Facing Mountains

I think I’ve shared recently that when I ran into an old friend sometime back I asked her how she was. She said, “I’m retired now. I don’t have any mountains to climb!”  

When thinking about a career or perhaps further academic achievement, I imagine it is nice to have that kind of thing settled in your mind. But I am also reminded that sometimes in life, we face mountains that are of a different nature… Mountains we did not intend to face…Emotional mountains, physical health mountains, mountains of loss, mountains of grief, mountains of doubt, mountains of addiction.  

It raises the question: How do we face these mountains?

The book of Acts tells the story of the first disciples who had their own mountain to face. Jesus had left them with quite a daunting mission: You will be my witnesses – here in Jerusalem, and to the ends of the earth. You will be the evidence of my love for this world. 

To be fair, they had indeed experienced Jesus’ resurrection – but he was no longer with them. And I’m sure among that group there was still a lot of anxiety, a lot of worry… maybe some confusion… He had sent them out, and the crowds in Jerusalem were not exactly friendly… The emperors of Rome were not exactly friendly… On top of that, we have no idea what they were each going through in their own lives, but here they are…

And it is in that context that Luke tells us: “… suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire appeared among them….” (Acts 2:2-3). All of a sudden they found themselves filled, alive with the fiery energy of the Spirit…

Maybe you are facing a mountain right now. Maybe you are at a moment when you are worried about the future of a child or a loved one or a relationship, or a job. Maybe as you look at the news, it feels as though the world around you is crumbling. Or maybe as you notice that our mainline denominations are getting grayer and grayer, and fewer and fewer of our children are even attending church at all, maybe it’s discouraging.

Then the question becomes: Can I trust that the same Spirit who gave birth to the stars and love and fellowship; the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead; the same Spirit who blew life into the early church on that first Pentecost, can that same Spirit fill me, and fill our church, with the strength and courage we need to make this climb?

Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, fill our churches, fill our homes, fill our lives with the fiery energy of your love. We ask for healing, grace, renewed energy, and hope. Amen.