where “you face your fear because
your goal demands it.” And finally, Alex was ready to conquer the giant that
towered over him.
There were times
during the climb when even the camera crew, who had discussed amongst
themselves what to do if Alex fell, had to look away. They knew the extreme
danger, all being expert climbers themselves. Anxiety and concern were etched
on their faces. What a relief when they saw him reach the top!
It was an
emotional moment for Alex as well to have finally done the very thing he’d been
desiring yet dreading for the eight previous years.
Courage…sees danger
and yet stays the course, refusing to quit. Jesus knew what was going to happen
to Him from the beginning of His ministry, but remained faithful to God. His
courage was fueled by love, knowing that through His death many would be saved.
On the night of
His arrest, Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken
from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 NIV)
Shame, persecution,
torture, death lay ahead for Him. Jesus faced it with courage, enduring to the very end. Then came the
resurrection! Joy for Jesus! Salvation for us! Thank you, Jesus!
Hebrews 12:2-3 NIV
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