Climb That Mountain

Like many kitchens, mine has some cabinets which are out-of-reach.  Mr. Bill has a conniption fit when he sees me climb up on a kitchen chair for height.  Those fits aren’t so pretty so I’ve learned to do my climbing when he’s not around!

The Christian’s spiritual journey can be compared to an arduous mountain ascent.  Except for kitchen chairs, I try to avoid climbing anything although [figuratively speaking] it’s part of living.  None of us can escape the yuckies of this life, however, those less-than-pleasantries are divinely crafted to lead us to new spiritual heights. Spurgeon wrote, “The higher we climb the more we discover of His beauties.”  In Israel, I traveled by cable car from ground to the plateau top of the ancient Judean fortress, Masada.  The view from that 1300 feet above ground included the Dead Sea, Judean Desert, and the distant Jordan River; it was spectacular!  Interestingly, I would never have experienced such beauty had I remained safely & contentedly below.  Likewise, we risk missing incredible glimpses of our awesome God apart from life’s difficulties.  The Prophet Isaiah wrote, “Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’” (40:9)  Sadly, many Christians choose to remain comfortably aground and forfeit awesome things The Father longs to reveal in and through us.  Oh, the blessings and subsequent testimonies we miss, leaving us [at times] with little to pass on to our children as well as lost opportunities to glorify God.  I don’t know any real mountain-climbers but  I sure can name Saints who have ascended spiritual mounts and honored Christ along the way!  Believer, don’t run from your mountains – see them as paths to greater heights of God’s Beauty and grander displays of His mighty works.  Go ahead, climb that mountain!