Keep tied to the Rope!

By Helen Jesze, 20^th November 2020

‘When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, LORD, supported me.’

Psalm 94, 18 NIV

‘For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone,’

Psalm 91, 11 + 12 NIV

At the foot of Mont Blanc in Switzerland, there was a little village called Chamouni. The villagers were used to having climbers start out from there, on their way to ascend the mountain, and they all took a lively interest in this.

One day a young doctor set out, roped to his guide, and successfully climbed to the top. The church bells were rung and the flag hoisted up, blowing in the breeze, announced the young man’s triumph. They had already descended a good distance, when the young doctor said to his guide, that he wanted to go the rest of the way alone, and that he was tired of being roped all the time.

The guide protested, saying it was for his own safety that they remained roped together, but the young man refused to listen. Having no other choice, the guide untied the rope and climbed safely down on his own. The young doctor started out, but slipped on a patch of ice and fell all the way down, landing on an icy slope. His pride and folly had cost him his life. How soon his victory had turned to tragedy!

In our Christian walk, we are safely ‘roped’ to our Saviour, Jesus, as we read and obey His Word, when we follow the guidance He gives us, when we seek to keep close to Him and listen for His instructions. But when we want to “do our own thing”, and chafe at the bit like a horse that has not been broken in, we walk on a dangerous path. The commands of the Lord are for our good and not to restrict us. He sees the road further along and we cannot see the dangers that lie ahead. How important it is to listen for and obey that “still small voice”.

Some missionary-evangelist friends, Tony and Marge Abram, were holding campaigns in India. One night they were going back to their living-quarters, trying to keep to the path, in the darkness. Suddenly Marge screamed out, “Tony, don’t move! Don’t go any further!” They shone their torch down and saw a huge black snake just in front of them! One or both of them could have been killed if Marge had not recognised the ‘rope’ of the Lord, holding them back, and if she had not learned to hear His voice.

This was a physical danger, but the Lord wants to warn us also of spiritual dangers, and keep us from falling into satan’s traps, which would harm or destroy us. Sometimes this happens quite unconsciously, and later on we find out that things could have turned out very differently, if we had not been tied securely with God’s ‘rope’.

I have found that in some areas I am quite willing to be attached to God’s ‘rope’, but that in others, I think I can go it alone. Some tumbles or disappointments which must inevitably come, or which God allows, show us that without Him, we can do nothing! Partial obedience is complete disobedience!

What about you today? How are you fixed?! Has your ‘rope’ become slack or dropped off altogether, or even been untied by you? If so, it’s time to get tied on quickly, so that your spiritual footing will become sure again and you will walk on your way safely. The Lord is merciful to forgive, if we confess our shortcomings and turn to Him with all our heart!

We may never climb Mont Blanc or Mt. Kilimanjaro, but Life has plenty of peaks for us to climb, and with our Lord’s help, we can scale them victoriously!