The Peak of Inspiration

…but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape… 1 Cor. 10:13

In the early 2000’s, a.k.a. a long time ago, I worked on a framing crew building houses in a nearby mountain town.  We were working on a large fourplex structure, framing the main floor walls.  I realize not everyone will fully understand some of the language and terminology used here.  Don’t over think it.  It is really a very simple process.  So don’t get bogged down with words like “osb sheathing”, “wall plate” and “header”.  Those are just big words we use to make ourselves feel important. 

Anyhow, on this particular day, we were framing a large rake wall.  A rake wall is peaked on top to match the roof or vaulted ceiling pitch.  This rake wall was part of a high ceiling living room, making it very tall.  18’ is what my memory recalls.   Also very wide, maybe 30’.  It had quite a few large windows, calling for large and heavy headers.  

We built the wall laying down on the floor as usual.  After nailing all the studs, headers and plates together we put as much of the wall sheathing on it as possible and cut out the holes for the windows.  Basically, we were doing as much as we could while the wall was horizontal, saving us the hassle of working on a tall, vertical wall.  

The end result of a few hours of work was a wide, tall, and very heavy wall, ready to be stood up and braced into place.  Maybe 80% of the wall was sheathed, with four or five window holes.

Typically, the crew just takes a deep breath, gets a good grip on the wall, and stands it into place.  Kind of a rewarding moment.  We were four men on this crew, and we knew that four was not enough for this one.  We banded together with the project foreman and a couple of his hired hands, making seven. 

I was a little nervous about this one.  It was a big wall.  I didn’t know how much it weighed, but I knew it was a lot.  But the majority thought we could stand it up.  Ya, it’d be tough, but not dangerous.  We took a deep breath, got a good grip, and began to lift. 

Once we had it over our heads, we began to walk forward, lifting it higher as we went.  And it was heavy.  And the higher we went, the further we worked our way under the wall, the clearer it became that seven wasn’t enough. 

I think we had the wall at about 40 degrees.  We were feeling all the weight.  Those heavy window headers on top, all the sheathing, a couple hundred board feet of lumber, it all started to press down on some increasingly exhausted humans. 

I don’t know what happened.  Maybe the wall caught on an adjacent wall.  Maybe Someone wanted to teach us a lesson.  Maybe it was as simple as gravity throwing a fit about what we were trying to do.  Whatever it was, that wall stopped going up.  It just would not go any higher.

There we stood.  Arms overhead and shaking from the strain.  Midway under a very heavy wall.  Every passing second reducing our chance of a good outcome.  Knowing that if even one of us relaxed, it would increase the load for the other six enough that they would not be able to bear it, causing the wall to crush us all.  A suggestion was made to back out, slowly letting it down, but we knew we didn’t have the strength left for that. 

Another option was presented.  It was the only one left.  We were far enough under the wall that the window holes were more or less in front of us.  The question was whether or not we could all make it to a window before the wall crushed us.  Each of us thought we could. 

Once we had a plan, there was no turning back.  We gave one last heave, and each went for a window, or some place where there was no sheathing.  And that wall came crashing down, hard. 

There were seven angels present, each one doing what he was paid to do.  We had a couple minor injuries, but somehow, we all found a gap, a way of escape from almost certain death.

This story has some striking similarities to my life.  I walk into traps.  Sometimes carelessly, sometimes ignorantly.  Sometimes with a little feeling that this might be dangerous.  Always with a weakness that is no match for the things the Predator has placed there to crush us. 

And about the time I realize I am too weak, that I do not have the strength I thought I did, I also realize I can’t back up.  Time will not accommodate that desire. 

This is when I must look for the window, the way of escape.  Trust this, it is there.  It is within reach.  It is an option.  If I want to survive, it may be my only option.  But the Protector has promised it will be there, and that I can find it. 

And if I take that offering, if I run for the window, I will live.  I will hear the trap slam shut.  Empty.  I can watch the Enemy slink away. 

Maybe there isn’t a lot of difference between a victim and a victor.  Maybe the secret lies in the escape. 

And if it’s there for me, it is there for you.  Find it, and live.