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 During this week of Lent, our gazes turn upward to the mountains, punctuating scripture and those silent witnesses of God’s unfolding story. We’ll explore how these elevated spaces reveal God’s majesty and presence and foreshadow the ultimate mountain: the hill of Calvary. We will trace how these mountain encounters, filled with revelation and transformation, ultimately point us to the highest peak of hope – the resurrection. For in the rising of Jesus, the ultimate mountain of death is conquered, and the landscape of our lives is forever changed. As we reflect on these sacred heights, let us discover how the mountains of Lent prepare us to receive the glorious, life-giving gift of Easter’s dawn. A collective reflection on God’s grace and our chances for renewal Thursday, March 20, 2025 |
Sacred places Matthew 24:3 Mountains are magical places to me. I am in awe when I see them in the distance, driving through them, hiking up, snowboarding down, or taking in the view when high up in one. They are the most near-to-God geological formations I have experienced: majestic, massive, stunningly beautiful, vast ecosystems, but also unpredictable and dangerous. Our God put their creation in motion, and I always feel my smallness and his nearness when I am in the mountains – it refreshes my soul. A God who can make mountains, move mountains, and wants a relationship with me, who sent his son to make that possible, gives me hope, and hope is something worth focusing on in this season of Lent. Jesus’ journey took him to many places, including the Mount of Olives, a Biblically significant and sacred place in both the Old and New Testaments. This mountain is where Jesus prayed before he was betrayed and crucified and where he ascended into heaven, a place of sanctuary and a place to get away, a place of beauty with both spiritual and historical significance. He also took time to teach and answer questions from the disciples. In Matthew 24:3, the disciples asked Jesus about what he had recently said about the destruction of the temple, when these things (the end of the age) would happen, what signs would there be, and how will they/we know?” We all prefer to be “in the know” and have inside information. However, Jesus’ answers are pretty disconcerting: deception, earthquakes, famines, epidemics, lawlessness, and war (verses 4-35). These are not things to look forward to, even now on the other side of the resurrection. We may know that God wins, but between now and then, we have to live with the unpredictability of what’s next. In the mountains, storms can roll in quickly and unexpectedly, and we are often at the mercy of the elements and so many things we cannot control. We will face times of wonder and beauty and times we may not think we can survive. Ultimately, though, we have hope in the promises of Jesus. He came, died for us, rose from the grave, and is returning! Do you have sacred places on your journey with Jesus, the places you go to when you want to feel close to God? How do you prepare for the beauty of mountaintop experiences and prepare for unexpected storms? Prayer for Today: Jesus, thank you that you are with us on our journey through mountain heights and valleys, times of beauty and joy, and times of storms and struggles. Thank you for providing a future and a hope. Remind us that our trust is in you and that you are with us through it all. Remind us you are near. By Molly Fisher |
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