What do we mean by “The Ridge Path?”

What do we mean by “The Ridge Path?”

For the next few moments I want us to employ our imagination. I want us to imagine that we are heading up to a mountain ridge or pass. In our dreaming, we can drive, hike, or ride a tram. If we have enough cash, a helicopter can take us there. As we travel upward through a dense forest into an alpine region, we notice that there is a beautiful trail or path stretching along this mountain ridge for several miles. This is one of those glorious scenes from nature where grasses and wildflowers lie along the path’s border and off in the distance, we can see rolling hills of forested land. On a clear day, we can even see the ocean. And of course, what makes this a ridge path is that on either side of the trail, maybe only 20 or 30 ft away from us, to our left and right, the mountain falls off rapidly. Peeking over the edge, we might even see some patches of snow left over from last winter. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The wise hiker stays on the path. Don’t get me wrong. The ridge path is not a straight path, and the going is not always easy. Certainly, the path on this long crest of mountain twists and turns. And yet, high up, gazing out at the panorama, and walking along, we gain perspective and new clarity for our lives.

So what does this all mean?

The spiritual metaphor of walking along a ridge path takes shape whenever we examine our connection with God and discern the path upon which we are traveling. The ridge path is our ascent up from the tyranny of life’s demands to walk and reflect, and from a new height, to see from where we have come.

The hill slanting dangerously downward to our right comprises all the things we wish we had: more money, more time, more options. It is the never ending quest for wanting more and more in order to be truly at peace with ourselves. If we venture off in this direction, the cost is steep. The sloping mountain to our left is the feeling we have that others are succeeding where we are not. While we are still trying to survive day to day, others seem to be making more of life, and we envy what they have.

In summary, on one side of the ridge path, we’ve been taught that to have more is to be truly happy. On the other side, we are always looking at others as a measuring stick for our own life goals and successes. But to walk the ridge path is to walk between these two human hungers and to ultimately realize that what we are truly missing is our life with God, our spiritual vocation.

We hope the image of walking the ridge path may evoke for you such ideas as Sabbath or sabbatical. The metaphor may also invite us to explore what we believe and who God is calling us to be. But however you interpret the path running along the top of mountains….remember….you are not alone..so walk the path.

‘God is my strength; god makes my feet like the feet of a deer, and makes me tread upon the heights.”
Habakkuk 3:19

~ Rev. Dr. Ken Henry