Fables and Faith 'Lord, plant my feet on higher ground'

By BOB HAYNES

Posted: July 27, 2009 at 7:39 a.m.
Updated: July 27, 2009 at 8:08 a.m.

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BENTONVILLE — Remember the words to that old gospel hymn "Higher Ground"?

"I'm pressing on the upward way, new heights I'm gaining every day. Still praying as I'm onward bound, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

Planting our feet on higher ground should be the resolve each of us has on our Christian journey, I think.

I've been laughed at occasionally when I mention that we are on our own Christian journey. Nonetheless, I firmly believe that journey exists and is different for each of us. As we grow in faith and if we believe in God's prevenient, justifying, sanctifyingand perfecting grace, we will always be inching further along the right path to the higher ground.

I think of that on my daily walks up the mountain here in Ajijic, Mexico. Just behind our condo grounds is a dirt trail leading up to the longer trail upward toward a beautiful chapel that has been erected high on the mountain overlooking the town and the lake.

While visiting here eachyear, I make a vow to myself that I will hike that trail, stopping at each "Station of the Cross" marked by concrete crosses and chiseled lettering. During the observance of Easter, Mexicans of all ages walk from their church in the main part of the town up the hill all the way to the chapel.

It's a grueling walk and a long one. Not only that, one person volunteers to carry the cross as Jesus did. How I admire not only his courage but his tenacity in making that long climb.

When I reach the chapel, I always find myself singing the verse, "I'm pressing on the upward way :"; then I remember that I will alsosoon be "going down the downward way" back to the reality of my life. My hope and prayer are that I will have gained at least a foothold in my Christian journey. Reaching the chapel does so powerfully remind me of the ultimate love of Christ that I am energized once again.

Continuous study is necessary for us to be able to seek higher ground. We ask and try to find the answers to lots of eternity questions. And, of course, one of the questions we ask ourselves is, "What will happen when I die?" What's the ending of my story?

In her book " Heavenly Minded for an Earthly Good," my friend Karen Chaffin wrote, "God allows us to know our options and where they ultimately lead us. : He has written a fabulous ending to the human story, which really isn't an ending at all! The last page of our earthly story will be the first page of a heavenly story - 'the Great Story which no one on Earth has read: which goes on forever, in which every chapter is better than the one before.'

"Knowing the 'ending' to our life's story will give us strength in difficult times, courage in fearful times, hope in painful times and security in uncertain times.

It will free us to fully enjoy our lives."

Her book leads readers to understand why we need to know about heaven. To me, that's one of the wonderful steps in our journey here on Earth. According to Karen, "Once we understand heaven, we'll discover that how we live now not only matters for eternity, but how we view eternity affects how we live now."

So as I search and learn, I will continue to sing, "Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

Shalom.

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Bob Haynes' column appears on Mondays.

News, Pages 2 on 07/27/2009

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