When the girls were little, we watched the Winnie the Pooh animated, on more than one occasion! In the movie, I believe it is Christopher Robin who tells Pooh, “Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” The significance of that quote hit home recently on our family vacation.
While in Maine, we stayed on Mount Desert Island, the location of the Acadia National Park. In the park is Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Atlantic coast (within 25 miles of the shoreline), between Nova Scotia and Texas. Cadillac Mountain has a number of hiking trails to the summit. Meditate on this hike, with me, as we use it as a metaphor for life.
We stopped at the visitor’s center and asked the park ranger about a hiking path that was 3-5 miles long. The park ranger was not personally acquainted with the trails but suggested we go up the north ridge trail.
Lesson #1: Make plans for your life before you go. For our young people, plan your life. No, everything won’t go according to plans but you’ll be much better prepared to handle the sudden turns in life if you do plan. “Prepare plans by consultation, And “make war by wise guidance” (Proverbs 20:18). We did not know what we were getting into. In fact, a 3-5 mile hike up a mountain is completely different than a 3-5 mile hike through the woods.
Lesson #2: Ask advice from the right people. Our park ranger did not know, personally, about the trails. If you want to make it to heaven, Jesus Christ is the forerunner (Heb. 6:20). He knows what you have, are, and will experience in life (Heb. 4:14-15). Regularly consult Him as you travel through life.
As we started up the north ridge trail, I thought it would be an hour (or so) to the summit and an hour (or so) back. We took two 20 oz bottles of water with us. That could have been woefully unprepared. Thankfully, there was a gift shop at the pinnacle where we could refill our water bottles.
Lesson #3: Travel through life with the right supplies. God’s word. Prayer. The presence of Jesus. Do not try to go through life on your own.
At the start of the trail, two couples from India began with us. We did not travel the whole way together but periodically, we would pass each other when someone would stop and take pictures. Both groups came down another path, without consulting each other. When we were at an impasse, the Indians behind us were able to point out the best way to go.
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Lesson #4: As we go through life, God will provide us help from many different perspectives. Sometimes, it might even be non-Christians whom God uses to make our path smoother.
Certainly at different stops along the way, there were many picture worthy vistas. We certainly had to stop and take time to take photos!
Lesson #5: While heaven is our ultimate goal, do not forget to enjoy life as it comes. To use a modern idiom, don’t forget to stop and smell the roses. “Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart” (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20).
The north ridge was a hard path to climb. It was 2.2 miles long. We decided we wanted to get down the mountain faster but easier. So, at the top, we did a little more research (but not enough!) and found two more paths we could take. The south ridge was a 3.5 mile path down with a smooth slope. The west ridge was a 0.9 mile hike but over rougher terrain. I decided it would be better to get down the slope faster than slower. But, that 0.9 mile hike actually took a little longer than the 2.2 mile hike because the face of the mountain was so dangerous. There were times when it was quite scary.
Lesson #6: In life, we need to travel the path we know will have success – the path of Jesus Christ. He is the way (John 14:6). His way is always best. In fact, it is the only way, not just the best way. It might be narrow (Matt. 7:13-14) but it is the path that leads to heaven.
After two hours of hiking up the mountain, we did reach the top – 1,530 feet up. The view of Atlantic Ocean was beautiful. The rocks at the peak were beautiful. The whole scene was breath-taking, something you could not see or experience if you do not go to the top of Cadillac Mountain.
Lesson #7: Heaven will be more beautiful than anything we have seen on earth. It will be more breath-taking than anything we have experienced on earth. Heaven will surely be worth it all. “Just one glimpse of Him in glory will all the toils of this life repay,” from “When We All Get to Heaven” by Eliza E. Hewitt.
–Paul Holland
