Hinds Feet on High Places Summary and Thoughts - Chapter 15

Chapter 15 Summary

In chapter 15 of Hinds’ Feet on High Places Much-Afraid and her companions continued on the journey until they reached a cabin that was prepared for them to stay for the night. During the night, Much-Afraid awoke to the Great Shepherd’s voice instructing her to take the promise she received from him and the natural longing for human love that was in her heart before he planted the seed of love there and bring it to the place he shows her to offer as a burnt offering. The Great Shepherd then showed the place where she was to go the next morning. Much-Afraid and her companions left at daybreak to ascend to the place appointed.

Several hours into their steep hike up the mountain, they saw Fear, Resentment, Pride, and Self-Pity run past them shouting that the mountains were falling and they should run too. Suffering and Sorrow did not know what to do but Much-Afraid said that they must continue because the Shepherd commanded her. The voice she heard the night before once again spoke and told her where they could wait out the storm in a little cave. So they did.

As they waited, Much-Afraid emptied out her collection of stones from the altars she had built along the way. She considered throwing them away, since she was asked to offer her promise as a burnt offering and felt they were worthless promises. As she went through each one, she realized she could not part with any, even if they didn’t come true.  Sorrow and Suffering laughed and spoke:

The storm ended and they were able to continue they hike up the mountain. The higher they got, the weaker Much-Afraid felt, but Sorrow and Suffering seemed to get stronger and were able to carry Much-Afraid when needed. They came to a spring that the Voice told Much-Afraid to drink from for strength. She drank from it but it was bitter. Then the Voice told her to break off a branch from the tree nearby and throw it ok to the water to sweeten it. The tree appeared like a cross, as it had only one branch one either side of the trunk with thorns along it. Once she threw a branch into the water she could drink it easily and was refreshed and strengthened. She picked up her twelfth memorial stone beside that spring and then continued her hike to appointed place.

Chapter 15 Thoughts

The first thing that stood out to me in this chapter was, Much-Afraid’s confidence to keep walking even when Sorrow and Suffering were unsure. This was the first time in the book that we see Sorrow and Suffering not know what to do, which makes it even more surprising that Much-Afraid did not waver at all but confidently said they will keep walking. Even seeing her enemies run for their lives past them was not able to make Much-Afraid doubt what the Great Shepherd had instructed her to do the night before.

The second thing that stood out to me this chapter was Much-Afraid’s attempt to let go of her memory stones. She felt that the promises attached to each stone were worthless now that she knew she was being asked to sacrifice the promise the Great Shepherd gave her to  make her feet like hinds feet as a burnt offering. But as she picked up each stone one by one, she could not let go of the stones, even though she knew the promises may not come true. After holding the eleventh stone and repeating “Though he slay me, I will trust him” (Job 13:15), Much-Afraid declared that she could not part with the stones, even if the world tells her they are useless. Much-Afraid truly reveals here that she is willing to give up everything for the Great Shepherd, including the promises she held so tightly to at the beginning of her journey.                                                 

The third thing that stood out to me in this chapter is how Much-Afraid continued to grow weaker the higher up they got, but Sorrow and Suffering only grew stronger the higher they went and were able to carry her when she needed. This is a reminder of the message in the early chapters of the book, of how Sorrow and Suffering help Much-Afraid continue when she wouldn’t have been able to in her own strength.

The fourth thing from chapter 15 that I wanted to highlight was the cross shaped tree that made the bitter water sweet and gave Much-Afraid the strength she needed. It took me reading this chapter a few times to catch that the tree is described as being shaped like a cross. The branch thrown into the water represents how Christ gives us the strength to endure the suffering and sorrow it takes to follow him. Water that was so bitter that her body rejected it, was turned into water that she could drink easily and she immediately felt strengthen and refreshed to finish the journey.

We are nearing the end with only 5 chapters left in Much-Afraid’s story. I pray that you are enjoying it and learning just as much from it as I am and I look forward to continuing with you next week.   

-Nadine

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18