Obedience in the Dry Gulch

Climbed Roca de Counte today, a biggist stump of rock around whilst here in Los Christianos, Tenerife. I walked maybe 4 street-miles to get to the trail that soon died out and left me with scrub brush and a deep ravine to climb to the top. Looked high and saw a couple of hang gliders soaring in the thermals high above. I switch-backed, strode, crab-legged, and four-limb picked my way up whilst listening to podcasts-memorizing scripture. Had to be careful to not get to chummy with the cactus.

Had loads of fun this way until 2:30ish or so in the afternoon. I was 2/3rds of the way up. Close but no cigar. Had to come down. Each step required attention with scrabble, loose boulders, unstable ground. Walked a narrow aquaduct for awhile to scout a better trail thru the wilderness. Found one, mainly used by critters. No sign of human habitation or trekking. Came around the corner, following the dry gulch, boulder and scree laden, and there gob-smacking me in the gums was a 30 foot drop with no easy access down. Hmm. Pick a ledge here, scooch sideways a bit, hang by one hand, lever down into that crack...? Then I heard a clear Voice, “Go back. Now. Not one more step forward.” I obeyed. Cantilevered myself up back thru a rocky hollow and caterwamped diagonally away from danger. He made another way, up, over, around, down. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your active guiding presence. I know it would not have gone well for me otherwise. Reminded me of the old saying, “obedience is the only acceptable expression of holiness.”