The Adventurous Climb
A compilation
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Habakkuk 3:17–19 expresses the faith of the prophet in the face of troubled times: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.”
When we run with hinds’ feet on high places, treading “on the heights,” we live above our circumstances. God gives us the grace, courage, and inner strength we need to press on to attain new heights and experience new vistas. … And like a deer on a mountain slope, we step boldly into whatever God has called us to do. …
God is the Solid Rock that never fails (Psalm 144:1–2). With God’s promises as our strong foundation, we can walk in freedom and courage, as unafraid and undaunted as a deer leaping on high places.—GotQuestions.org1
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I recently climbed Table Mountain, here in South Africa, and what a wonder it is! A flat-topped mountain smack-dab in the middle of a city, overlooking two oceans, and with a mountain range dubbed “The 12 Apostles” right behind it. It’s over 3,500 feet (1,066 m) high and teeming with gorgeous vegetation, birds, wild animals, rocks, and cliffs, but my favorite thing about it is the breathtaking view!
We set out for the climb in the early morning and arrived at the starting point just before dawn. As we walked up, we watched the sun rise and the city begin to wake. We encountered others also making their way to the top, equally determined to take advantage of an early start.
At first, the climb felt grueling. I was out of breath and had to make a few stops to rest and drink water. The rest of the group kept going, and I felt as if I were being left behind. My husband (a Table Mountain veteran) stayed by my side, giving me encouragement and reassurance that I was doing well. A couple of times, we even caught up with the rest of the group at a rest stop before they went on.
With aching limbs and much laughter in good company, we, the slow ones, made it to the top in just under two hours. And there it was: the view!
From the top, you can see the whole city of Cape Town, the surrounding mountains, both oceans, valleys, fields and plains beyond the city, and—even farther in the distance—the next mountain range. The sense of being amidst God’s beautiful creation overwhelmed me and I was enthused with a feeling of achievement.
The summit was my goal, and I had to take many steps to get there—over 10,000 according to my pedometer—but there were also psychological steps, like planning, overcoming fears and apathy, and persevering when I didn’t feel like it. These are similar to the steps to reaching personal goals: calculate, plan, execute, and keep moving forward, even when the going gets tough. There will always be the temptation to give up along the way, but with my goal in mind and with the help of like-minded people, my goals become achievable.
Table Mountain isn’t the only mountain there is to climb, just as there are many goals waiting to be achieved and many views waiting to be seen. So, we tackle one at a time, gaining experience along the way. With good company and lots of encouragement, taking it one step at a time, and not giving up, we can all reach our personal “summits.”—Ester Mizrany
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Our knowledge of Christ is somewhat like climbing one of the Welsh mountains. When you are at the base, you see but little: the mountain itself appears to be but one-half as high as it really is.
Climb the first rising knoll, and the valley lengthens and widens beneath your feet.
Go higher, and you see the country for four or five miles round, and you are delighted with the widening prospect.
Mount still, and the scene enlarges; till at last, when you are on the summit, and look east, west, north, and south, you see almost all England lying before you. Yonder is a forest in some distant county, perhaps two hundred miles away, and here the sea, and there a shining river and the smoking chimneys of a manufacturing town, or the masts of the ships in a busy port.
When we first believe in Christ, we see but little of Him. The higher we climb, the more we discover of His beauties. Paul, when grown old, sitting grey-haired and shivering in a dungeon in Rome, could say with greater emphasis than we can, “I know the one in whom I trust” (2 Timothy 1:12), for each experience had been like the climbing of a hill, each trial had been like ascending another summit, and his death seemed like gaining the top of the mountain, from which he could see the whole of God’s faithfulness and love.—Adapted from a text by Charles Spurgeon (1834–1892)
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If in climbing a mountain you keep your eyes on each stone or difficult place as you ascend, seeing only that, how weary your climb. But if you think of each step as leading to the summit of achievement from which glories and beauties will open before you, then your climb will be so different.—A. J. Russell
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In life, we all experience overwhelming circumstances. If we let them, these moments remind us how dependent we are on God. There’s hope in recalling where our help comes from:
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1–2).
Psalm 121 is a “psalm of ascent,” a type of prayerful song that ancient Israelites would sing as they journeyed to Jerusalem to worship God at His temple. They faced uncertain terrain and dangers on the way. Yet as they lifted their gaze toward the holy city, they preached courage to their hearts, proclaiming their help was found in their Creator, not in creation nor in a destination.
After confidently declaring who was their help, they reminded themselves of how He would help them:
The Lord would ensure their feet wouldn’t slip (Psalm 121:3).
He would protect and preserve His people (Psalm 121:7–8).
He never sleeps, so His vigilant eye would always be on them, guarding them from evil (Psalm 121:4).
No matter what “help me” moment we find ourselves in, God is ever-present, supremely interested and personally vested. We, too, can look beyond what is made to behold our Maker, reminding ourselves that Jesus has unlimited power to save, keep, and carry us safely home.
Our journey won’t always be easy. But the God who created the mountain before us is far greater than the dangerous climb. He’s enthroned on high but journeys with us down low, sovereignly watching over every shaky step. …
The Lord may not eliminate every problem on this side of heaven, but He walks with us through it all and hears our every cry.—Beth Knight2
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Be willing to keep climbing this high mountain with Me. Sometimes you look back nostalgically. At a long-ago stage of your journey. You yearn for that easier, less complicated time in your life. But I want you to recognize it for what it was: a base camp. It was a time and place of preparation for the arduous adventure ahead of you.
The mountain you are climbing is exceedingly high; the top of it is hidden in clouds, so it’s impossible for you to know how far up those heights you have come—and how far you have yet to go. However, the higher you go, the better view you have.
Although each day is a challenge and you often feel weary, take time to enjoy the magnificent scenery! This journey with Me is training you to see from a heavenly perspective that transcends your circumstances. The higher up the mountain you climb, the steeper and more challenging your path becomes—but the greater your adventure as well. Remember that the higher you go with Me, the closer you get to your ultimate goal—the heights of heaven!—Jesus3
Published on Anchor May 2025. Read by Jerry Paladino. Music by Michael Fogarty.
1 “What does it mean that God makes our feet like the feet of a deer (Habakkuk 3:19)?” GotQuestions.org, January 4, 2022, https://www.gotquestions.org/feet-like-a-deer.html
2 Beth Knight, “If All You Can Pray Is ‘Lord, Help Me,’” Proverbs31.org, February 29, 2024, https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/02/29/if-all-you-can-pray-is-lord-help-me
3 Sarah Young, Jesus Today (Thomas Nelson, 2012).
