The Steep Slope and the Greater Call

It was a clear, sunny day in western Montana. My siblings, cousins, and other relatives were winding our way up a steep mountain road, headed for a pristine slope that would be our winter playground for an afternoon of sledding and snow fun. I was excited—and a little nervous. It had been several years since I'd had any serious snow fun, as we had moved from Montana to Arizona when I was a child. Now, at the age of seventeen, my nostalgic memories of thrilling sledding adventures only intensified my anticipation.

The Reckless Run

Upon arrival, I jumped out of the truck, grabbed my blue toboggan, and immediately decided to try the slope. Those who were older and more experienced were cautiously carving out a sledding trail to ensure the safety of everyone. With my lack of experience and caution, I simply decided to jump on and see how far down I could go. The slope was steep, the snow was deep, and stumps and logs were buried beneath the surface. Fortunately, the deep snow cushioned the path, making the ride bumpy but presenting no significant barriers to easy sledding.

At first, I traveled slowly—not out of caution, but because the toboggan would frequently twist and dump me out. These interruptions, ironically, only increased my confidence that the untested slope held no danger. Time after time, I got back on and tried again. Just as I was becoming frustrated with the slow pace and frequent stops, I finally found my momentum.

Downward I slid, going faster and faster. I was a blur flying down the slope, completely unaware of the terrible danger I was in. After several hundred yards, I was rocketing. The toboggan launched off a stump, and I was airborne.

The Miracle Collision

As I soared through the air, I realized I had zero control over my trajectory. There was nothing I could do to slow down, turn, or change direction. Ahead of me, I could see a steep drop-off leading far down into the valley below. Unless something intervened, I would surely fall to my death in the forest below.

There was no time for prayer, no time to think, and certainly no time to consider my life. My survival was truly in the hands of God.

By some miracle, rather than flying off the slope, I collided heavily with a fallen log. Though I was injured—I still suffer back pain to this day—it was God’s mercy that I did not perish on that mountain.

A Greater Price, A Greater Gift

Though I had been raised in the Church and had accepted Christ as a child, my spiritual experience was best described as "up and down." I would receive salvation from my committed sins, only to fall back into them before long. Though I am ashamed to admit it, my life was a poor example of one who had been given every advantage in knowing and applying God's plan of salvation, yet who failed to apply it consistently.

As Paul said to the Romans: "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God" (Romans 3:1-2 KJV). Likewise, the oracles of God had been committed to me, but I hadn't fully committed my life.

By the mercy of God, I am here today, given another opportunity to have a true relationship with the God who had already paid the price for my salvation and its eternal benefits. Though I had time and again refused to fully accept the greatest gift given to man, through His mercy and after a few more years of seeking, I finally established a lasting relationship with my Savior. Eventually, I realized that I truly owed my heart and life to the One who not only purchased my salvation on the cross, but who also spared my life from death that day.

The Apostle Paul asks a profound question:

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 KJV)

For me, after being so miraculously spared from death, how could I not give my heart and life to Christ? Truly, I find that giving my life as a sacrifice to God for His use and service was not too much to ask—as Paul said in Romans 12—it was my reasonable service.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2 KJV)