Followby Gordy McCoy
Are you experiencing cabin fever? Do you feel the need for a road trip, despite the rising costs at the gas pumps? How about a walk in the woods that is good for your soul? Linda and I found a wonderful walk that we will never forget.
This is not an easy walk and by this I mean, it was challenging. It was challenging for a few reasons. First of all, I was recovering from my last knee and foot surgery. And then there is our short little dog, Brody, that made the trek with us. He was recovering from several surgeries from a life threatening, pit bull attack. And then there’s Linda, who was having shortness of breath from some health issues. So here we are…an unlikely trio for a walk up a hill. But we had a focus and a purpose.
The focus was what is at the top of the hill, a beautiful white cross, towering above the Mossyrock community, a symbol of love and forgiveness. We spotted it when we were traveling on highway 12 heading for Mossyrock, and we were drawn to it. We found the road that led to the base of the trail that went to the cross. We found a little Catholic mission and we went in, and although we are not Catholic, we were intrigued by the reason the cross was put there.
As this adventure progressed, we were convinced He had a reason for us to “go to the cross.” So off we went. It turned out to be a very warm day and this actually made the trek harder on us, but necessary, for Him to get His message deep into our hearts. The journey to the Cross was much harder for Him, not because of weakness, but because of the strength of His purpose. Our journey up this hill has stations where we could rest and think about His journey to the Cross. Our journey had switchbacks for us to regain strength, but there was no turning back for Him. He had a focus. We had a desire to see the cross up close, He knew what was waiting for Him on the Cross. We kept thinking how hard this journey was for Him and it added new meaning to Him dying on the Cross for us and also because of our sin. The whole time we were going up this trail we never once got even a small glimpse of the cross. We got tired, and thirsty, but we knew we had to keep going. We knew it would be worth the climb.
It wasn’t until we got to the very top …and there it was. It was so beautiful, the symbol of our salvation. We prayed and praised Him as we looked up at this pure white cross. And then, we turned around and looked at the valley below, it was an amazing mountaintop experience.
In reality and symbolically, on this journey, He has brought us so far and set our feet on the mountaintop. He wants us to realize how far He has brought us and what He has brought us thru, over our almost 42 years together. We felt invigorated and victorious, He had brought us here. He wanted us to persevere and then experience the view, the cross and His creation. We felt His love, His peace and we were so filled with encouragement. We did it! Together … with Him leading us. As we walked down the hill we kept thinking how blessed we are. So thankful for Him and His faithfulness. For His protection and healing. For His presence.
Here are a few facts about this Crosswalk we went on. The cross weighs 47,000 pounds. Yes, that’s right. It’s made from white concrete so it is white inside and out. Pure white. The cross is lit up at night …so beautiful …so visible. The trail leading up to the cross is well maintained with benches along the way to rest, and be still and know that He is God. You will find as you make this journey, a build up of emotion that overflows when you reach the top.
The cross, being a symbol of forgiveness is made up of a series of sevens. The foundation of the cross is seven feet deep and seven feet square. There are seven steps that lead to the platform and the support column is seven feet high and seven feet square, on top of which stands the cross, that from that point is 70 times seven inches, or approximately 60 feet.
Easter this year will be different for us as we take another look at THE CROSS and what it means to us. We need to realize how hard it was but He knew it would be worth it …for us. So if you get a chance to go to Mossyrock, make the journey to the top of the hill …the view is so worth it!!!
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