I’ve been fascinated to read the story of the two American climbers who have succeeded this week in climbing to the top of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California. El Capitan’s Dawn Wall is a 3,000 foot sheer granite rock face and for 19 days, Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell attempted what many considered impossible on one of the world's most difficult climbs and succeeded in being the first to "free climb" the sheer face of El Capitan's Dawn Wall.
To prevent certain death should they have fallen they were attached to safety ropes and harnesses that they anchored into the granite face as they moved upward but did not use any other ropes or climbing aids to reach the top. Both of the men trained for more than five years for this challenge, and have battled bloodied fingers and unseasonably warm weather. The duo often climbed at dusk or later, using headlamps to see, because the rock at that time was cold and so kept their fingers and hands from sweating and slipping.
What amazed me was their sleeping quarters. On a sheer rock face for 19 days, sleep was done in a tent attached to the side of the rock. The official name for such things is a ‘portaledge’. I’ve heard of coming aside to rest, but the sight of this tent attached to a 90 degree rock face was something to behold! And yet thinking about it, how else were they to recuperate each day? On hearing the news of the successful climb, President Obama sent his congratulations saying the men "remind us that anything is possible."
This weekend, as a corps we each have had opportunity to take time to step aside from the busyness of life to stop and pray. In essence we have stopped climbing and have pitched our tent on the rockface! In Mark 10, after his dialogue with the wealthy young man, Jesus tells his doubting disciples, “All things are possible with God.” When we take time to stop and quietly wait and seek for God, he opens our eyes to the whole raft of His nature. He reminds us who He is and what He can do; He reminds us of who we are and what we can be and more importantly he reminds us that with Him anything is possible! We might not climb 3,000 foot rock faces, but in God where we can be knows no bounds!
Open our eyes, Lord! We want to see!
Every blessing,
Major Adrian