The Rope Tow
There used to be a little ski mountain near Warren, Pennsylvania called "Buckaloons". The first time I was ever on skis (except in the back yard) was at Buckaloons. There was a rope tow that would take you up to the top of the bunny slope. You'd grab hold, and up you would go — no problem unless you got lost your footing, or the person ahead of you did.
The rope tow is a good metaphor for spiritual life. The rope's there, running, ready to pull. There's a constant stream of love and wisdom, from the Lord, running down the mountain to the bottom, turning around, offering handholds, and running back up the mountain towards conjunction with Him. If we grab hold, it will tug us upward. If we don't, it keeps running, ready for our next spiritual decision. While we flounder around.
Is there any Biblical basis for this metaphor? Yes:
"Jehovah has been seen far off to me, saying, And I have loved thee with an eternal love; therefore with mercy have I drawn thee." (
