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Scripture for the day: 2 Timothy 1:7-9 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Jesus before time began.
Thought for the day: About ten years ago some friends and I climbed one of the most spectacular mountains in Maine; a mountain called Kineo. Mt. Kineo isn’t a very large mountain and the trail from the bottom to the top is only about one mile in length. What makes Kineo so appealing is its location. This particular mountain is located on an island in Moosehead Lake, the largest freshwater lake completely within the bounds of one State in the United States. The view from the bottom is impressive as one looks up at the sheer cliffs reaching from the water’s edge to the very top. The view from the top promises to be infinitely more spectacular.
We hiked about a mile to get to the trailhead, another mile up the side of the mountain, a mile down and another mile back to our vehicles; a good afternoon’s exercise. But what left the greatest impression was the trail itself. It was steep from the first step, filled with ledges to scale and loose rocks to avoid. As with most trails in Maine, this one had places of relative ease and others where one had to use hands and feet to get to the next level. And there were several lessons learned during that relatively short hike.
First, I was reminded that the steepest sections weren’t always the most difficult. Oh, they required a great expenditure of energy at that moment, but overall they were less tiring to the leg muscles than other sections of the trail. It was the constant uphill walk that really tired one out, not the sudden climb from one level to the next. Our walk with Jesus is a lot like that, isn’t it? It isn’t generally the so-called “big” things in life that threaten to defeat us; it’s the daily uphill grind that wears us out and makes us want to turn back. It isn’t the great outcroppings of ledge that trip us up – we’re alert to the dangers associated with those. It’s the small stone sitting loosely in the pathway that’s more likely to cause us to fall because we overlook it and don’t recognize the danger.
Second, I noticed that the higher we went, the more spectacular the view became (somehow that just makes sense, doesn’t it?). When we were confronted with a particularly imposing climb up the side of a cliff we thought “This is great! Think of the view we’ll have when we’ve scaled this height.” The same was true as we walked along with tired feet from the climb. We knew there was an old fire tower at the top of the mountain and that the view from that tower would be absolutely breath-taking. Whenever we got tired, someone would remind the others of us of the view that awaited us at the top. Again, our Christian walk is much the same. When we’re surrounded by the trees of confusion and we’re trudging up the hills of adversity, and we can’t see anything but the next obstacle, we may find it difficult to keep in mind our ultimate goal; to reach the top. But the promise of a greater and more expansive view can give us the motivation we need to confront that next obstruction and climb to the next plateau.
Oh, and one more thing; along the trail there were occasional side paths that led to a “scenic turnout” where we could get a good view of the distance we’d come and the heights we’d scaled. We took the opportunity every time and didn’t regret even one pause in our climb. The Lord does that for us as well and we ought not to miss them. Pausing to soak in the view gave us time to catch our breath and renew our strength. Knowing how far we’d come encouraged us to move on. Enjoying the view from the heights we’d gained gave us a renewed sense of what it must be like at the top and fortified our desire to reach the goal set before us.
Look again at today’s scripture. How high is the mountain you’ve been given to climb? How steep is the path? How big are the obstacles strewn along the way? Let today’s scripture remind you as you pause to see how far you’ve come and renew your spirit, that the same Lord who called you up the path you’re one did not give you a spirit of fear, but of power. He has not called you to spend your time meandering along through life, but to a higher calling; one that brings you ever closer to Him.
The view is spectacular along the pathway He has trod. How much more beautiful must it be standing by his side at the top!
Now go take on your world. - Bill