It Happens in Life More Than We Like to Admit
A job that promised meaning but left you hollow.
A relationship you poured yourself into that couldn’t hold the weight of your hope.
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A cause, a brand, or a personal dream that looked like it would define you—until you realized it couldn’t.
These are the moments you realize something you were climbing toward… couldn’t actually meet your needs nor sustain your lifelong dreams.
The Two Walls
In life, we all lean our ladders somewhere. But not every wall is the same.
Some walls only look solid. From the ground, they’re covered in bold colors, clever words, and the promise of a better view. You start climbing, feeling the rush of progress, until you reach the top—and discover it’s nothing but a painted backdrop. No depth. No strength. Just an empty stage propped up to look real.
Then there’s the other wall. It’s plain from the ground—solid stone, no slogans, no glossy veneer. It doesn’t shout for your attention. But as you climb, the air shifts. The breeze carries scents of pine and wildflowers. And when you reach the top, the world opens: rolling green hills stitched with silver rivers, sunlight spilling gold over valleys, a horizon that feels like forever.
One wall leaves you balancing on emptiness. The other gives you a place to stand, breathe, and truly see.
But… Here’s a Relevant 3,000-Year-Old Question
Climbing any wall takes effort, but Psalm 24:3 interrupts the climb with a challenge:
“Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?
Who may stand in His holy place?”It’s not just can you climb—it’s are you climbing the right hill, and are you ready for what’s at the top?
Some climbs are about skill, endurance, and strategy. This one is about alignment—clean hands, a pure heart, and a soul that’s not tethered to what’s false. Not perfection, but a life pointed in the right direction for the right reasons.
Because the “hill of the LORD” isn’t just any summit—it’s the highest wall, the truest place, the one where the view changes you.
What It Means to “Lift Up Your Soul”
In ancient Hebrew, “lift up the soul” means to aim your whole being at something—to hand over your loyalty, your love, your identity.
And “false”? It’s more than just lying. It’s emptiness, worthlessness, the kind of thing that looks powerful but has no life in it.Back then, it meant idols of wood or stone. Today, it’s the things we can’t see: image, influence, approval, wealth, ideology. They promise the world but can’t carry the weight of your soul.
When the Wrong Wall Wins
Jonah once said:
“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the mercy that could be theirs.”
Climbing the wrong ladder doesn’t just cost time—it costs the very thing you were hoping to find when you got to the top.
The Better Wall
Psalm 25 offers the alternative:
“To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.”
It’s the act of putting your ladder on the wall that’s real—the one that doesn’t just get you higher but holds you when you arrive. The one with a view you can live in, not just look at.
Your Ladder Check
Your ladder is already leaning somewhere. The only question is… will it still be there—and will the view be worth it—when you get to the top?