"I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth....
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night"
(Psalm 121: 1,2; 5b,6).
A strong man went up into the mountains of the northwest United States. He took three books with him, a Bible, a Koran, and a book about Buddhism. He had set the goal of staying in the mountains, which he knew well, until he knew what he believed about God, creation, life, meaning, and purpose. He deeply desired to know what he believed, what he could believe in, or Who.... "What is true? What is truth?" He settled in at his camping site, and eventually began his mountain quest by opening the Bible he had with him. He spent days reading from it and reflecting, then he realized that he knew, by grace, that his key questions were being answered. He did not fully understand all of the spiritual things and deep mysteries now in his thoughts, but he had connected with God, at a personal level. He had the main answer he had desired, and he had prayed, in faith.
He prepared to go back home, down the mountain. As he returned, he went not as the same man who had gone up there. God had met with him there and spoken to him on the printed pages, and by His Spirit. The strong man was a new man. He was a new man in Christ.
"All who are oppressed may come to him. He is a refuge for them in their times of trouble. All those who know your mercy, Lord, will count on you for help. For you have never yet forsaken those who trust in you" (Psalm 8: 9, 10).
"I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Gardener" (John 15:1).
Psalm 121 verses are from the New International Version of the Bible. Psalm 8 and the gospel of John verses are from The Living Bible.
YOU ARE INVITED TO SHARE THIS POST BY EMAIL, TWITTER, AND FACEBOOK.
No comments:
Post a Comment