Mountain Metaphor

The human race has honored, respected, and communicated with mountains since the Stone Age. In the landscape, mountains have interpreters, but one thing about mountains is that if you climb one and succeed, the experience is transformational. However, climbing Mount Everest or Sinai may not be on a bucket list, but still, we take notice of mountains. They are exclamation marks on the landscapes with an aura of the sacred. Moses would agree.

So, how are we going to connect with God so we can be transformed and determined to live our lives to answer the call?

What happened up there on Mount Sinai? God speaks to Moses, and Moses, transformed by his 40 days and nights camping trip, is ready to lead. Sounds familiar.

God attached an addendum to the Commandments delivered by Moses to guide the Israelites on how to live their lives following that moral code. A community, a nation, a church needs to abide by an established moral conduct and behave accordingly to work together for each other’s common good. Hitching ourselves to the laws and specific injunctions, obeying for fear of punishment, is a school child’s approach.

So, we can continue to gaze upon this interior mountain, but at some point, we have to climb upward. A daunting task is always before us – Be holy, God says, and it is in us to be so, albeit we may have to dig deep to discover who we are meant to be. It’s never too late to start the climb.

Prayer:

Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:15)