"Mountaintops"

 

“Mountaintops”

 

Many of God’s people have had a “mountaintop experience” (maybe more than one) at a camp, conference or even in a private time with God. (I’ve had them in each of these contexts.) It’s a term describing a significant event in one’s spiritual life in which God feels especially close. Often, however, this time is followed by a “valley” when we return to the “real world”. As preachers, including yours truly) have said, “You can’t reach the mountaintops without going through the valleys.”

Many key persons in the Bible have had important encounters with God on mountains but once they left the high points they sunk into valleys. Here are some examples:

*Noah left the ark, which had settled on Mount Ararat, with his family after the great flood and built an altar to honor God for His deliverance (Genesis 8:18-22) but soon thereafter fell into a drunken stupor (Genesis 9:20-23).

*Abraham passed God’s test by being willing to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:1-18) but a few years later his wife Sarah died (Genesis 23:1-2),

*Moses spent forty days in God’s presence atop Mount Sinai where he received the two tablets on which God had written His Laws (Exodus 24:18; 31:18) but on his descent found the Israelites worshipping a golden calf (Exodus 32:15-20).

*God gave Elijah a great victory over Baal’s prophets on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18) but immediately thereafter fled for his life from Queen Jezebel (1 Kings 19:1-9).

*Three of Jesus’ disciples (Peter, James and John) witnessed His transfiguration on (probably) Mount Hermon (Matthew 17:1-9) but saw the weakness of their colleagues’ faith (and their own later) when they came down (Matthew 17:14-16).

But one was very different:

*Jesus’ eleven disciples saw His ascension into Heaven from the Mount of Olives forty days after His resurrection (Acts 1:1-11), obeyed His instructions (Luke 24:45-49) and prayed with others for ten days until the Holy Spirit empowered them at Pentecost and gave birth to the church (Acts 2).

We may have a down time after a “mountaintop” encounter with God but He’s using it to shape us for His glory. So “…wait patiently for him….” (Psalm 37:7)—He’s faithful and will come through.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan