Chair Lift or Rope Tow? You Choose! 12-8-25

The other day, I finally put to “blog paper” the realization that we need to “strengthen our feeble knees” and ski, despite the ruts of our emotional, traumatic, damaged past and I shared the story of my first experience with skiing and being towed up the hill holding for dear life onto a tow rope…skis crossing and getting tangled in the ruts formed by so many people’s previous trips up that particular area on the slope and how so many of us kept falling – and getting frustrated by the experience.

This morning in our prayer group time, another layer for this skiing analogy unfolded and amplified God’s Word – and issued a challenge – this time from Galatians chapter 1. Paul is “astonished, and extremely irritated” (amplified version) that the Galatians and so easily swayed from the simplicity of the Gospel, that by chapter 3 he is chiding them for “having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?”

We can read these verses and the reproval and rebuke of different people in the Bible and miss that “all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). I realized that in my faith walk, I often find myself back on the slopes of that bunny hill, relying on the tow rope, in my own strength, holding on for dear life, trying, in my own strength, keep my knees straight, hold my hands up, keep my skis out of the ruts of previous emotions, traumas and triggers from past experiences – oh! My! Foolish Galatian-self! (There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus Romans 8:1 – all this is just part of the Awake O Sleeper Rise and Shine! Your Light has come! Encouragement)!

The revelation this morning is through the Holy Spirit empowerment of Grace, with the substitutionary death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, Who is seated in the heavenly realms, at the right hand of the throne of God, Who sent His Holy Spirit to be our Advocate, Helper, parakletos, empowerment, we don’t need to be stuck holding onto the tow rope being pulled up the slope of life! We have been gifted with the all-inclusive lift ticket package of the Holy Spirit chair lift that carries us up the mountain far above the ruts and self-stabilizing efforts of the bunny slope! Yes, we had to learn how to correctly divide the Word of God (learning the instructions of the ski resort and taking lessons from the ski pro), yes, we needed to put on the full armor of God (suiting up with the boots, skis, snow pants, goggles, and poles), but we’ve been commanded to “walk in the Spirit” and told that if we do that “we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh”! Do we truly understand that amazing truth?

We’ve been given the keys to the kingdom! The all inclusive, all day long, lift tickets through Christ! It’s time for us to believe it, live it and get in position to let the chair lift scoop us up and bring us to the top of the mountain, so we can feel the exhilaration of the journey with God on the slopes, recruit others down in the valley, help them get suited up for their “bunny slope” discipleship period – and then get on the chair lift, back up for another assignment, another journey around and down the slopes. We – I – can complicate this far more than it needs to be!

I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to share, co-create, disciple, teach, mentor, and continue my own “higher education” in this life, preparing for and enjoying the work here – and inviting more people to experience the “chair lift” experiences in life! Suit up! Layer up! Let’s go! Hey! Did somebody say night skiing!?