Month: October 2020

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Why a mountain?

You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established. – Exodus 15:17

My husband and I had the privilege of retiring to the mountains two years ago. We had both lived in the fairly flat Midwest all of our lives and were ready for a change. The mountains called and we came.

Over time, I’ve realized how important the mountains seem to be to God. It was on a mountain that Abraham offered Isaac and later on that same mount where the Temple was built and the people of Israel (and others who would join them) worshiped God.

It was on a mountain that the law was given to Moses, including the Ten Commandments that have been the foundation of laws in many countries today.

It was on a mountain that Elijah, standing in a cleft of the rock, heard God’s quiet voice speaking to him.

It was on a mountain that Jesus taught his followers in the greatest sermon ever given.

On a high mountain in Israel, Peter, James, and John witnessed Jesus in all his glory as he talked with Moses and Elijah.

And, of course, it was on Mount Calvary that Jesus was crucified for the sins of us all.

Why a mountain? Maybe ascending to the height of the mountain is the farthest we can get from the distractions of this world, the concerns of this life. Whether on a mountain or in a quiet room, getting away to get nearer to God – to hear His voice, to see His glory, and to receive his instruction may be the finest thing we can do today.

“Great things are done when men and mountains meet.” – William Blake

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Three Miles an Hour


“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” – Genesis 3:8

I love to walk, whether it’s around the neighborhood or on a mountain trail (then I get to call it a hike!). And, when I walk, I find things I would never see any other way – near perfect dandelion puffs, hidden streams, or grasses blowing in the wind. And yesterday, a friendly encounter with my neighbor’s dog!

What’s your speed? 70 mph? More on some days? We get used to hurry, and often it can’t be avoided. And we all know there’s nothing like a smart phone to instill constant pressure. Our work and world today seem to demand that we rush.

What is God’s speed? South Asian author Kosuke-Koyama wrote a book a few years ago titled The Three-Mile An Hour God. He based his estimate on the average distance a person walks in an hour, pointing out that when Jesus was here, he most likely moved at about three miles an hour as he walked around Galilee. And, he stopped a lot along the way!

That book led N. T. Wright to comment, “We have to slow down to catch up with God!” Could that be true of us? Do we sometimes race right by God as he moves along at the slower pace of Godspeed?

Do you have a favorite way to slow down? To calm your mind and soul? To pause to go a little deeper? For me, walking is a great antidote to hurry. For you it may be something else. Whatever we have to do to slow down to catch up with God, let’s do it!

“The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.” – Richard Foster

NOTE: If you want more on this topic, check out this website: https://www.livegodspeed.org/

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Smile!

“I will celebrate before the Lord,” 2 Samuel 6:21b

Did you know that walking with God is not always about being serious? There are supposed to be times of celebration, belly laughs, and seeing the lighter side.

Remember when David brought the Ark of God to Jerusalem after its long absence? He was so happy he danced in front of the Ark, and it wasn’t a carefully choreographed dance, either. It is described as dancing and leaping – a spontaneous burst of joy.

Then there’s the time when Ezra found the Book of the Law, dusty from disuse for many years. He read it to the people and they were overcome with grief to think of how many ways they had failed God. After awhile, Nehemiah stepped in, dismissed the sad meeting, and called for a party, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine . . . for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

So, how happy are your morning devotional times? Do you smile when you talk to God? Does joy sneak into your heart as you read Scripture and begin to understand the pleasure God takes in his creation and in his people?

How happy are the worship times at your church? Is it a place where singing and praise-filled people worship a joy-filled God?

How happy are you when you look at God’s artwork in the sky, the freshness of new snow, or the wiggles of puppies? The things God makes should lead us to agree with Dallas Willard who said, “God is the happiest, most joyful being in the universe.”

Shouldn’t knowing him stir up happiness in us? Let’s live joy today!

“Praise is the mode of love which always has some element of joy in it.” – C. S. Lewis

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Unshakable

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” – Jeremiah 31:3

Have you ever had your love for someone shaken? You heard about the affair. You found out what a friend said to another person about you. Your children turn away in anger. Human love sometimes does not survive these deep hurts.

God’s love is different – it never gives up. Peter denied Jesus, but Jesus did not for even a moment stop loving Peter. Jonah was angry at God’s mercy toward Ninevah. God planted a bush so he would have shade. Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s one prohibition. He provided a sacrificial covering for them. God’s love for his own children is unshakable.

Don’t get me wrong. We should not test that love – the Bible is clear about that, too. If we live outside of his boundaries, God will bring discipline into our lives to draw us back into companionship with him. We are far better off living in sync with him than wandering away. But, when we do stray, his love follows us – always.

The security for us is that God loves us because of who he is, not because of who we are. When we hurt him, he still loves. He forgives. He restores. That’s what he does. He just asks that the intent of our hearts is loving him back.

Still not convinced? Take is from Paul inspired words, then: “I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us“. (Romans 8:38-39 The Message).

Unshakable!

“God loves you unconditionally, as you are and not as you should be, because nobody is as they should be.” – Brennan Manning