Climb that rope!

Many people think the grace of God is like Him dropping a big, strong rope from heaven and giving you the privilege of trying to climb it. God does a little, then leaves the rest up to you. So you read The Art of Rope Climbing and Seven Steps to Successful Rope Climbing. You master those books and you get on the rope. But you climb about a tenth of the way up and you say, “This isn't going to work. I'm already exhausted.”

So you start down. I know, because I am passing you on the same rope. I start up the rope and see you coming down. “What was your problem?” I ask. “Didn't you read that book on fifteen ways to climb the rope?”

Then I come down and here you come up again. “I'm going to make it this time!” you proclaim. Up and down, up and down, up and down.— The Rest of the Gospel: When the partial Gospel has worn you out, page 151

<idle musing>
Isn't that a wonderful word picture? I can just imagine it in my mind, but the problem is that it is too often true :(
</idle musing>