Mountain Climbing

Psalm 121:1-2 - "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains from where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth."

Salvation is never confirmed in the valley of plenty but rather on the mountains of adversity. We disallow God moving profoundly on our behalf when we fail to take the mountainous ascent to search out His best. Or, we might state the way is too hard and treacherous when the going gets tough. Beloved, the mountain paths are often hard and lonely. There are not the accolades of the demon-possessed valley where the gifts and miracles are flowing. All that is certain is death to self through the obscurity of no longer being visible to the multitudes below.

Salvation cost Christ everything and it is free for all. Yet we have to often look beyond the quick fixes that the world would offer and look to the Ascended One for our deliverance. He is our example, climbing Mount Calvary into a place of shame and inexplicable ignominy. When we give ourselves to this type of death, then we will understand the ascent is where true power dwells. For only as we ascend to a place of death, can we descend where we will be raised into Christ's likeness.