Scripture:
Mark 2: 1-7
When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?
Five-minute Story:
Nearly five million people visit the Grand Canyon each year. It is certainly a popular ‘must see’ kind-of-place. In the summer, it can get crowded. Much like on a busy city street, a throng of people shuffles between hotels, restaurants, gift shops, ice cream parlors, and overlooks at the South Rim. People from all over the world converge on this spot to catch a glimpse of the vast and expansive canyon. Amid the gaggle of bodies, you need to be careful of the enthusiastic waving selfie-sticks.
Only a small percentage – less than five percent – of all those who go to the Grand Canyon descend a few yards down any one of the trails into the canyon. For those who choose and can invest the energy and time, the recompense challenges description. You enter a world that is vast and full of wonder. It surrounds. When you leave the rim, you depart from civilization for a time. Gone are the vehicles that make travel quick and convenient. Gone are the conveniences that we take for granted. There is no ice cream or snack shop along the way.
When you leave the rim at the Grand Canyon, you are on your own. Your feet. Your canteen. Your salty snacks (which are essential to replace depleted minerals and avoid dehydration.) You are responsible for your safety, and you must be aware of your physical capacity.
Over two decades before, my brother John and I hiked the Bright Angel Trail all the way down to Plateau Point. We were in our early twenties and foolishly did it with twenty-pound backpacks filled with items that we never used (or needed for that matter.) At the end of that day, there was no denying it - we were exhausted! But we had also experienced something that was remarkable. I pledged to myself; if at some point in the future I was able to take my family to the Grand Canyon, I was coming back. The Bright Angel Trail had not seen the end of me.
So, when I stood at the Bright Angel Trailhead with my family, I was filled with emotion. It was early in the morning, at sunrise. Our destination was Indian Gardens which was five miles down the steep, switchbacked trail. To get there, we would need to descend over three thousand feet. We packed a lunch for the oasis that was half-way down the canyon to the Colorado River. In canyon hiking the adage is “what goes down must come up.” Since we intended to do the hike in a single day, by the time we got back to the trailhead, our boots would log ten miles and over six thousand feet of elevation!
Without thinking about it too much – less we became discouraged before we started – we began our descent down the same trail that is used by the mules. I know what you are thinking! Stop. I was determined to provide my family with an experience that they would remember for a lifetime. Sometimes you simply need to get off the rim, leave the crowded places, and descent where life is tested, challenged, and ultimately is given a chance to exceed imagination.
A Bright Angel Trail story will appear at the end of each week of our 40-day trek. Today’s story sets the stage for what is to come – a descent of grand proportions that will test body and spirit. Caution – the path ahead is steep, rocky, and not for the faint of heart.
Reflection Questions:
When was the last time you carried someone who was in trouble or despair? Have you ever had the courage to tear apart the obstacles that separate others from God’s love? Did you ever need others to do these things for you?