When you are in Peru, it is only right that you go and explore one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu. It was about 6 hours by bus away from our ministry site and so we planned and prepared to go on our adventure day. We left early on a Monday morning and spent the next 6 hours getting tossed and thrown around a bus that felt like the shocks were missing and getting more than a little car sick. We arrived at Hydroelectrica and set out on a 6 mile hike to our hostel in another city called Aguas Caliente. We walked along a train track for three hours and it was such a beautiful sight. We hiked in the early morning and spent the rest of the day exploring and experiencing all that was Machu Picchu. It was well worth the money it cost to do it, which was way less that what we expected. Below is a video that encapsulates all that was those two days.
I also wanted to share with you a sermon I wrote. Our Team Leader Josh challenged all of us to write a sermon to share at a team time of our choice. We are going to be called to preach without warning a lot in Africa and so we are preparing a sermon each to have on hand in case the time arises. Here is my sermon. I find it fitting to add to this blog post since it is all about mountains.
Here goes nothing;
Today, I want to talk about mountains. They are these huge masterpieces that seem so intimidating at times. They are seemingly immovable and for me especially, I see them as a task I would rather not attempt. God has shown me a lot in my life through mountains though. I live on the western coast of the United States and I am surrounded by mountains on all sides. There are 5 specific things that God has shown me through those mountains.
Lesson One: Mountains are Majestic
I want to tell you a story. A short while ago, my team and I were hiking the mountain Machu Picchu, which is one of the seven wonders of the world. It is this huge, beautiful, majestic mountain that God created in the southern part of Peru. We set out day one, needing to hike 10 kilometers along the train tracks. As I predicted, because I am not a hiker, I was the last one. Everyone on my team went on ahead. I found myself focusing on the train tracks as I stepped from track to track. I would go on for 10 or 15 minutes at a time just looking down at my feet. I would look up after many minutes had passed and my breath was taken right out of me. I would stop and be in awe of the beauty that God had placed in front of me. We do this in our lives too. We find ourselves looking down at the train tracks, going through the motions, not stopping to be in awe of all of the beauty that God places right in front of us. He has so much to show us and so much in store for us if we take the time to stop walking, to stop rushing through our lives, and stand in awe.
Lesson Two: Mountains are Massive
So like I said, I am not a hiker, never have been. To me, mountains are massive, they intimidate me and make me feel so small and ill equipped. I see mountains and just simply freak out. There are mountains in our lives too. Mountains are the things we have to face. They are the obstacles in front of us, intimidating, scary, and seemingly impossible to climb and get over. We see these obstacles and we think, ” I am never going to be able to do this. I am never going to be able to climb this and get past this.” We say these things because we want to do it alone. We feel week and ill equipped and because we don’t have the equipment. When you hike with other people you can share the load with them. There is this beautiful thing that happens. They slow down and encourage you when you feel like you can’t keep going. They push you farther than you think you can go alone. God places other Christians in our lives to walk along the hard things with us. He places brothers and sisters in this crazy things we call life with us. What is even more amazing is that he sent his Holy Spirit to dwell in us as well. Even when we feel all alone, like no one understands us, or understands the huge mountain we are facing, the Holy Spirit is still there with us. We are never alone. We can face the mountain because we have Jesus on our side.
Lesson Three: Mountains are moveable
This Brings me to the third thing God has taught me about mountains. Please turn with me in your bibles to Matthew 21:18-22.
18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. 20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. 21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
So in these verses a few things stood out to me;
1. We are capable of doing the same miraculous things that Jesus Did. He gives us that authority.
2. God is bigger than any mountain in front of us.
3. All it takes is true belief and a whole lot of honest prayer to the Father. Don’t doubt his power. Ask big, bold, spirit filled prayers with expectancy that it will be fulfilled.
Remember lesson two? Mountains are massive and seem so intimidating, but how Jesus is on our side. This is why mountains are also movable. They can be thrown into the depths of the sea if our faith and prayers and petitions are just as massive.
Lesson Four: Mountains are Momentary
Sometimes though, God hears our prayers and petitions and says, “No child, I want you to climb this mountain. I have amazing things in store for you on top.” So we climb and we climb. We walk with our brothers and sisters. We walk with Jesus and the Holy Spirit and we get to the top of the mountain. Imagine this with me. You get to the top of the mountain. Up there in the clouds with the whole world below you. You get a huge perspective change. You can see the base of the mountain below you and the journey you took and how far you have come. You see how Jesus walked with you hand in hand and guided you up that mountain. You see everything differently and we call those mountain top moments. You are on top of the world, like nothing can bring you down. But then you trip and start sliding down the mountain. You catch yourself, clinging to a branch, pulling yourself to your feet, terrified. You want to get back to your mountain top, where everything was okay and you were not afraid. How do you get yourself back up there?
Lesson Five: Mountains are Maintainable.
This brings me to the last lesson God has taught me through mountains, they are maintainable. God shows us in his word how we can maintain our mountain top moments. Turn with me to Romans 12:1-2.
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
I want to focus on the part of the verse that says, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” What does it look like to transform your mind? It means putting aside the ways of this world and fleshly desires. It means filling it instead with intimacy with the Father. We do this through being continually in his word, by communicating with him in prayer. By daily denying yourself, picking up your cross, and following him. (Mark 8:34) You do this by being in communion with him. That is how you maintain your mountain top moment.
The Lord has taught me a lot through his creation and specifically through his creation of mountains. Stand in awe, experience him, walk alongside him, pray big bold spirit lead prayers, and maintain your mountain top moments through renewing your mind.
Get out there and experience your own mountains.
