Life Lessons from the National Parks

November 9, 2011

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:13, 14

I’m struck by the string of tragedies in the national parks that have made national news this past year:

–A grizzly bear killed a man hiking with his wife in Yellowstone, the first death from a bear there in 25 years.

–In Yosemite, three people plunged over Vernal Fall  after they crossed a guardrail and wandered too close to the precipice. A woman descending Half Dome slipped during a thunderstorm and fell to her death. Overall, there have 17 fatalities at the park, 6 of them water-related.

–A man fell 300 feet down into the caldera that makes up Oregon’s Crater Lake after he went beyond a park barrier at an overlook and slid partway down toward the lake.

–A woman was swept over Niagara Falls after straddling a railing and losing her balance.

Disasters come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes we bring trouble on ourselves by disregarding safety precautions, not using common sense or simply by making a mistake. For example, here are the opening paragraphs of this article on Yahoo News, entitled “Half Dome Survivors Wished They Had Taken Heed:”

Armando Castillo knew he should not attempt the last treacherous stretch up Half Dome with storm clouds looming. But he felt he had come too far not to accomplish his goal.

So up the side of the slick, granite monolith he went, 400 vertical feet at nearly a 40 percent grade.

 “About three-quarters of the way up it started hailing,” he said. “There’s a bunch of people and everybody just stops. Some women started crying because it was slippery and pretty scary. Then it cleared up.”

While others turned back, Castillo pushed on up the park’s iconic feature, making him one of Yosemite National Park’s worst nightmares— the increasing number of wilderness neophytes who mistakenly think the government is obligated to save them.

“People are pushing their luck, trying to beat the weather, and their backup plan is to call for a rescue,” said Mark Marschall, project manager for the Half Dome interim permit program. “They’re not understanding what that means. We can’t fly in that kind of weather. They’re on their own.”

 Those hikers were fortunate—they all eventually made it down okay. Nevertheless, they put themselves at risk by ignoring the warnings from the weather and posted signs.

But sometimes problems happen…just because. One minute we’re walking along, minding our own business, and trouble suddenly comes upon us, like the grizzly, which was defending her young. (There are signs noting that bears are in that area of Yosemite, although attacks are rare. Hikers are advised to make noise, travel in groups and carry bear spray, highly effective in warding off attacks.). Or circumstances beyond our control sweep us off our feet, like the rock climber, who was using cables installed to guide people along that particular steep stretch when the storm came up.

Ironically, Timothy Egan, writing in The New York Times, believes that the more national park rangers try to caution visitors about hazardous conditions, the more careless people seem to become. But there’s only so much the rangers can do, he concludes:

There will always be steep cliffs, deep water, and ornery unpredictable animals in that messy part of the national habitat not crossed by climate-controlled malls and processed-food emporiums. If people expect a grizzly bear to be benign, or think a glacier is just another variant of a theme park slide, it’s not the fault of the government when something goes fatally wrong..[I]t’s impossible to safety-proof a national park.

 Life, like nature, is risky and uncertain. In this current economic climate, we’ve seen government bailouts, both here and abroad. The news carries a seemingly endless string of turmoil, wars and other dire reports.

And perhaps your life is in turmoil, not only financially but emotionally, physically and spiritually. Maybe you’ve lost your job or you’re sick, and you feel lost and confused, and you’re finding that government, friends, family and even your own determination to pull yourself up by the bootstraps haven’t shielded you from disaster.

That’s because, ultimately, they never will. When it comes down to it, just like those hikers stuck on Half Dome, we’re all on our own. Certainly there’s a place for government help, and everyone needs the support of loved ones in times of crisis. But steep cliffs, deep water, and ornery unpredictable animals (and people!) will always be a messy part of life, and no organization, person or positive attitude can fully safety-proof us from them.

Now, you might think I’m about to say that God will. Nope. One thing I love about Scripture is that it’s real and down to earth. The Bible doesn’t sugar coat the way things are. “In this world you will have trouble,” Jesus bluntly says in John 16:33. Romans 8:35-36 lists some of the possibilities—hardship, persecution, lack of life’s necessities, danger, war.

Ah, but then comes the good part:

But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

If God are for us, who can be against us?…In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us…Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31, 37-39)

No temptation [trial] has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not let you be tempted [tested] beyond what you are able to bear, but with the temptation [trial] will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

God Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I every forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

No, we can’t necessarily expect rescue from life’s problems this side of heaven, but right now and for all our tomorrows, if we have put our trust in God, we can expect Him to supply us the power to bear whatever comes down the trail.

P.S. You can get into the national parks for free this coming weekend, November 11-13, in honor of Veterans Day!

Comments (3) Nov 09 2011

June 6, 2011

Be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming…for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. Matthew 24:42, 44

Did you know that some our nation’s waterways are part of the Park Service?

The Missouri National Recreational River (MMNR) in Nebraska and South Dakota, falls into NPS’s National Wild and Scenic River category.  According to the park’s website, “[t]he Missouri River is rich in cultural resources, in places that have a national, regional or local significance. Numerous historic sites and two archeological sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places are located in counties along the corridor but outside the park boundary. However, three historic sites are within the park: Spirit Mound, Meridian Bridge and Fort Randall.”

The Missouri is in the news right now because “[d]ue to usually high rainfall and snowpack conditions in the Upper Missouri River Basin, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must release an unprecedented amount of water from its six mainstem dams.” In other words, low-lying areas along the river’s route—in  Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska and Iowa—are being swamped. The MNRR site is posting warnings about closures and dangerous conditions on its lands and waters.

Enough already with all the disasters, Lord!

Coupled with all the hoopla over the recent prediction of the end of the world (full disclosure: Many years ago, I used to work at one of the radio stations Mr. Camping’s organization owns. He wasn’t crazy then, honest!), all these recent physical calamities here and abroad can make a person feel uneasy. But I don’t think that’s what God intends. Matthew chapter 24 details many things that will happen become Jesus comes again—false teachers, wars, famines, earthquakes, lawlessness, increasing evil and decreasing love for God—but He also says, “see that you are not frightened” (v. 6).

And He adds, “’See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying “I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many…many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many…even the elect [true believers], if possible’” (vv. 4, 5, 11, 24). When Jesus comes again, there will be no guessing, no mistaking and no doubt about what’s happening (vv. 27-31).

But like those unfortunate people who live in areas prone to flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes, it pays to be prepared. Those who rode out the tornadoes did so because they heeded the advance warning and found a safe place to hide. Flood victims moved to higher ground. Earthquake survivors found shelter under strong supports or in buildings that didn’t fall. Certainly a lot of property was destroyed—and I’m not minimizing the loss in the least—but over and over again, you hear those who came through with family and friends intact, “We can always rebuild; at least we have each other. That’s what’s most important.”

Those same principles of vigilance and readiness are necessary for the Christian life. Jesus used several parables—earthly stories that convey a spiritual meaning—back to back in Matthew 24 and 25 to emphasize them as relates to His coming again. To me, three of the most striking are these:

–an aware householder who, if he knew what time at night a thief was coming, would thwart the robbery (24:43);

–a slave who has the honor of being in charge of the house while his master is away, yet decides to mistreat the staff and get drunk instead, then is caught when the master unexpectedly comes home early (24:45-51); and

–the ten young women who, in the custom of the times, waited for the bride and groom to resume the wedding celebration; half didn’t bring enough oil for their lamps and had to go get some more, and thus missed out on all the festivities (25:1-13).

The contrast between the responsible and ready, the foolish and unprepared made a significant difference in each case.

God makes it clear in these chapters that we don’t know when the world will end. We don’t even know what tomorrow will bring, whether terrible calamity or the same old, same old.

We can’t cover all our bases in preparing for the future. But one thing we can do is hang our hat on the One who does hold today and tomorrow (and yes, even yesterday) in His hands, the Alpha and Omega—the beginning and the end—of all creation (Revelation 1:8, 21:6, 22:13). He alone is our “refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1), our hiding place (Psalm 32:7), our strong tower where we can run and be safe (Proverbs 18:10), and the one who leads us to higher ground (Psalm 27:5, 40:2, 61:2).

You just can’t go wrong with that foundation, no matter what the world throws at you!

Comments (3) Jun 06 2011

May 24, 2010

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life: Whom shall I dread?…Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident. Psalm 27:1, 3

Well, one person noticed that I didn’t post to my blog last week (thank you, Cousin Sue!). But that’s okay. I’ve been hard at work writing an article for the September issue of New Jersey Monthly on the former Nike missile sites here in the Garden State. There are several, including the one down the Shore at Sandy Hook, Gateway National Recreation Area, where I got my own personal tour! (The best preserved Nike site is also under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, at San Francisco’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area—I’ve never been there, but after doing this article, I’m itching to visit!).

Nike missiles were considered the U.S.’s last bastion of defense from the mid-‘50s through the ‘70s. Over 200 bases were arrayed in circles around major cities and military bases. The Ajax, the first surface-to-air missile (SAM) developed, moved at twice the speed of sound and could take out a single target. Hercules, the more potent second-generation SAM, contained a nuclear warhead. The interesting thing about these missiles is that they were situated not out in the middle of nowhere, but near towns, farms and houses—and most people never had a clue about the tremendous force located in their backyards.

And isn’t it amazing—every day we have the world’s mightiest Power (Psalm 24:8) even closer than that, and yet we still act afraid.

That’s why I like to read Psalm 27 when I’m feeling particularly weak. It comforts me to know that 1) I’m not alone in my panic, alarm and trepidation—I mean, if David, whom God calls a “man after My heart” (Acts 13:22), has to remind himself to place his trust in God, then why wouldn’t I?—and, 2) I can be sure of the outcome of whatever struggle I’m up against just because the Lord of all is in control, not me.

Nike missile bases were deactivated in the ‘70s because of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks with the U.S.S.R., and the Cold War era officially came to an end with the Soviet Union’s collapse. Today, there’s still plenty to be afraid of, though some worries wear different faces these days, while others—money, kids, health, etc.—continue.

But the Savior is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and you and I can confidently call upon Him to be “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1), no matter what enemy we face.

Comments (1) May 26 2010