The Rock

A group of teenagers stood at the base of the rock. Shielding their eyes from the sun, they watched their classmate standing at the top. The older man’s hand gripped the teen’s shoulder as they both looked down the fifty-foot drop.
The teen listened intently and nodded his head as the older man gestured toward the crowd below. The two then stepped back away from the edge.
Satisfied that the tension on the rope was secure, the instructor coiled the rope in his hand and threw it over the edge. The crowd jumped back as the rope knocked loose flecks of dirt and bits of debris from the face of the rock. The man walked to the edge, set himself, and, in a matter of minutes, rappelled down the rock wall, landing solidly on both feet.
Shaking out the rope, he gave a thumbs-up sign to the young man standing at the top. “okay, Brian. It’s time to put the book learning into practice. Since this is your first time down, I’ll walk you through it. Okay?”
“Okay,” Brian yelled back, his voice full of confidence and eagerness.
“Okay. Left hand on top; right hand behind you-thigh high. Okay, that looks good. Now backup closer to the edge and bend your legs. Okay?”
Brian placed both hands in exactly the right position; but when he started to back up, he looked down, and his foot froze mid-stride. His fear was so strong, the teens standing at the bottom could almost feel it.
“Come on, Brian, just bend your legs like you’re getting ready to sit in a chair.”
“Yeah, okay,” Brian yelled back, his voice taking on a less confident, higher pitch.
“You’re looking good, Son. Just take that first step, then kick back and swing out.”
Brian just stood at the top without moving.
“Relax, Brian,” the instructor called up to him. “I have the rope in my hand, and I’ll guide you all the way. I won’t let you hit the rock.”
“I want to do it, I really do; but my foot won’t move!” Brian said, almost in tears.
“That first step is the hardest, but after you take it, the rest is a piece of cake. Remember, I can guide you, but I can’t take that first step for you. You have to do that for yourself. Okay?”
The teens watched as Brian bowed his head.
“What’s he doing?” asked one of the boys in the crowd.
“Aw, he’s praying,” answered one of his buddies. “You know how Brian is about praying. He thinks prayer is the answer to everything!”
“I don’t think praying is going to get him down the rock,” one of the girls sneered.
“Don’t speak lightly of prayer,” the instructor answered, his eyes never leaving Brian’s face. “Prayer has worked mighty miracles.”
“That miracle stuff was for folks long ago!” a boy answered, sarcasm in his voice.
“Prayer is for any Christian smart enough to use it,” the instructor said. “You just watch, and you’ll see a miracle right before your eyes.”
Brian lifted his head and took a deep breath. He then kicked back and swung out. Slowly at first, then with more confident kicks, he rappelled all the way to the bottom. When both feet hit solid ground, he gave a whoop loud enough to start an avalanche in the Alps!
Some of the teenagers just shook their heads; others applauded. The instructor patted Brian on the back and shook his hand. “You are now an official rock climber!” Brian’s smile was about as wide as the Mississippi River is long!
“That took guts, Brian,” the instructor continued. “Not everyone I bring to the rock has the courage to take that first step. You see, it’s easy to read about rappelling down the side of a rock wall; and it’s easy to plan to do it when someday is in the future; but it’s quite another thing to actually take that first step when someday is now!
“I’m proud of you, Son!”
         “Dad, I just remembered what you told me when you led me to the Lord. You said, ‘Son, I can’t make you trust Jesus as your Saviour. I can only lead you to the Rock, but I can’t make you take that first step to accept Him. But once you trust Him, He will guide you all the way. He won’t ever disappoint you or let you lose your way, but you must trust Him. Just pray about it, Son, and you won’t be afraid to take that first step.’
“You remember that, Dad?”
“I remember, Son,” his father answered, giving him a big hug.
“I figured the Lord had brought me this far, so He wouldn’t drop me now. I just prayed and gave my fear to the Lord, and He took care of it for me!”
Father and son turned to face the crowd. “Now, what about all of you?” Brian asked. “My dad’s not a preacher, but he is a Christian, and he can show you how to become one too.”
No one said a word. Some of the teens looked interested; some looked puzzled; some seemed uncomfortable at the mention of Jesus.
“My son and I are going to have prayer at the base of this rock,” Brian’s father said. “All of you are welcome to join us.”
“That is,” Brian added with a twinkle in his eye, “if you’re not afraid to take that first step.”
Father and son knelt beside each other and began to pray. Four of the teenagers joined them. After prayer, Brian’s father told them about Jesus, the wonderful Saviour, and His great love for them.
Sadly, the other three teenagers turned and walked away from the Rock. It was as Brian’s father had said, “Not everyone I bring to the Rock has the courage to take that first step!”

What about you? Will you come to the Rock today? Will you trust Jesus as your Saviour? Do you have the courage to take that first step? Don’t wait until “someday” in the future. “Someday” is now!
“Hear my cry, o God; attend unto my prayer.
“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” - Ps. 61:1,2.