Access God's Power

The Sound of Music Julie Andrews stole the hearts of Americans and Canadians with her passionate "The hills are alive with the sound of music." The music, the heart wrenching story and yes, even the magnificent Alps contribute in making "The Sound of Music" a classic. She seems totally lost in the beauty around her. While I've never seen Mont Blanc or the Alps and I certainly can't sing, I find myself wanting to join Ms. Andrews in belting out that famous tune. I want to sing simply because the mountains do that to you. But I promise you, you won't hear a note out of me, cause I don't sing, not even in the shower. My singing can be compared to a deafening coyote howl.  From the Grand Tetons, to that top of the world feeling you get in the Rocky Mountains, all the way to the blue haze of our Blue Ridge Mountains, I've never seen a mountain I didn't love. And my favorite, Denali. I understand why the Native Americans still refer to it as Denali, the Great one. The name Mt. McKinley  doesn't even begin to conjurer it's majesty and at least Denali  begins to go there! I digressed. Every time I think of my experience at Denali, I always wind up at Psalms 121:1,2. The spectacular beauty of Denali points me to a place far more precious than a mesmerizing view.   It takes to me all the way to the words of another mountain lover From another part of the world The lines scrawled in Psalms 121  are the passionate words of David, shepherd and psalmist. Jerusalem, the royal city was situated on a high plain or plateau surrounded by deep valleys and dry riverbeds. While King David didn't write all the Psalms, many experts believe he wrote Psalms 121.   And like most musicians, he sang about the things he loved. High on his love list were the mountains that filled the  desert terrain.  Psalms 121 is called a song of degrees, not temperature degrees or college degrees but more accurately, the song of ascents. It was a climbing  chant for worshipers to use as they made their way to the ark housed under David's tent.  Each line is progressive.  The tent containing the ark was placed in an elevated location in Jerusalem. The song begins, "I will lift up my eyes to the hills—" Whether they are the giants of the Alaska Range, the red rocks of Sedona or the tree covered Blue Ridge baby sized mountains, they make me crane my neck to look. Oh, how I drink in the magnificent scenery! And with every vista I gasp. Do you do that? The magnificent glory of the mountains. The... waterfalls. arches. caves. I know, the beauty is overwhelming, but David didn't stop with looking up at a mountain. The beauty of God's artistry wasn't his stopping point. Their jagged point seemed to point David to the Source, the Creator of it all--Almighty God. I realize the wording in the KJV of this verse is a little confusing, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help." It sounds like David is looking to the hills for help. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Other translations of this verse, even the New King James, ends the verse with a question mark. NKJV reads: I Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills-- From whence comes my help?  When I read these verses I feel like I'm right there with David as he says, "Look up. Awesome mountains, huh?" I know the feeling, because I felt it when I saw Mt. McKinley. And I gasp with this Mighty Warrior King, "Wow!" (How that for expressing beauty!I'm quite the wordsmith..aren't I!LOL) Tall Impressive Daunting Insurmountable Breath taking. Then he continues, "Does my help come from there?" I can see him shaking his head no. And I shake my head no in agreement. Did I confuse you? Yes, I agree with David, Chosen Shepherd of Israel.  And No, my help doesn't come from the mountains, either dear brother. I can almost see a wide grin come across his face, a grin that comes from remembering... remembering times, frequent times, recent times that God's help had enabled him to win. To triumph in the middle of impossible situations. I feel confident he grinned widely as he declared his faith loudly, MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD. (I know it had to of been loudly, because how do you get a revelation like that and remain stoic?) I wonder if he's so happy by this point that he's half way dancing a jig as he adds, "who made heaven and earth." And I have to join the celebration with him, "I know what you're talking about, dear King David! No, I haven't fought a lion or a bear, but I've fought lots of giants. No, dear brother, none of them were named Goliath, but they were giants just the same! Big problems! With glaring eyes , hurling condemnation and demeaning accusations. I'm sad to say, I didn't run to meet them like you met Goliath. Sometimes, I coward-down like the army you met on that fateful day. Sometimes I'm braver than others, but even on my bravest day I have discovered, like you tell me, my dear mountain loving, friend, "my help comes from the Lord...WHO MADE HEAVEN and EARTH!" Did you get that? The same God that made everything, is my source and I don't want to leave you out dear friend. He helps us...ME and you both! Yes, me! And you too... if you let him!   Your situation isn't too big for him to handle... You're not too weak or too old or too whatever it is the enemy of your soul is declaring over you... nothing is too hard for God. But we have to ask for and receive His help. It's not automatic. Yes. It does sound too good to be true, but no, it is true. Really true! It's not a fairy tale! It's the TRUTH! Think of that! What a power source! Fabulous mountains. Stately. Majestic. Fiery Stars. Oceans... kissing the shoreline... ebbing in and out... orderly... rhythmically. God spoke and made it all. He established it. He set it in His divine order. And my help...your help comes from the one that made it all. Why do we continue to put God in our little box and limit what He can do in our lives? Why do we try to accomplish everything that needs to be done with our muscles and strength and talent? Could it be that we only view the beauty of His creation? We visit His beauty as if going to a museum... nice artifact... nice tree... nice star... nice mountain... nice! If  we stop had only recognizing what He has done, without knowing the Person that created it all, without knowing the God that King David saw behind it all, then we miss the best part. He is wonderful beyond words. God Almighty was the source of David's strength! I don't know about you, but I refuse to only enjoy the beauty of His creation. I want more. I'm going to have more than a glimpse of beauty or the photograph to remember it. I'm going to go where it all points me...to the Creator of it all. There is where the fullness of joy is found.... in Him! Ahhh! Now that's a wonderful place to be ...and it's even better than Denali!