During life's valleys, look to `spiritual mountain'
Recently we drove to Colorado and spent some time in the mountains. It's one of those spiritual places where you breathe deep and find God.
In the beauty of nature, He is overwhelmingly real and intensely personal. Perhaps God created us to have that sensitivity to creation in order to connect and to enter into His realm more fully. For starters, it's such a contrast to go from the heat of Oklahoma to a cool mountain morning. The extremes continue once there, as we witness the perfection of the tiniest wildflower compared to the magnificent grandeur of a mountain peak.
It's the timelessness of the Rocky Mountain range and its way of reducing our size and our problems. And the song a rushing mountain stream sings, its clear voice skipping over boulders on the way to its destiny. Drinking in the freshness of the air and watching the shimmer of aspen leaves that dance on the breeze — it's all a stunning revelation of God's majesty and glory.
Yet the Psalmist says we look to the “hills” but ask the question, “from whence cometh my help?
In this challenging time, we've had to face head on the realities of fear and unpredictability. When will this troubled time end? First, my optimistic self, thought we would be OK by June. Then surely the virus would lessen its impact during the warm days of summer. Perhaps in the fall, there “might” be another wave, but at the end of May I was thinking that the worst was behind us.
Seems naive now, but I'm not alone.
Most of Oklahoma City rescheduled their “events” for fall. Now, everyone is hoping for 2021.
Currently, I just take things a day at a time and trust that it will end at some point. I've accepted that this summer is void of live music, family reunions, graduation celebrations and normal life. Every day I pray for those who are sick and those who are caring for them. The virus is always with us. As is the reality of economic trouble and violence among our own citizens.
Where is a solid foundation when our lives are shaken to the core? Where is help?
It doesn't come from a place, even a place of inspiration — help comes from the Lord,
“I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
— Psalm 121: 1-2
the Creator of heaven and Earth. It comes from the One who loves us beyond reason and calls us to love Him and to love one another.
I would not choose to live in the mountains — Oklahoma is always home to me — but I can close my eyes at any moment and visit a “spiritual mountain.” In a flash I can take a deep breath, hear the sound of a sparkling stream, see the mountain's majesty and hear the Creator whisper my name to remind me that He is always my help in time of trouble. Yours, too.
Thanks be to God.