Mountaintop

10/1/2020

Mark 9:2 “Jesus leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves.”

Peter, James, and John saw a miraculous event on the mountain when Jesus was transfigured as Moses and Elijah appeared. Mark 9:5-7, “Peter said to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah’ (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!’ I cannot even imagine the intensity of such a moment. After Elijah and Moses disappeared, they began to descend the mountain, and Jesus ordered the three disciples not to speak of what they have seen until “the Son of Man has risen.”

Can you even imagine how difficult that must have been? To witness such an event and have to keep quiet about it? In the world we are currently living in, keeping confidence is not something that seems to happen much, especially when there is some kind of fame involved, which was true in their case. They had to live with that information locked inside them for a time. Their mountaintop experience was rare and powerful indeed, but they still had to descend and continue following Jesus. This is also true of our walk with the Savior. We have all had those mountaintop experiences where the power of the Holy Spirit is so strong it transforms you, and you never want it to end. Chambers writes, “The test of our spiritual life is the power to descend; if we have power to rise only, something is wrong. It is a great thing to be on the mount with God, but a man only gets there in order that afterwards he many get down among the devil-possessed and lift them up.”

These times of spiritual inspiration on the mountaintop are for a bigger purpose than our own uplifting and exhilaration. Keeping these times locked inside to access when we need them is spiritually selfish. We have these mountaintop experiences to be able to fulfill our purpose in the valley, and must stay open always to the Lord’s leading there. Chambers writes, “The moments on the mountain tops are rare moments, and they are meant for something in God’s purpose.” Never look around for someone else to do what God has called you to do, but go boldly in faith. In our world today, we need to share truth and shine the light of God’s love to those around us more than ever.

Do Something – Matthew West

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8