Standing on the promises

You're on a mountain.

This mountain is part of a rather large range and you can distinctly see one end of it (behind you) but, if you look ahead, the range just seems to go on and on. But what you can see is truly beautiful. The peaks are shrouded in clouds and there are lush, green forests all over the place. The view from the summit that you're on is breathtaking and you're just soaking it all up.

It literally feels like you're on top of the world.

But you aren't alone.

You see, Jesus is up there with you on that summit. In face, He is the very reason you got to the top. Without Him, you still would be motionlessly and ineffectively spinning your wheels in the mud at the bottom of the mountain.

You think about how Jesus carried you, pushed you, coached you, led you, and walked, crawled, and ran with you up this mountain.

Looking down the path you took, you can see the remains of the struggles you went through to get to the top. You see that spot towards the base where you fought with some creature and finally, after almost losing the fight, let Jesus take over. You see the fork in the path that you were so torn and indecisive about that you sat there and cried because you didn't have any idea what to do. Until, that is, you finally looked to your side and saw Jesus just waiting for you to ask for help. More towards the middle of the mountain was a dark forest where you forged ahead and got completely lost. But when you spun around, looking to go back, you saw Jesus, ready to guide. And then there was that last stretch. It was steep and long and you were so exhausted. You almost lost your grip more times than you could count. But Jesus was always there, give you a boost, hauling you up, making sure you knew that you had help and that you didn't have to climb mountains on your own. You really don't have to do anything on your own, actually.

So there you were. On the mountain. Feeling like royalty with the greatest Savior you have. And, frankly, the only savior you have.

You turn around and see the other side of the mountain. It's steep and jagged. You do not, after all you just went through to get to the top, want to have to go all the way back down.

But you know that you have to. You'd accomplished this peak. It was time to start trying to tackle another.

"We have to go down, don't we?" you ask Jesus, just to make sure. Even though you know the answer, you just need Him to confirm.

"Yes, we do," He replies.

You take another look down and swallow hard. You're already scraped and scarred from the journey up. What will going down be like?

"I'm scared," you admit.

"I know. But look how far we've come," He says and gestures back to where you came from, the path up and the other mountains.

"Stay with me," you whisper.

He extends his scarred hand to you. "Always."


"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4