Climbing up

A few years ago I prayed for God to allow me to know Him in my sleep. I wanted those hours to be centered on Him too. A few days later I awoke with a heavy sorrow and tears stinging my eyes. I had a dream with Jesus in it. Most dreams are quickly forgotten but not this one; it has been years but it still ways heavy on my heart and woos me even today. It is to me a spiritual marker for my life.

There is a tall, majestic mountain. On the very top of the mountain is Jesus. Jesus is bending, stooping over the side of the mountain with out stretched arms crying to someone, “Come up here with Me.” “You can do it.” He gently prods this message over and over and over again. There is in His voice a sense of urgency clothed with great love and compassion. His heart is known to have a longing for the subject of His wooing to come up to where He is. Below Him there is a plateau over half way up the mountain. There on the plateau is me. It is me He is longing for to make the climb up. To get to Him all I need to do is climb the ladder to where He is. I get on the ladder…then I fall. I get back on the ladder and fall again. Over and over again I try through sobbing to climb up but to no avail. I awoke crying after I fell to the ground and cried, “I can’t do it.”

Without looking at my journals (which are all packed up and stored in a storage unit) I don’t remember how many days or weeks went by before God gave me Scripture. [I have to pause because God is playing our song right now. I don’t believe in coincidence but Godencidence.] Glory! Have I said lately how I absolutely adore Him?!! Anyway back to those Scriptures:

Isaiah 40:9 (NKJV)

O Zion,

You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain;

O Jerusalem,

You who bring good tidings,

Lift up your voice with strength,

Lift it up, be not afraid;

Say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"

Isaiah 57:15 (NKJV)

For thus says the High and Lofty One

Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

"I dwell in the high and holy place,

With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,

To revive the spirit of the humble,

And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Since that dream my desire has always been to climb up and be with my loving and wooing Jesus. About 5 years ago I asked God why the Mountain and the climb up were important. He gave me another picture of what the mountain is about. I climbed up to the Mountain of God with my eyes fixed on Him. He placed His hands upon my shoulders and turned me around. As my eyes focused I could see below me women in all stages of life. Some too busy, others were hurting deeply, still others longing for more and on and on the women were below living daily life. I turned back to Him to see His eyes filled with tears. He then gently said, “You know My heart and love towards them; now go and minister to them in My name.” And then He admonished me, “You must make the climb up through out the day in order to know my heart and what you must do.” “You will also need to climb up when you are tired and don’t feel like it so that you can enter into My rest and joy.”

In the last few months I have found little opportunities to minister to others. I had been talking about this to the Lord a few months ago (on the mountain), and then this song came on. One of the many things God was saying to me through this song was that I had to go through the valleys in order to know intimately the hearts of other women that I can more genuinely minister to them. I have a fresh awareness of the hearts of working women!

A few other points this song resonates with me is

1. I wouldn’t trade the journey I have been on with Him for any thing this world could offer…I long for what’s in front of me in His glorious presence.
2. He has been faithful to His promise of providing us with daily manna. He has always been with us because we always turned aside to be with Him.
3. I am saddened by all I have had to leave behind (Belinda, Erin, Jeanette, Donna, Lisa, Micah, Rebecca, Miki, Carolyn, Patti, Yvette, Myrna, Patricia, Gari, Laura, Jan, Jennifer, Nancy, Jodi, Julie L., Carrie, Lillian, Julie S. Judy G., Shelly …) I could honestly go on for a page or two so please don’t be offended if your name isn’t here. Remember after I spend my first with my Savior all are invited to my mansion for some sweet tea and a slumber party. Goodbye isn’t forever for us who live for the eternal
4. Although what’s before me is all eternity with our Jesus I do believe that the days before each of hold some of the greatest adventure yet, this side of glory. “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."
5. I believe God is wooing others to climb up. He wants to reveal His heart to you and send you out.

The Mountain of God

Sung by Third Day
(portions)
Even though the journey’s long
And I know the road is hard
Well, the One who’s gone before me
He will help me carry on
After all that I’ve been through
Now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley
To stand upon the mountain of God

As I travel on the road
That You have lead me down
You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me
I have need for nothing more
Oh, now that I have found
That You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me

I confess from time to time
I lose my way
But You are always there
To bring me back again

Sometimes I think of where it is I’ve come from
And the things I’ve left behind
But of all I’ve had, what I possessed
Nothing can quite compare
With what’s in front of me
With what’s in front of me