Our neighbor does triathalons, running, biking, and swimming. He’s been an Ironman multiple times so he’s in pretty good shape. A few years ago, his daughter decided that it would be fun to do an obstacle race so she signed him and her brother up and the three of them ran it together. One of the obstacles was an A-frame structure that had ropes hanging down to help you climb up and over.
By the time they reached the obstacle, they were wet and muddy and tired. His daughter went up and over making it look easy but as he began climbing, he found it wasn’t as easy as she made it look. As he got closer to the top, he found that because the rope is attached to the top, you have to reach up and over without the rope. So he let go of the rope, reached for the top and found himself sliding back down the slope to the bottom. His son came to him with concern, as did many others who had witnessed his fall. He was fine, but embarrassed and discouraged. He told his son to go and he would consider his options. He knew that he would have the same problem the second time and to try again would risk falling again, something he didn’t want to repeat.
As he contemplated, he moved further down the A frame and then made another attempt. It was harder the second time than it had been the first but soon he was almost to the top and faced with the same challenge when he heard a familiar voice, “Take my hand, Dad”. His son had gone up and over, but he hadn’t gone down. He had stayed on the other side and worked his way down as his dad moved his position so that when he came up the slope his son was there to help him over the obstacle.
There are some things in life that are more than we can do and while the Savior walks with us always, He sends additional help as we keep trying. His eye is always upon us. “For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled…and as the Lord liveth He will remember the covenant which he hath made with them…He knoweth their prayers….He knoweth their faith…” (Mormon 8:22-24)
He knows you, He knows me, His hand will be there to lift and sustain us.