Photo by Eradio Valverde of Palo Duro Canyon, Texas
O These Mountain Top Experiences
From Exodus 24: 12The Lord said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction." 13So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 To the elders he had said, "Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them." 15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
Rarely do we say or hear, "God dragged me down to squalor and suffering." More often than not, we drag ourselves down to those places by bad choices and bad decisions. More often than not, God's invitation is to higher places, to rise above where we are, to the heavenly places. Such was the case with Moses in today's Old Testament reading. God said to Moses, "Why don't you come up with me to this mountain." Notice God didn't say, "Go up that mountain by yourself and wait there." God was there at the foot of the mountain and at the top and the invitation was to journey with God. And Moses was not alone either, he had Joshua with him and the elders of Israel. To these Moses said, wait there and if you have any problems go to Aaron and Hur. Then Moses journeyed higher up to the mountain and a cloud covered the mountain. This is referred to as "the glory of the Lord" settling on Mount Sinai for six days. This was a long retreat! On the seventh day God called Moses out of the cloud. Then a "devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people" took over. Then Moses reentered the cloud and went up on the mountain and was there for 40 days and 40 nights.
This lesson teaches us that we are not alone, God is with us. Yet it will seem a long time if we don't hear from God and even when we do as we are being formed into that which God would have us be, sometimes we have to be patient and wait. We don't always know why we have to wait, as we are ready now! Or, so we think. Realize that in the waiting, God is there and God is working; we should know that it is all part of the process. Moses needed the time up on the mountain for his own wellbeing, spiritual and physical, but it meant first waiting for six days, then forty days and nights. All part of the plan, all part of the formation.
God is with you right now and may be asking you to be patient as you await an answer. You may have submitted an application for a new job; while you're waiting you're still busy and working, and you might even be getting paid for it too. Seek to do and be all that God needs while you wait. You may have not heard from your son or daughter and you're worried. Keep praying and keep trusting, God is with you and God is with your child. Meanwhile, you continue to be and do what God has asked, and God may be forming you for even greater tasks. Whether it feels like you're on the top of the mountain or just starting out, God is with you! Enjoy the wait. Enjoy the journey.
PRAYER: Thank You, Loving God for today. I may not be or have what I think I want or need, but I have You and You have me. Walk with me spiritually as I sit and wait for whatever answer or response that I have asked. But, use me while I wait for Your good. This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
PS Thank you all for your Anniversary wishes. We had a great day being together for most of the day. I was at Bishop's Convocation and we traveled back to Corpus Christi, then had a nice supper that our daughter, Caitlin provided for us and grandson, Liam. God bless you all!
