Mountaintops

“Here is what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace…The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. (Matthew 6:6,21 – The Message Bible)

My husband’s favorite place is on a mountain top, whether hiking in Colorado or skiing in the U.S. or Europe. I copied the verse Pastor John Duling used in his devotion on March 12, 2019 above. Not having skied before I met Bryce at 50 years old, I tried it with his encouragement. I had climbed a small mountain or two by Estes Park, but had never been on a tall mountain, especially in winter with everything white all around. Wintertime on a mountain is spectacular beauty almost beyond human comprehension.

John is right, the silence on the top is momentous and transformative. I learned to love the tops all over Colorado, Canada, Spain, France and Switzerland. I would think of God each time I arrived on top by lift or gondola. And I thanked Bryce for the new experiences.

The book of Ezekiel keeps mentioning the high places where Judah and others worshipped. Many worshipped idols there. Pastor Thomas Dummermuth mentioned that in Bible times, before airplanes, many thought the earth met heaven on the mountaintops.

The ark came to rest on the mountain in Genesis. Psalm 36:6 says righteousness is like the mighty mountain and Psalm 98.8 says let the mountains sing together for joy. (I felt joy each time on top). Isaiah 55:12 says the mountains and hills will burst into song. Jesus was transfigured there, probably leading to more belief heaven met the top of the mountain. Much of Jesus’ ministry was on the mountainside.

My granddaughter was sleeping when we entered between the mountains at Estes Park one time. She was eight years old and had not seen the mountains. She awoke, looked out the window, and said, “What is that, where are we?” You can imagine her thoughts. She was blown away.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the mountaintops and for all the places where we can focus on you, feel your power and sense your grace, and be in the place where your treasure is. Help us to find our quiet places daily where we are remembering the mountain tops. Amen

Sandra Hilsabeck (reprinted from 2019. Stock photo below shared by editor.)