Background —
In January of 2019, West Virginia University hired Neal Brown as their new football coach. In June of 2019, he released a tweet acknowledging there is a rebuilding process that is underway and that it will take time. He summed it up in a catchy phrase: Trust The Climb. This phrase has gained momentum and usage throughout the WVU nation. Even though (as of 23-Oct-2019), WVU is 3 - 4 on the season, fans across the country are reminding themselves that they can "Trust the Climb."
Connection —
I'm not that much of a football fan. I'll pay attention a little, here and there. But as I kept reading and hearing this phrase, "Trust the Climb" I started thinking about Hannah Hurnard's book Hinds' Feet on High Places. Immediately I was reminded that the character Much Afraid had to trust the Shepherd to bring her up to the heights. And the path chosen for her was not the easy one, nor was it the route that went the straightest. In fact it went to and through places that Much Afraid did not want at all. Yet she had to trust her Shepherd to make the climb.
The Take Home—
Isn't this, though, exactly what we're supposed to do in our spiritual journey, climbing up to Emmanuel's Land? We've never been there before; we don't know the way; there are many obstacles to overcome. Surely if we chose the route ourselves, we would end up in a world of hurt, trouble and misfortune—to say the least. But we have a Great Shepherd who has our eternal good in mind. We may trust the climb because He is the One leading and guiding us—and, in fact, has promised never to leave us nor forsake us! If Mountaineer Fans can trust a coach, how much more can we, as God's chosen people, trust our Heavenly Father and our Older Brother, Christ Jesus, as we climb home!
