As in many northern climes, a favourite pastime of Canadian children in winter is tobogganing.

I did my share of barrelling down snowy slopes on a sled when I was a kid.

Even though we lived in a big city, we had nature nearby. A ravine adjoined our neighbourhood, featuring steep hills bordering a river valley.

These hills were perfect for tobogganing.

The trick was to follow the paths through the snow that others had already made. Trying to forge a path through newly fallen snow yourself was hard going, but if you positioned your sled on ready-made routes, you could really pick up some speed.

The highest hill in the ravine was nicknamed “The Killer” by the kids. When the snow was tamped down by dozens of tobogganing runs it became icy, and you’d find yourself going faster than you expected.

You could build up so much momentum sliding down this hill that you could end up plunging into the freezing cold river.

It was a slippery slope, quite literally.

And dangerous.

Sometimes in life we find ourselves on slippery slopes, don’t we?

If we’re not careful, we might blindly follow the path of others into sin. It might seem fun at first, and we might not notice that we’re accelerating.

Eventually, though, we may lose control and not be able to stop in time. We can unexpectedly end up in dangerous places.

Make no mistake, sin is a killer.

It kills relationships, reputations, trust, and future options.

Most importantly, it kills our connection with God.

Psalm 73 contains a warning to the arrogant, the proud, the wicked: those who believe they have no need of God.

“Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.” (Psalm 73:18)

But if we turn to God in repentance, He can steer us off the trajectory that would otherwise imperil our eternal souls.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Through belief in Christ’s atoning sacrifice on our behalf, the brakes are applied on our progression toward destruction.

Instead of hurtling over the edge, we are pulled back from the brink.

God redeems us and sets on the right path.

“He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.” (Psalm 23:3)

From then on, no matter what we go through, we are assured of Christ’s love and of ultimate victory through Him.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” (Romans 8:35)

(Or, I might add, slippery slopes?)

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)

That’s good news no matter where you find yourself in life!

“And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.”

john 17:3

© 2023 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.