Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and I just love mountains, I really do. I mean, my spirit soars on a clear day when I drive to work and I crest the Calabasas grade and there spreading before me are layers upon layers of beautiful coastal mountains out here in Southern California. It is an inspiring sight! I love mountains, but that doesn’t mean I like any mountain.
A short while ago I was flying up the west coast to Seattle and our plane flew close to Mt. St. Helens. It has been a long time since that mountain – well it’s not really a mountain it’s a volcano, right? – it’s been years since it blew its top, but still even getting a little close to Mt. St. Helens I tell you I was so relieved when our airplane passed it by.
The Bible talks a lot about good mountains and kind of scary mountains. Look at the 12th chapter of Hebrews because there is laid out the topography of two mountains – one is Mt. Sinai, a mountain that must not be touched; it’s burning with fire, it has darkness and storm, trumpet blasts and soul-shaking fear. It is the mountain of the Ten Commandments and the writer of Hebrews says, “Who can bear what was commanded. Even Moses shook in his boots.” But then there is another mountain – Mt. Zion mentioned in the 12th chapter, the mountain where thousands of angels come together in joyful assembly; where our names are written; a beautiful place, the city of the living God. Surely Mt. Zion is one glorious, happy destination. So there you have it!
Someone once wrote about this. Two Mountains they called it and two views of life. And, oh, how often we find ourselves confronted by our inability to live up to the demands of a holy God. How often do we make that the focus? We get consumed by guilt; we backslide into defeat and despair. I have been there, I have done that, and it will paralyze you in weakness and in memories of failure after failure after failure.
When I am living that way, I know what I am doing, I know my mistake. I am trying to earn God’s favor because it’s a hard life when you set up camp in the shadows of Mt. Sinai. Listen, that mountain was never meant to be touched, never meant to be climbed and if Sinai strikes the holy fear of God in your heart then it is only to help you appreciate the beauty and the graceful incline of Mt. Zion.
Hey, friend, get your mountains straight and bone up on you topography and your geography. Mt. Zion is the only place you want to camp, and actually speaking of mountains, there is one more we ought to cover in this little geography lesson from God’s word because not far from Mt. Zion is another place of incredible forgiveness and grace and that is Mt. Calvary.
Did you know that Bible scholars even believe that Mt. Calvary and Mt. Zion are in the same mountain ridge – it’s all one large, great mountain? For there on Calvary’s mountain our wonderful Savior died for your sin and mine and today He bids us follow Him up that mountain where you and I can lay it all down at the foot of the cross. Leave it all at the foot of the cross. In fact, today maybe it is time to say to the Lord Jesus, “Oh, Lord, Lord of Calvary’s mountain here is my fear and here is my despair. Here is my straining, here is my striving. Oh, please I do not want to camp in the fearful heights of Mt. Sinai and yes, Mt. Zion is beautiful, but I want you, Lord Jesus, to lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Lead me to Calvary.”
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 91376
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