The Grand Canyon

When I was 15 years old, my family took a two-day, two-night trip to the Grand Canyon. It’s one of the best known places in the United States, and many people visit from around the world each year. My dad grew up near there, so he and my mom had been to the Grand Canyon before. But for my brother and me, it was our first time. There are hotels at the Grand Canyon, but they’re expensive and you have to reserve them far in advance. So, we decided to camp instead. My family always liked saving money.

@ To get there, my family had to drive for about eight hours. Many other people who visit the Grand Canyon come from even farther. After a long drive, we came near the entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park. Before entering the park, though, we found a very small dirt road and drove into the forest. You see, in an American national forest, you can camp for free unless there are signs that say otherwise. @ So, we drove the car back through the woods until we found a secluded spot where we decided to set up our tent. It took a while to find a good spot, and it took longer to pitch camp. Finally, we had a primitive campsite. By “primitive,” I mean that there were no showers. There was no water. There were no restrooms. There was only nature—and the sound of many tour airplanes and helicopters flying overhead.

@ The next morning, we entered the park and caught our first glimpse of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We drove from one place to another, enjoying the views. @ Then, we hiked partway down into the canyon. If you want to go to the bottom, there are strict rules, and you have to wait a year for the proper permits. So, we didn’t go all the way. @ Hiking on the trail is interesting, because it’s quite narrow, and there are no rails. The ground just suddenly drops more than 150 meters straight down. @ But there are many mules that carry people and supplies back and forth between the top and the bottom, and those mules walk right at the edge and never fall.

The next day, we saw some more of the Grand Canyon. But it’s huge, and you would need more than a week to see it all. On that last day, we were talking to one of the park rangers, and he told us something really surprising. The average visit to the Grand Canyon lasts for just two hours. @ That means that for everyone like my family who stays for two days, there must be many others who just drive their car to the closest overlook on the South Rim, look quickly, and turn around and leave—even though they’ve driven for hours just to get there. Can you imagine spending five or ten hours traveling to one of the most famous places you’ll ever see, then staying only thirty minutes? It’s not enough time!

@ I think we sometimes do something like that with God. We go to church every week, but do we spend time with God? Do we pray often and read our Bibles often? Or are we like those visitors to the Grand Canyon who only stay a short while?

@ The Bible says in Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (ESV). That means that the Bible is our guide. But we have to read it a lot, or we won’t be able to benefit from it. So let’s be like those who stay for a long time at the Grand Canyon, and not like those who leave after only thirty minutes.