Here On The Mountain

"'Simon,' he [Jesus] said to Peter, 'are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.'" (Mark 14:37b-38)

I'm hoping to write a full blog post on my study of this verse soon, but unfortunately, I'm short on time today. In short - this passage speaks so much truth to me! Sometimes, we can get into situations where we feel "spiritually high" one day, week, or over an event/camp/worship jam, then the next day we're back to the same old sins/depression/doubt, etc., and it can all feel fake, like it was only some kind of adrenaline rush. We wonder how, or if, we will overcome the really big giants in our lives.

But Jesus gives us the answer! "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." Not to say we will always be happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise - but for those who are truly his, God's promises are available all the time for those who ask! He promises:

• Love - not an emotion, but an action
• Joy - different from happiness
• Peace - different from safety ("Peace is a dare to trust God completely" ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
• Patience - not that there won't be annoying people :)
• Kindness - including to those in our family
• Goodness - not to save ourselves, but to glorify Him and receive heavenly rewards
• Faithfulness - primarily to Him!
• Gentleness - humble, teachable, quiet strength
• Self-control - sometimes almost supernatural to overcome the hardest temptation!

(Galatians 5:22-23)

So, I wanted to share with you all a poem I wrote back in the Summer of 2011 called "Here On The Mountain".  I was going through a pretty rough time of growth that year, and God saw fit to take me, my older sister, and my Dad to a Father/Daughter retreat at a Christian center up in the Tennessee/North Carolina mountains (www.cherokeecove.org/). It was a huge defining moment of my life as God stretched me to, what I thought, were my limits, then overwhelmed me with His peace and comfort.

On the last morning of the retreat, as I watched the mist roll off those gorgeous mountains God made,  these words came to my mind:

Here On The Mountain

Dedicated to the amazing

people at Cherokee Cove.

Here on the Mountain, in the cool morning still,

Slowly, mist rises, as if with a will.

And far, far away, over hill and dale,

Is lowly Earth, from which I hale.

Here on the Mountain, the air is clear,

The mind is fresh, the sky drawn near.

There on the Earth, the mind is slow,

Far dwells the sky, and anger blows.

Here on the Mountain, my soul can fly,

Longs to depart to that greater high.

To meet my Lord before His throne,

Is my desire, on the Mountain.

To serve myself, in Pride and Wealth,

Is my poor aim on the Earth.

What twisted mind in this meager life,

Can think my rags will count?

Why can't the Heart and Soul be one,

On the Earth, as on the Mount?

Two years later, though I'm still learning, God is still stretching me out (i.e. sanctifying), and I still struggle with a lot of things, I think I can safely add these verses to the end:

Years have past, here on the Earth,

And God has filled my heart with mirth!

Though to the Mountain I long to return,

There is something greater I have learned:

My Savior said, "Come, follow me,"

But left me not to misery--

The Spirit he has left behind,

To still my soul and cleanse my mind.

So, he may bless, and he may take--

It's the next life where my actions count.

At last, my Heart and Soul are one,

On Earth as on the Mount!

~~~~

In Christ,
Ellie