Mountain top experience

As I began my morning this morning - I had a real need for coffee. My smoke alarms "tested" themselves at 2:45 in the morning and I have been up pretty much since, so I was in need of some coffee to get my brain going. Once I got some java juice in me - I sat down and began to pray and talk with God, and as I was hanging out with Him, He began to bring some cool things to mind.

I began to think about Moses, and His time on the mountain with God. And as I went back and reread it, how amazing must it have been for Moses to spend so much time in the presence of God, that His face shone from being in the presence of the glory of God. I wonder - did Moses even want to go back down to the people of Israel? Especially the second time, after he had already seen how quickly their hearts were deterred from the things of God.

Then, my brain jumped New Testament, and I spent some time reflecting on the Mount of Transfiguration - and I read all the accounts we have for this experience with God - and I noticed something: God called them up to the mountain to reveal the glory of Jesus and the plans to come.

Peter - so in awe of what is happening, and so quick to speak without thinking through it - starts drawing up blueprints to remain on the mountain with Jesus, Moses and Elijah forever. He doesn't want to go back to regular life - He has seen Jesus for who He truly is, and wants to stay there.

Have I?

This was a sobering question God asked of me this morning. As I read Moses experience with God on the mountain, and then read the Gospel account of the disciples and their mountain top experience with God - I realized something about myself. I want a mountain top experience, but I settle for living somewhere halfway up the mountain. I look at the mountain - and think how beautiful it must be at the top, and I see people who are journeying up there, and I critique and comment on the path they take, but I remain safely on my ledge where I am comfortable.

But, the problem with this is - I am nowhere. God doesn't want me to spend my life living on a ledge somewhere in the middle - he wants me to come up to the mountain, get refreshed, get filled with His Spirit, and than travel back down into the valley and shine for Him. That's what Moses did - and thats what the disciples do throughout the New Testament. After I read these stories, I felt like I was suppose to read 1 Peter, to see how Peter owned being in the presence of God - and the boldness which he speaks, and the conviction he has to not just suffer for Jesus - but suffer for Jesus that will bring about glory and honor and praise in eternity.

Peter got the full picture. He saw Jesus suffer - but prior to that, Jesus had revealed all that He was and is forever - and so Peter knows that coming down the mountain, and living life in the valley is difficult, he sees the way they mistreat and abuse Jesus and expects nothing less for Christians, but he knows that a day is coming, when those bruised egos, and mocked morality will result in honor and crowns from the Creator. He knows that there is glory to come, that is well worth the suffering.

And in the meantime, we can always decide to step off our ledge and climb up, into the thick of darkness where God is - and speak with him, until our faces shine, our spirits are filled with His Spirit - and we are able to descend, different and empowered for Him.

But the question is: Am I willing to leave my comfy ledge, for God?

I hope so...