It is my second full day in Nepal. In case you didn’t know, I LOVE THE MOUNTAINS!!! I am so excited to be in Nepal, simply knowing I am close to mountains. This is where I always feel the closest to the Lord. It is where I see his majesty the most. I mean, how can you not be in awe when you look at mountains?!?! But here’s the what the Holy Spirit has been saying to me in the last 24 hours.
I have been deeply convicted about the discrepancy between how I think about the mountains and how I approach the Lord. When I looked out the window of the plane flying into Kathmandu I almost started crying. I was like a four year old with my nose pressed up against the two paned window. I could not stop looking at the snow covered peaks of the front range of the Himalayas. Seriously, they are so amazing! In that moment, I heard the Father asking, “Why don’t you look at me that way?”
Ouch.
As we descended into Kathmandu and proceeded to drive to our hotel I could barely even see the ‘real’ mountains because of pollution and the other smaller mountains covering them. But I was still constantly looking out the window hoping to see a glimpse of the far off peaks. I knew they were there. I had already seen them. I could feel something was different. I was disappointed knowing I wouldn’t be able to look out my window and see a whole range of the most incredible mountains in the world. But it was in that moment that the Lord spoke to me.
“Maggie, you have to be diligent to look for me like you look for the mountains. You know I am there. Be content in that. Sometimes that is going to have to be enough for you. But never stop looking diligently to see me. If you stop looking you won’t see me, regardless if you think I am there or not. But if you continue to look I will continue to show up. Every time you see me it will feed you and excite you more. Don’t let a visible absence discourage you, let it motivate you to look for me more. I AM ALWAYS THERE. Rest in that.”
Just like the mountains, God is not going anywhere. They are not going to fall or walk off. They might be covered with pollution (there is a whole other blog about pollution and its parallels with spiritual warfare to be written) and other, less impressive mountains(other gods and worldly distractions), but they are still there. I won’t be surprised when I get a glimpse of them, but I will be excited and joyful.
Never stop looking for the ways the Lord is showing up as a mountain in your life. It might be hard to tell sometimes. It might not look how you expect it to, but talk to an expert on spiritual mountains, they will be able to point out the peaks to you. They will know. Also, the Bible is the best spiritual mountaineering book there is and ever will be. It has all the best trails, the best sources of water, the best views, and the safest places to stay. They cool thing about hiking the mountain and getting to know it is that all the good things that you need in order to hike that mountain are provided by the mountain. Let that sink in. All the things that you will need to hike (get to know) the mountain (God) are provided by the mountain(God). The trail is tailored to you. He knows what you can handle and at what pace you will need to move. All you need to do is start walking.
“I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.” Proverbs 8:17
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
“…Seek and you will find…” Matt. 7:7
“For without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draws near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
