I opened the well-worn devotional seeking to garner strength for the day. The reflection was on the necessity of spending time in God’s presence, relishing the beauty of His holiness, and soaking in His grace.
But it was the last sentence that penetrated my heart:
“He walks in glory on the hills and longs for men [and women] to join Him there.”
The Beauty of His Holiness Calls to Me
Over and over these words crossed my heart leaving imprints that could not be ignored … He walks in glory on the hills and longs for me to join Him there …
He LONGS for me to join Him there.
Can you hear His call? I can. I’ve heard it loud and clear many times — a call to climb the mountain of God and sit with Him awhile in the beauty of His holiness.
Bask in His glory. Rest in His love. Garner strength.
But many times, I would not.
How many times do I hear the sweet whisper of the Lord deep in my heart and I shush Him? Or ignore Him. Or try to placate Him with, “in a minute. I need to finish this first.”
Seriously?
Am I Guilty of Complacency?
And yet He longs for me — and you — to join Him on the mountaintop where He can pour His visions and dreams into our lives, where He can transform us into His image, where He can teach us His ways.
My fingers rubbed the edges of the devotional’s pages. I couldn’t bear the thought of how many times I had hurt Him with my complacency.
I closed my Bible, grabbed my sneakers, and took off for my daily walk, desperate to steady my heart.
The day shone gloriously with late winter sunshine. Skies of periwinkle blue sprinkled with cloud puffs kept me looking up. Searching. Thinking. Hoping I would hear the call of God.
In the distance, layers of mountaintops and valleys formed the horizon. A blanket of clouds hung heavy over the blue majesty of the hills — a hint of rose-colored light penetrating from the soon setting sun.
He walks in glory on the hills and longs for us to join Him there …
Faith Comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God
I imagined the brilliance of His glory behind the veil of rose-colored clouds — the beauty of His holiness. I knew the Lord was with me. I knew He was beckoning me to be still and share my heart with Him — to put aside my self-sufficiency and overthinking and trust Him.
Plain and simple.
But how could I fully put my trust in Him if my mind was racing around and my spirit kept ignoring His call?
I couldn’t.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of the Lord. If I can’t be still long enough — physically, emotionally, and spiritually — to rest in His Presence and listen to His Word for me … well … trust was only a lovely thought somewhere over the rainbow.
I stopped right there on the side of the pasture across from the white clapboard church and knelt. I knelt before the One I worship and adore, the One I love, and the One who carries me near to His heart. I felt desperate to garner strength so that I might trust Him more in my difficult places.
I asked His forgiveness for my complacency and asked Him to restore a right spirit within me. Do you know what He did?
God Longs for Us to Join Him on the Mountaintop
He lifted me up, raised my chin to fix my eyes on His heavenly places, and flooded my soul with His peace and assurance. I found solace in the beauty of His holiness, rest for my weary heart.
What the Lord has done for me, He will do for you.
He longs for us to join Him there on the mountaintop.
Selah
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Thank you so much for stopping by. I would love for you to share what’s on your heart in the comments below. Scroll a little farther down and you’ll see where you can leave your comments. Together, we can find the nearness of God in our darkest moments.
Sweet blessings to you,
Nan … Darlene here (from FBC Hendersonville, NC) … i have been meaning to write you every time I read one of your devotions. I can’t tell you how many times your words were ‘spot on’ for what my day, my life was holding. Thank you for your faithfulness to Him and for blessing so many with your heart stories! If you ever put these all together and do a book, please let me know – I’d be the first to buy one!!!! Sending love and prayers.
Darlene!! It’s so good to hear from you. I have such fond memories of FBC Hendersonville. What a joy it was to spend time with your ladies. I appreciate your kind words so much. My second book, The Offering: How to Emerge from Shattered Faith is under contract and set to release in the summer of 2023. I’m so excited. I’m also working on a book of prayer titled Stained Glass in the Evening Light. I’ll be sure to keep you posted. Sending many hugs your way, Nan
It is soooo good to have and know other sisters & brothers who experience the real and intense strength given only by our precious and awesome Father! Thank you for always bringing us nearer still, Nan. blessings forever, dear friend!
You are such a blessing. Thank you for your kind and encouraging words.