To The Mountain Top
It goes without saying but 14,115 feet is a long way up. Yet, that’s exactly the height of the summit of Pikes Peak, which lies just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The serpentine path that carries visitors up the mountainside is beyond stunning and for those willing to drive, bike, or walk the path; the reward awaiting you is a panoramic view of the southern Rocky Mountain range. A few years ago Kayla and I made the drive up the winding road to the top of Peaks Pike. There was more than one moment where we were forced to hold our breath as the guardrails and treeline disappeared under the ever-changing elevation gain. A careless mistake or over-correction could easily have resulted in taking a tumble down the mountain. Patience is vital. It takes time to make it up a mountain. It takes confidence. But it is certainly something worth seeing, if you can.
There are several places where I’ve encountered the presence of God in an incredibly palpable, even digestible way. The oft-referenced mountain top experience is what most Christians and truth-seekers chase after. However, the only way it can be obtained is to find ourselves on the mountaintop in the first place. The journey there can be arduous, extensive and slow going; yet the perspective from thousands of feet up allows us to glean new insight about our position in life. On the mountaintop the air becomes purer, easier to breathe, allowing one to realize the sludge we’ve been trekking through. The mountaintop becomes our impetus to jettison the complex and simply remain still in the moment, assessing all the good in our lives.
Jesus was known for his frequent visits to the mountain and there is one action which always went along with this practice - prayer. (Luke 6:12, 9:28; Mark 6:46) If you have ever been on a mountaintop before, it’s easy to see why Jesus would have found solace there. While on the mountain top, it’s quite literally closer to the heavens. It could be there is something deep within the human ethos which desires connection to something greater, something outside of ourselves. In the Old and New Testament magnificent things happened on the mountaintop; Moses encountered God in the burning bush at Mount Horeb (Exodus 3:1), which was the same mountain Elijiah heard the “still small voice” of God after being threatened with death by Jezebel's messenger (1 Kings 19:1-11); Jesus was transfigured on a mountain (Matt. 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-13, Luke 9:28-36). Some of the greatest encounters with God happen on the mountain top, but there is also an invitation extended to us. What does this mean? It signals to us that we worship a God who desires to encounter his creation. As we come to the mountain side and make the trek up to the top, we discover a God who connects with us in and through his creation.
It’s during these interactions with God; he will often show us something vital to our faith journey. We may also take those mountaintop moments as time to talk with God about things which we hadn’t before. The journey upward is marked by a longing to reach the top, while the walk down encourages us to leave everything at the top. What Jesus teaches us is that a mountaintop experience shouldn’t be relegated to a one-time moment; rather it is a continuous beckoning. A habitual practice for the weary soul.
Peace to you,
Rev. Taylor Kibler
