False Summits

Patriot Point on AT

False Summits

In 2017, my nephew Adam and I hiked many miles on the AT together.  The picture to the left was made in NY State on a peak called Patriot Point.  The New York City skyline is visible on the horizon.

When you meet fellow thru hikers on the AT, you exchange information about what's up ahead so you can be aware of various challenges.  Quite often this related to seeing a snake alongside the path.  Those warnings never panned out and only served to turn on my "snake radar" for no purpose; making the next mile or so just that much harder.  However, one piece of advice which always proved helpful was the warning about how many "false summits" the upcoming mountain climb presented.

A false summit is just what the name implies.  When you approach such a point on the trail, and they are always associated with a turn or curve, you have the distinct impression that at long last you have reached the summit and it will be all down hill from that point.  Yippeee!  Then you turn the curve and there you view the trail continuing on at the same steep grade.  Yikes!  The Cheoah Bald, located near Bryson City, NC, had at least 11 of them.  Knowing that fact ahead of time serves to reduce the frustration and sense of despair a tired, hungry hiker has to deal with, especially during the latter hours of the day.

The image of a false summit can be applied to the Christian life in various ways.  For example, Hebrews 13:14 says "For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come."  This statement follows the writer's plea for disciples of Jesus to be willing to follow the example of Jesus who willingly endured suffering and rejection to achieve eternal results.  So the "city that is to come" is the real summit; everything else on our path to eternity with God (heaven) is just a false summit.

What a blessing it is for weary pilgrims to have this warning from God.  This warning instills hope when life presents us with challenges, rejection, persecution and all sorts of hardships, making our life's path appear like its winding on a grade too steep to handle.  What a joy and privilege it is to have access to God's Word, the Bible, and to be a member of a believing community where it is taught, preached and obeyed.

One major goal we seek to achieve as we work with Sudanese refugees is to supply them with a copy of God's Word, so they can also be warned and equipped.  We mainly do this by supplying it in digital format on MP3 players or micro SD cards which they can place in their cell phones.  We also teach them Bible stories which they can hide in their hearts, using the two Calvary Road Ministry produced Story Cloths.

Please consider helping us continue with such ministry by making a donation at www.calvaryroadministries.com.  See the "donate" tab and choose the "While it Is Still Day" option.

David