“Tension!” I yelled down to my belayer 60 feet below, my voice echoing off the grayish granite. I was shirtless and sweating in the 100-plus-degree desert heat. Geckos scampered around me, making this rock face look easy, but I was at the crux of a tough 5.10a route in Joshua Tree National Monument.
The “go for it” move I was about to make would either propel me to the top or send me on a wild pendulum swing across the face of the rock. (In the American rating system, a 5.10a route is a climb where a fall with no ropes would result in death. It might have overhangs with good holds or thin edges with almost no holds.)
Extending my reach as much as possible, I found a hold and made a difficult crossover move with my feet. Success! Twenty more vertical feet and I was standing on top of this cliff. As I sought shade cover under a squatty desert Joshua tree, I realized just how much climbing is like the Christian life. Now, years later, as I teach my 5-year-old son, Andy, the basics of this vertical sport, those correlations have become even more apparent. Check out a few.
A Rockin’ Life
Obviously, no climb would be possible without the rock itself. It’s the pathway, and it’s like our life itself—full of bumps, cracks and often an overhang or two.
But the Bible also tells us Jesus is our life. Scripture even calls Him “my rock and my salvation” (Psalm 62:2) and “a stumbling stone” (Romans 9:32-33). As long as you’re anchored into Jesus, you can climb with confidence and security.
But not all rock is equal. Unfortunately, much of the rock near my home in Colorado is sandstone. Its red appearance is beautiful to look at, but when you’re suspended from its face, watch out! It’s a weak rock that often crumbles unexpectedly—a treacherous situation for sure. You can choose to spend your life climbing up faces such as money, power or popularity, but those things are like sandstone. They’ll only crumble in your hands.
Any climber will tell you that he prefers granite. It’s strong, solid rock that won’t give way. You can be sure that even the smallest hold will support your entire weight. As you gaze up at the climb of your life, remember that your most important decision is to make sure that you’ve got a solid hold on the trustworthy granite of Jesus Christ.
Belay On!
Just as we can trust in God the Son as our sure foundation, we can also trust in God the Father as our belayer. A belayer is the person responsible for holding the rope as the climber heads up the rock. His main job is to prevent a disaster, making sure that if the climber slips, the fall will be controlled and short. Notice that the belayer doesn’t prevent the fall; he only stops it. No matter how much balance and strength a climber possesses, there will come a time when he or she will slip and fall (see Isaiah 40:30-31). At those times we find ourselves tumbling, it’s great to know that God won’t let us go.
The second responsibility of a belayer is to provide encouragement during the climb. In Isaiah 41:13, we’re told, “For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” I often say the same words to my son when I’m belaying him. It’s reassuring for him to hear me say, “Don’t be afraid! I’m here.”
Finally, the belayer helps to guide the climber up the designated route. A climber is much too close to the rock to see the big picture and must rely on a well-trained eye to keep him on course. In fact, the best belayers are those who have already climbed the route; they know how to make it to the top. That’s the beauty of Jesus! He’s experienced life here on earth. He’s “been there, done that,” and He tells us, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go” (Psalm 32:8). I love that! God is the ultimate belayer, keeping His eye on us at all times, letting us know where there are solid holds and where there is danger.
Tools of the Trade
Fortunately, God the belayer doesn’t leave us without encouragement or tools. Remember my story at the beginning? Although I couldn’t actually see my belayer below, when I was about to make a bold move during my climb I yelled “Tension!” In a spiritual sense, I was praying to my Heavenly Belayer. Prayer is the rope that joins us to God. One heartfelt plea for help, and He sends back a corresponding tug of reassurance to let us know He won’t leave us alone.
And for those times when He seems far away, God puts other people in our lives to remind us of His words and His love. On a rock face, lead climbers use a special spring-loaded protection device that helps to anchor the rope. Appropriately, it’s called a “friend.” It’s always close and visible to the climber, and it gives support right there along the climb.
Peak Performance
Obviously, the goal in rock climbing is reaching the top. For me, there are few exhilarations greater than the sense of accomplishment that comes when my fingertips curl over the upper lip of a climb. The Bible doesn’t tell us if the apostle Paul ever rock climbed, but he sure did present the goal of the Christian life in rock climbing terms: “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
Our most important goal in life is spiritual life—eternal life. Our ultimate priority is to be anchored into Jesus and to be bringing others along on the climb. Until that day when we’re all united with our Rock and Master Belayer on top of that eternal peak, climb on! 
