The Mountain Top Experience

"The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. For he has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters. Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation." 
Psalm 24:1-6 NKJV

How magnificent the world looks when you are high up on a mountain top. As I looked down, I could see the Los Angeles Reservoir and many houses all lined up next to each other. I stood there wondering what was going on below. As I wondered this, I thought to myself how God knows what is happening every second of our day and how magnificently He created the world and all its inhabitants!

Nature brings me physically close to God our Creator. There is such an unexplainable feeling  within me  whenever I stand on a mountain top looking out to the world.  On this particular day, standing there, I thought about Martin Luther King's Jr.'s speech "I've Been to the Mountain Top." I am not going to go through the speech. However, I do want to point out what his closing paragraph was in this famous speech...

"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

There is planning and preparation to achieve a goal or to achieve a dream. Whatever our mountain top is; we have to believe that we can make it there. We invest in the battle against our paradigms, strengthen our bodies, our minds and prepare for the elements. Because something in us knows it is worth it and that when we set foot on that mountain top, the taste of victory is beyond delicious! It is beyond comparison!  

There is an incredible feeling when standing on a mountain top in God's presence. Whatever your body went through prior to hiking to the top, it doesn't compare to the victory. What was holding you back is realized, that it was not as powerful as you thought. 

As I hiked, I felt as though I was shedding weight that was weighing  me down spiritually. Each step I took, I prayed and cried out to the Lord for strength and eventually felt a spiritual breakthrough. I felt a cleansing occurring within me. When I finally got to the top of the mountain, I was able to stand high up above the Hollywood hills and overlook the Hollywood sign and the L.A. Reservoir, with a transformed heart that began its revolution at the bottom. Yes, transformation and revolution begins in the valleys, not at the top.

Standing victorious at the top, I felt the peaceful presence of the Almighty, close to Him and understanding that all of my "whatevers" don't matter. The God who created every intricate piece of this world and all its inhabitants, has  a plan for me. He has promises ready to offer. 

This mountain top experience is what I want to carry with me when in the valley. The valley is where transformation happens, it is where you build up endurance, you build up your heart and your body begins to tone up. This is where we have the opportunity to look to Him and trust that He will make the impossibilities possible.

Martin and the Psalmist had it right...they both saw the glory of the coming of the Lord! But a transformation of paradigms had to occur first, to understand what God was requiring from them; more of Him, and less of them.

"Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day." Psalm 25:4-5 NKJV