When I can't see the Mountains...

   We stand on the porch waving at the buses as they enter the gates of our home, they pull to a stop and the doors open freeing a stream of old and new friends.  I hear her voice calling and glance to see waving arms coming toward me in an embrace, in her voice is laughter and a unique greeting only someone familiar to my heart would give…

  “Hey there friend, I hear a rumor that there are mountains all around this place."  She climbs the stairs and wraps in me a hug.  She was back once again with a team and I had to smile at her observation, only someone who has lived in China or visited often enough to know that the ever present foggy, hazy smog makes a clear day where you can see further than the buildings across the way a pretty exciting moment.  She has been here so many times and yet has never seen the mountains that surround the valley we live in here at the Big House.  Mountains, huge and unmoving dominating a landscape and yet here they are unseen, clouded, hidden from view.  I promised to show her some pictures.

Later as I scrolled through photos of the blazing red sky, the sun setting, and the jagged black edges of cliffs cutting into the horizon I had to consider the fact that though I have lived here many years now, I actually have very rarely seen these mountains and then those glimpses are only after a very hard storm when the heavy rains and the strong winds clear the air enough to see their forms.  Several times recently I have considered that conversation, So often I cannot see the mountains that stand strong and firm, I cannot see where my strength comes from I must simply take by faith that He who promised is faithful to carry it out.  The days can be long with pressures from every side that threaten to make us loose heart, or give up, or forget that there are things there that we can’t see or understand.  I am reminded of Elisha talking to his servant as the armies of King Aram threatened to capture him…

^“Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

II Kings 6:15-17

I can show my friend pictures to prove that those mountains really are there, to point her in the direction they can be seen and yet the rest is up to her, she will simply have to take on faith that they are really there.   And I dear ones will have to rest in the command of my Abba,

“The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still.”

Exodus 14:14