For the "In Other Words" quotation, I intended posting about keeping myself focused on our Lord, instead of dwelling on concerns that separate me from him. When I checked to make certain I quoted it correctly, I realized we now have a different quote to post on, but that in several ways the two are related.

The first one encourages us to turn our eyes toward Jesus, "to look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, by the light of His glory and grace." (by Helen Lemmel)

The second quote, by Oswald Chambers, tells us "We are not built for the mountains and the dawns and aesthetic affinities, those are for moments of inspiration, that is all", but he explains: "We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that is where we have to prove our mettle."

Have you ever stood on the top of a mountain? There's opportunity to do that here in Colorado. Jesus' desciples thought it a great idea too, so much so, that they tried to convince Him they all should just stay there. But Jesus knew what waited in the valley, where His mettle would be perfected for us, and ours would be found out.

When Satan was testing our Lord, He showed Him the kingdoms of the whole universe, and promised them to him, if He would only worship him. Satan also had Jesus stand on a pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem, and tried to get Him to throw Himself down from it.

After he finished using every temptation on our Lord, Satan left and Jesus returned to Galilee. But mountains and valleys still figured in His ministry. When he preached the truth about widows of that time needing to be fed, and lepers healed, the religious congregation became enraged, and threw Jesus out of the city, and intended to throw Him down a cliff.

But He passed through through their evil, and went on His way. How wondrous His mighty power is! What God intended for Jesus would not be blocked or denied. But there were some valleys He had to go through. He even prayed that if it were His Father's will, He wouldn't have to suffer any more.

You and I will experience things we don't think we can, but we need to remember there's reasons, God's plans, for being in our valleys. On a clear day in the Rocky Mountains, you'd be surprised how far you can see, but in the valleys that actually strengthen their postures, it's more difficult sometimes, to even find your way.

Occasionally, great music or paintings came about here, like the author said, from a quick moment of quiet inspiration, but unlike our Saviour, they are so rare, while Jesus is not, especially when He's with us in the valley's hard places.

I've seen the beauty of mountain scenes that would not let my eyes stay dry. Ancient rock formations you'd hardly believe. Wildlife you wish you could touch for only an instant, where migrating butterflies compete with wild flowers. But when we compare even all this to God's Love for us, all of it pales.

Storybooks and handed down cultures romanticize what valleys should be, velvety cushioned layers of green, for our comfort. But that's not what we fall into when we and the comfort of our worlds are challenged.

This reminds me of a quotation I recently found. A picture of a strong looking ship safely nestled in some harbor: It said: "A ship in the harbour is safe, but that's not what ships were built for." We aren't built like muscular giants, stomping all over God's green earth, but He gives us all we need to function anywhere, and especially in the valleys. He doesn't say it's easy, and that is just the point. We need refining, and He promises to always be right there.

While some of life looks murky and streaked, from the mess we sometimes make of it, Jesus strips away its veneer, and says "Yes, you were betrayed", and "I will dry your face, but No, you cannot continue to seethe with hate." "You must forgive what was done to you." "Yes, you were disregarded and not appreciated" "Find someone who's hurting like you, and be kind to them." I ask Him "When will the sorrow and regret about my son dying ever end?" and He answers in tenderness resting on the breeze: "When you turn loose, and let me hold him." I'm feeling more and more bare, except for a heavy package I haven't let go of. "What do I do with all this anger, I've been storing for years." A very quiet pause makes me almost hold my breath. "Pray for whoever caused you that pain."

Because I didn't trust Him enough, doing what He told me in the valleys took a while, some of it days and weeks, some of it years. But I would not trade the peace He's placed in my heart, for all the satisfaction I used to get out of feeling so wronged. God tells us we must love those we don't even like. When my earthly life is over, I don't want to be like Moses was, allowed to only gaze at the Promised Land from afar.

I must give up whatever distances me from my Lord. I must leave it where I found it in the valleys. Lines from a song sung by an outstanding singer, Nat King Cole, put an exclamation mark on it here. "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love, and be loved in return."

Labels: CWO