The Mountain

  

  I received an interesting epiphany at institute this week. We were discussing sanctification and how having the Spirit in our lives means we are in the presence of a member of the Godhead and we are no longer spiritually dead. As we talked I pondered about the Children of Israel in the book of Exodus, they were invited into the presence of God, but because earlier in the week they were warned not to cross the line of the mountain without an invitation or they would be killed, they didn't climb the mountain. Even when given an invitation they feared God's wrath, more than trusting his love. Thus entered the Law of Moses, commandments meant to help a people live in obedience to prepare to live a higher law.
   Which times in our lives has God invited us to the mountain, yet we feared to tread for we felt he asked too much of us? We know He has so many blessings in store, yet we fear the cost to us will be too great. We will have to give up the natural man and habits we have fallen into and come to enjoy. We will have to give up our timing and our purposes.
    Human nature would tell us it isn't worth it, what ever God has in store for us will require sacrificing what we want and our timing, that isn't worth it, we deserve to get what we want right now. Or harder still we are doing exactly what the Spirit says we should do and still the blessings don't come. Heavenly Father invites us to climb the mountain, not to avoid trial or temptation, but to face it and come to know him better.
    

Sometimes we hope for the mountain summit and instead feel stuck at the bottom of a steep incline. We come to know our Father in Heaven in the moments we feel trapped, not necessarily when we easily find each hand hold. I hope as we climb that when moments of frustration or pain come we can look to Jesus Christ as our climbing partner knowing He always has us on belay, we are not forsaken nor forgotten. Don't let the picture in your head of what you think life should be, keep you from seeing what God intends your life to be. He is inviting each one of us to climb the mountain. Do we trust His love or his wrath?