It Frightens Me!

I recently spent the equivalent of six days in Yellowstone National Park, that huge nature paradise in northwestern Wyoming.  It was a photographer’s dream.  But rather than tell you the story of the experience itself, I want to tell you about what happened on the day we left.  We chose to exit the park through the northeast entrance.  The map showed that it would take us through an additional bit of Wyoming and over the state line into Montana.  It seemed pretty straightforward.  The route is called the Beartooth Highway and would take us over a mountain pass on the way.

As we left the park, it was raining and the temperature was 39^oF.  We began winding our way upward and the temperature changed to 38.  Still raining, it changed to 37.  Then 36, 35, 34.  It began to snow.  We began to worry.  The temperature dropped to 33.  Then to 32.  Remember, this was the middle of June.  We found ourselves engulfed in a full-blown blizzard when we were stopped by a snowplow driver.  There was one car ahead of us.  The snowplow driver told us we would wait because there were four other cars on their way up behind us.  When they arrived, we began our trek up to the pass and, hopefully, beyond.  The snowplow, with its blade fully engaged, was our savior.  It took us up and over the pass, at times with a 12-foot wall of snow on both sides and nearly zero visibility.  We finally came to a safe spot on the other side of the pass where the gate to the pass was closed, indicating that the highway was closed to any further travel.  We waved a thank you to the snowplow driver.  But this is not the end of the story!

The next day we encountered serious rain in North and South Dakota.  Talk about poor visibility!  We had our wipers on the high speed and even stopped a couple of times to wait for the storm to pass.  At one point, a rainbow appeared ahead of us on the interstate.  It was the most stunning, intense rainbow I had ever seen!  A complete rainbow, left to right, with the two ends perfectly visible in the fields on either side.  A once-in-a-lifetime sight, believe me!  I wanted to take a picture, but the white knuckles gripping the steering wheel would not allow it.  It reminded me vividly of the Scripture verse in the book of Genesis:  “I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”  (Gen 10:13).  I took it as a sign that we would return home safely, which we did.

That experience, along with the encounters with the bears, wolves, and moose (and the stories we’d heard and read about) in Yellowstone were dramatic reminders of our vulnerabilities on this earth. It frightens me.  Thinking about it today, I wonder how prepared I am for death and the judgement by almighty God.  Some say all I need is faith in Him.  I’m not so sure.  I think of another Scripture passage:  “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many.  How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.  And those who find it are few.”  (Mat 7:13-14).  Not everyone who believes will be saved. 

And St. Paul chimes in:  “Therefore, we aspire to please Him, whether we are at home or away.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.”  (2 Cor 9-10).  So it is clear that faith alone is not enough!  We must please God and are judged on how we act, whether good of evil.  My prayer for today:  Help me Lord to act on my faith, to seek forgiveness of my wrongdoings, and to strive to please you at all times.  Amen!