Upon The Mountain

Yesterday I walked through the valley. I cried out to God but could not hear His voice. But I knew He was there. I have always known He was there.
Today I heard His voice spoken as loudly as the crashing waves upon the ocean and as gentle as the morning breeze against the flowers. I commented to my dear friend Lori before church about the burdens from the day before. We shared the same feelings, but both agreed that church today was the best place for us to be.
The worship service was a blessing. A wonderful testimony to God's power was shared by our friend Jim.
When Pastor Steve started to speak for the sermon I immediately felt that God was going to speak to me. As I have done in the past in my blogs, I have printed the quoted words of someone else in blue. So the words that I share with you today in blue are from Pastor Steve's mouth but from God's heart.
The message talked of the transfiguration of Jesus upon the mountain from Mark 9:2-9.
Jesus' transfiguration was truly a mountaintop experience for Peter. Jesus' clothes become a dazzling white and Peter sees Moses and Elijah back from the dead. They were in their full glory.
But then it was all over. Jesus told His disciples to go back down the mountain. Is that all? Over so fast? Probably what Peter was thinking. Isn't that the way for us? Our mountain top experiences seem to be over as quick as they came.

However, Jesus knows that we can't stay on the mountain. Jesus said we must go down the mountain and continue ministry in the brokenness of the world. Jesus wanted His disciples to have a faith that was not just a mountain faith but a faith that could endure the mountains in there lives. The same is true for us today. Sometimes the greatest faith is not the mountain moving kind of faith at all. SOMETIMES THE GREATEST TEST OF OUR FAITH COMES WHEN WE SPEAK TO THE MOUNTAIN AND THE MOUNTAIN DOES NOT MOVE. Then if we listen carefully we will hear God say "I'm not going to move that mountain but I will give you the strength to climb it."
Life isn't about living on the mountain. Sometimes we must spend time in the valley.

God has given me a mountain to climb. Though in my humanness I ask for the mountain to be moved, I know He has a greater purpose. He has a purpose for the mountaintop experiences and a purpose for the valleys. He who is able to do ALL things will give me the strength to climb the mountain and walk in the valley. It is my prayer that I can share in ministry to a broken world through the mountains and valleys upon this journey.