Steep Terrain
On a recent trip to the Holy Land, I was blown away by the beauty, people, history, and topography of the Land. It has been said that the topography of the Land serves as a “5th gospel,” in that it tells a layer of the story that is better appreciated when we see and grasp the journey people walked. For example, the majority of Jesus’ ministry took place in a relatively small region on the northern coast of the Sea of Galilee. The time to walk from one fishing village to another would be minimal in time and distance. It is hard to grasp without seeing it and climbing the hills or riding on a boat in the sea/lake.
When we read in John 4 that Jesus “had to pass through Samaria,” I found it surprising that He led the disciples through this route. It would be more common and much easier to travel in the valley and along the river, where the elevation is between 600’-700’ above sea level and relatively flat. In fact, this was the primary road. However, Jesus insisted they go through Samaria, which was a more arduous route through a series of mountains with elevations reaching 3000’ at Mount Ebal. In fact, the town of Sychar, where Jesus met the Samaritan woman, is on the eastern slope of Ebal.
While there were dangers or even ethnic reasons for avoiding Samaria, the decision makes more sense when you consider the land’s topography. Naturally, one would travel to the valley floor and avoid the steep terrain, yet Jesus had another plan. What can we learn from this lesson?
God tells us how to live and who to serve. In fact, He promises to go with us, go before us, and make our paths straight. However, it is not an easy road—it is hard! Sometimes, we have to navigate the hard stuff. We must climb the mountains and test our endurance. We call this suffering, hard times, or challenges, but it is necessary to mature.
In fact, Philippians 2:12-13 challenges us to keep obeying God as we work out our own salvation. Both obedience and working it out speak to our need to be resilient, persistent, and faithful in our obedience. This requires grit, discipline, and determination. However, this does not mean we do so in our own strength and earn our way.
In fact, Philippians 2:12-13 also reminds us that any power to live out our faith comes from God. He is our strength, our power, and our hope, and He gives us the endurance we need to walk in His way and will. You may be weary. Don’t quit. You can do it. Not because you are able but because He is with you. We cannot be passive, however. We must be diligent in exercising our faith through discipline and determination. Even when He leads you through tests, He goes with you and before you. Trust Him today.
