Mountaintops and valleys of life I

This is the first part of my message at Women of encouragement meeting on May 19

In life, at times we have sudden and short experiences of ups and downs. I had one last summer at a conference in Italy. My presentation went really well, and I felt on the top of the world. But just after that, my mom informed that my father has thickening in his lungs, which could be a tumor. I felt like dropping down from mountaintop into valley in one instant. Luckily, thank God, later on it turned out to be nothing serious.

There can be also longer periods of mountaintop or valley experiences in our lives. One meaning of mountaintop is associated with happiness, success, and achievement. I would say my childhood mostly felt like mountaintop experience. I remember sun, warmth, nice dresses, feeling pretty and being liked, and being successful at school and at various competitions. Looking back, I think that it was a time when I was discovering talents God has placed in me, I felt special and also felt favor smiling on me. I remember one teacher letting me go home earlier and most other kids staying behind to continue to study for instance. Perhaps that was similar to what Joseph in the Bible experienced – he was a favorite son and had special clothes of many colors. But with that, may come danger of pride or feeling better than others. In our study of womens group by Max Lucado “Experiencing the heart of Jesus”, there was a reminder: “Don’t try to climb the Mount of Messiah, Mount of Applause, and Mount of Self-sufficiency. Quite many have climbed those, only to shout : Mine is the glory!”  - and then lose balance and fall. Kingdom, power and glory is Thine, o God, not mine. A trio of peaks mantled by the clouds. Admire them, applaud them, but don’t climb them.” When we are on maintaintop, we need to remember not to get proud and give glory to God. We need to see our gifts and blessings in the context of building God’s kingdom. And in God’s kingdom, we do not compete, but we build up one another.

In the Bible, mountaintop also refers to being close to God: "Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation who seek Him, who seek Your face, God of Jacob." (Psalm 24, 3-6) One this kind of mountaintop experience of being close to God was my exchange study semester in Sweden. I was in a good church, a different kind than I had experienced before. I was touched by the Holy Spirit, felt my spiritual room becoming larger, and I gained more freedom. I took in all new impressions and friendships. God was very close, very near. I got to experience a new and fresh taste of Him. In my early youth, I have been seeking God by climbing on trees and grain containers in countryside, and later, walking on cliffs in Sweden and Finland. It appears as if getting higher physically helps us to get closer to God. But at times, we can take a journey to the mountaintop just in our spirit. Max Lucado puts it this way: “I leave behind the budget, bills, and deadlines and walk the narrow trail up the mountain with Jesus. You’ve been there. You have escaped the sandy foundations of the valley and ascended his grand outcropping of granite. You’ve turned your back on the noise and sought His voice. You’ve stepped away from the masses and followed the Master as He lead you up the winding path to the summit. His summit. Clean air. Clear view. Crisp breeze. The roar of marketplace is down there, and the perspective of the peak is up here. Gently, your guide invited you to sit on the rock above the tree line and look out with Him at the ancient peaks that will never erode. “What is necessary is still what is sure”, He confides, “just remember, “you’ll go nowhere tomorrow that I haven’t already been. Truth will still triumph. Death will still die. The victory is yours And delight is one decision away – seize it.” The sacred summit. A place of permanence in a world of transition.”