Mountain Girl

Previously, if you had asked me where my favorite place was, I would have definitively said the beach. Nothing seemed as peaceful as the sound of the tide rhythmically rolling in. However, recently, I have grown to love and appreciate the place where I spent most of my childhood--the mountains.

It seems like almost every pivotal moment in my life over the last year and a half has happened while I was spending time in the mountains. But I didn’t realize the significance of that until now. What I thought were quick getaways and family vacations turned out to be God demonstrating to me the importance of “time on the mountain.”

The Bible gives us several instances of people going off to the mountain to pray. In each case, that mountaintop prayer was during some pivotal moments. Let’s take Moses, for example. Every time Moses needed to commune with God, he went up on the mountain away from the people. There, he sat with God and received clear and concise instructions on how to carry out his assignment of leading God’s people to freedom. In Exodus 24:12, God tells Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain. Stay there, and I will give you the tablets of stone on which I have inscribed the instructions and commands so you can teach the people.”

Jesus also often retreated to the mountain to pray. Luke 6:12-16 tells us that before Jesus chose the twelve disciples, he went up the mountainside to pray. Although the Bible doesn’t tell us specifically what Jesus prayed, I’m pretty sure he asked God who he should choose. In Mark 6:46, after Jesus finished ministering to the masses, he sent the disciples ahead while he went up on the mountain to pray and be refreshed.

These scriptures are great reminders of why the “mountain,” aka quiet time with God, is so important. If I want to hear God clearly and receive the strategy and instructions needed for every area of my life, I need to “come up a little higher.” Simply put, I need to intentionally spend time in prayer and sit quietly, listening for God’s response. I don’t want to imagine how those vital decisions for my life and business would have turned out had I not been sent to the mountain to pray. I can truly say that God met me there and meets me in my quiet moments at home too.

So, whether sitting in the quiet on your patio, taking a walk in your neighborhood, sitting on the bench at a nearby park, or standing under the steamy waters of your shower, be intentional with your time and conversations with God. Notice I said conversations with God; that means it’s a two-way communication. You talk a little, and then you wait and listen while he talks a little. As you commune with God, listen for his instructions and obey. Then, you will see the fullness of His will for your life.

Now that I understand the significance of the mountain, I’m okay with not being a beach girl anymore. I’m proud to be a Mountain Girl because in the “mountains” is where God meets me.

As always, I thank you for stopping by. I hope this devotional has refreshed your spirit and soul. Don’t forget to share it with anyone you know who could use a spiritual pick-me-up. Until next time, be safe and well.