How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”  Isaiah 52:7

Have you ever had the opportunity to see a mountain?  Or better yet, have you ever gotten to go up a mountain?  Whether you were hiking, climbing, or just driving toward the top, aren’t mountains amazing?  So grand and majestic.  Awe inspiring.

I have lived in the land of mountains for a year and half now and I still can’t get over how amazing they are, even when I see them every day.  Driving home regularly affords me with a full view of Mt. Hood.  And every time I see it I still say, “I love the mountain.”  To which my sons, no longer quite so impressed, just respond, “We know mom.”

A funny thing happens when I drive toward the mountain though.  The closer I get, the less of the mountain I see.  Sometimes we even lose our view completely if we drive below a ridge for a time.  And then we’re on the mountain itself, close to the top, and the view changes completely.

In your Christian life, do you ever feel like you’ve lost sight of God?  Are you less awed by His love and power?  Are there times you wonder where He is?  I admit that’s happened to me.  I go through my daily life, volunteering at church, having nightly devotions with my children, doing Bible study, even teaching His Word, and sometimes my faith can feel a little “flat.”  My view of God seems “less.”
 

Why, O Lord, do you stand far away?  Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?  Psalm 10:1

Life is like that, isn’t it?  Sometimes God let’s us see His work in our lives in grand and amazing ways.  New Christians often get that view as God begins to work in their lives and they are seeing him for the first time.  Other times, we are traveling in the valleys and might lose our view of Him for a time.  In those times we’re walking by faith, not by sight.
God may be hiding himself from us at times, but He’s always there.  Ne never leaves us.  He’s walking with us always.

He guides me along the right paths
 for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk
 through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,
 for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
 they comfort me.  Psalm 23:3-4
 
He’s right there beside us until we reach our final destination on Mount Zion.  Won’t it be amazing to stand on top of that Mountain with him?  Imagine the view we’ll have then.  We’ll be able to see God up close and personal but we’ll also be able to look out with a perspective we never had before.  Oh, the views we will have!

Ask the Lord

Dear Lord,
Thank you for the times you reveal yourself to me in grand ways.  Thank you for being with me when I feel I can't "see" you in my life.  Thank you for walking with me through the valleys and supplying me grand views.  Please continue to be with me, to provide comfort in times of trouble, and to guide me along the path you have planned for me.  And help me to be able to share that comfort with others.
Amen.