It is truly a wonder of nature, a spectacular display of creation and a brief glimpse in into the mind of our incredible God. Rising some 600 feet into the air, its water rushes over the edge of a magnificent cliff and thunders down the side of the mountain as it crashes to the ground, spraying a dazzling mist on amazed and wide-eyed onlookers. It is none other than Oregon’s Multnomah Falls, the second tallest year-round waterfall in the United States.
My wife and I stood at the base of the falls in awe of what we were witnessing. We were humbled by its size and to think that God had created this living work of art for our enjoyment. What a gift. What a God.
We were captivated by the top of the falls. And then we saw it, a sign that read, “Top of falls, one mile.” Without hesitation we looked at each other, held hands, took a deep breath and took our first step toward the pinnacle of our fascination. It would be a tough journey to the top but one certain to reward its travelers.
We thought we were in shape, but before we made it to the first rest stop we realized this adventure would be harder than we suspected. As we caught our breath a slender, athletic man came jogging past us. He smiled at us, and we looked at each other in disbelief. We are gasping for air and he goes prancing by like a deer through a meadow. He’s jogging and we are dragging. So much for working out at the gym, real men climb, no strike that, jog mountains!
It took effort, determination and desire, but in less than an hour, we made it to the top. The view from the pinnacle was more than amazing. The aches and pains of the climb quickly faded as the sound of the falls and the panoramic view took our breath away in a good way.
Standing on top of the world, I was reminded how the Christian experience is a unique personalized adventure on a journey with a God who dearly loves us. He is not only interested in us making it to the top; He is interested in every step we take along life’s way. Too often we are tempted to give up, rely on ourselves or worse, to compare our Jesus journey with the experiences of others. Did I mention the mountain jogger made the trip three times before we were done?
We were made for mountain-top experiences. Abraham went to the mountain with Isaac. Moses met with God on the mountain. Jesus gave His life for us on a mountain. Mountains were created for us, and we were created for the mountains. The key is to experience Him on our journey to the top, to discover the headwaters, the source of the Living water that falls and flows into the very driest parts of our being, bringing new life to all that take Him in.
