May 12th, 2014

God in his power and majesty created the mountains and the seas; not with tools and effort but by the very spoken word he created them. And while they seem so overwhelming in their nature man has been drawn to climb them, to seek that feeling of achievement that only comes through perseverance and effort...but you know, if God had made the mountain smooth you couldn't climb it.

The mountain by its creation has various places for one to get a firm grip, to pull their self up a little at a time, but sometimes we may climb for a long time only to realize that the path we have chosen won't get us to the summit and then we must go back down and hope to find a more forgiving route, one that will allow us to  reach the top. God sometimes leads us to mountains in our personal life, and like his mountains the ones we face offer an opportunity to get a fresh grip, a firm hold if we will just trust the maker of the mountain.

But it isn't the God made mountain of stone, or the ice capped peak that the creator puts before us that cause us the most difficulty, and if you've faced the "life mountains" that God allows in your life you know that even they, with faith and trust in the Lord can be ascended...but the mountains that stop us in our tracks, the ones that are most difficult are the "man made" mountains, they ones built on pride, anger, jealousy, envy, judgment and every other ingredient we can add in.

These are the mountains that hurt the deepest and the longest, the ones that challenge you to give up climbing; don't let a mountain created by any man become the "hill" that keeps you from the Lord. If you need help on the climb, the Lord is listening, and I am here to pray for you and with you.  

---