In the last chapter we talked about being in the valley. I know that whenever I am in the valley my view of myself and my surroundings is quite distorted. I focus on me and what I want. I try and decide how I will crawl out of the pit. I try scaling the mountainside on my own, without anything to support me.
Whenever I am on the mountain {however} I approach life differently. My view of myself is placed on the back-burner. God is at the forefront of my mind, thoughts, and desires. All of the sudden His thoughts and desires are more important than my own.
Today, we are going to discuss moving up the mountain. You see, God has called us to a higher standard as believers. He wants us to pursue higher ground. Ground that is lush and green. Ground that will enable us {as Christians} to take root and start sprouting fruit. Ground that is only found at the top.
I am extremely blessed to live in Arkansas where there are rolling hills with beautiful trees and plants. Now, if you live in the flat lands you may need to do some day dreaming on this one... envision {if you will} the most beautiful mountain you've ever seen. Maybe there's a stream that runs through it creating a beautiful waterfall. Maybe this waterfall runs over the mountainside off of an enormous cliff. Maybe there are dogwoods lining this stream with lilies and other beautiful plants. Whatever your lush mountain looks like {no matter how beautiful} it cannot compare to the view that is created by looking over the side the mountain!!!
Wouldn't you love to get the view from the mountaintop? Jesus longs for you to view yourself and your surrounding the way that He does. He wants to help you up the mountain so that you can see the view from the top. It's amazing how different things look from the top. Read Isaiah 55:8-13.
8
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
9
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
13
Instead of the thorn bush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”
Who's thoughts are higher... your thoughts or God's thoughts?
As you travel up the mountain it is God at work in you. It is God transforming you and making you climb higher and higher. None of us can scale the mountain alone. The mountain is brutal. The mountain is rough. The mountain requires a guide. God has provided a guide through His word {the Bible}.
I love verse 11 that says, "My word will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and will achieve the purpose for which it was sent..."
Many people think that when difficult circumstances arise or things get {a little} tricky of the mountainside that God has left them or even hates them. They get angry at God because things are not going as they had planned. The problem is, they have lost their guide. God is showing me that He wants to use the difficulties {along the journey} to make me closer to Him. He is using the difficult situation to make me cling to Him and His plan for my life. He is showing me that He is the guide & that He is accomplishing His desire and purpose for my life. It is verifying what was written in verse 11, "...It is achieving the purpose for which it was sent."
What does verse 13 say the purpose is? Is it for your you or God? Is it temporary or eternal?
You see... Even though it is difficult climbing the mountain {it has eternal value}. It is for the Lord's renown and it {does} have enduring significance.
You may {or may not know} that Jeremiah and I have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility. We have been through countless doctor visits, numerous IUI's, in-vitro, etc. We have run the gamut from medications to adoption. We have scaled the mountainside. We have climbed and climbed and climbed. At some points along the way we have slipped, gotten scraped up, bruised and cut. But God {in His faithfulness} has held us. He has scaled the mountain with us. He has been faithful to fulfill what He promised.
Sweet friend, I may not know what you are experiencing. I may not understand your pain. But I do know this {if you are a believer} God is with you. He has not left you alone. He has not abandoned you to the mountainside. He is with you and He wants you to keep climbing. He wants you to climb that mountainside to the very top. The view is best from the top. It's hard getting there but it is worth it!!!
Read Verse 12 again. It says, "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." In His faithfulness He has given us joy. He has led us forth in peace. He has carried us up the mountainside where we are able to clap our hands in honor of Him. It is all {even the days we fell and got brutally wounded} for His renown.
Keep climbing and remember the words of Isaiah 26:8 "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your truth. We wait for you; for your name and renown are the desires of our hearts."
