Trusting in Mountains
While I love the ocean, a sunset that dances in oranges and yellows along the horizon, surfing with dolphins and walking the beach listening to praise music on my iPod, deep down I’m a city girl. I love the lights at night, the busyness of the streets, the shops and the theatre. I love the convenience of the city – the energy of a population that seems to be in constant motion. I love it all. Well, maybe not all. I am not a fan of the crime, the pollution or the lack of personal space. But all in all, I could be quite content in a big city most of the year.
With that said, I just returned from an amazing women’s retreat in the mountains. I jumped at the chance to go even though I knew the Christian camp wouldn’t hold the same comforts of home. In my self-delusion, I somehow forgot my mantra that I am a pampered pet and can’t do without a latte, my husband’s amazing cooking and a down comforter over my temperpedic mattress for more than 15 seconds. So, off I went, pillow and blanket in hand, to experience God in the wilderness. And by wilderness, I mean powdered eggs, bunk beds (though, I personally didn’t sleep in one) and a heater that spewed explosions alternated with hisses at me throughout the night. I would have turned it off, but it was somehow connected to our shower’s hot water supply and while I could go without proper sustenance, I could not take a cold shower when there was snow outside my doorstep.
Horrible?
Actually, no.
Don’t get me wrong. I lamented over the lack of real eggs, a comfortable bed and a hot shower that didn’t come at the cost of a good night’s sleep. But I got so much more. I hiked (if you count twenty minutes at the entrance of the trail by the rocks at the creek hiking) sang Christian songs at a campfire, heard some wise teaching about God’s dreams for us and worshipped through music and painting.
But mostly I received confirmation that God was moving mountains in my life. Mountains play a big role in Biblical imagery. They are symbolic of the refuge we have in Jesus, of God as creator and even as a holy place where we might meet God. Lot, David and Elijah fled to them for safety. Abraham, Moses, Elijah and David, to name a few Biblical heroes, spoke with God on them. Abraham even climbed up one in obedience to sacrifice his son, Isaac, to the Lord.
“He who forms the mountains,
who creates the wind,
and who reveals his thoughts to mankind,
who turns dawn to darkness,
and treads on the heights of the earth –
the Lord God Almighty is his name.”
– Amos 4:13 (NIV)
Seeing God in nature and feeling His presence through His creation underscored discussions of trusting in God’s dreams for us. It should be easy to trust God in light of the imagery of mountains trembling at His voice while you sit at the base of the mere 8,825 foot Tahquitz rock pictured above.
My best friend sees that. She feels God’s presence in nature. Watching her negotiate her way down a rocky hillside, you could see God’s peace cover her like the snow had blanketed the 70-foot trees that inhabited the side of Tahquitz rock. Her joy was inviting; contagious even. I couldn’t help but want to go deeper into the trail – deeper into His peace. The fear that my knee scarred by surgery and an injury that won’t seem to heal was lost in the desire to see what she saw…to feel God like she felt Him in His creation. I thought of Elijah as she stood by a large rock looking deeper into the wooded area… Like Elijah waiting on top of the mountain for God to pass by. I could imagine Jesus’ warm voice In the wind inviting her closer to Him and the Father.
“The LORD said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.’
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him…?”
– 1Kings 19:11-13 (NIV)
I wondered what the still and quiet voice whispered to my friend. What wisdom He had shared, what hurt He healed. I didn’t ask. It wasn’t my healing to be had. It wasn’t my message to hear. And still, I wondered why, even after descending towards the stream as far as I could, God didn’t choose to speak to me though His creation?
In the process, He allowed me a glimpse into His relationship with one of His children. I was reminded that He was moving those same mountains where He spoke into my friend. He was moving those same mountains I doubted could be moved two years ago when He gave me a dream – a name. I realized that I lacked faith and had failed to trust in His dream because I couldn’t see what it looked like or where it would lead.
“Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out? ‘He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'” – Matthew 17:19-21 (NIV)
Two years later, tired, hungry and completely out of my comfort zone, I was reminded that God’s dreams for my friend and for me were both there in that mountain of a rock if only we were willing to trust in His dreams for us both.
Awesome.
Powerful reminder to trust the Lord with our dreams.
Wonderful thoughts here today Niccol. Many times I am like the Disciples were, with little faith. But there is nothing too BIG for God! Thanks for the reminder.
Thanks everyone. My prayer is that everyone will seek and discover the dreams God has for them.