UPPERS AND DOWNERS

Mountaintop vistas are etched into the human psyche as a symbol representing triumph. When confronted with a problem/challenge, it is common to respond with chest-thumping bravado and proclaim, “I’ll climb that mountain!” The whole world celebrated when the highest mountain in the world finally succumbed to the skills of adventurer Sir Edmond Hillary.

I think it is natural that we talk about mountaintop experiences as being essentially positive. In contrast would be the valley experiences, which are tended to be viewed as essentially negative. We talk about being “down” in contrast to being “up.”

All this is great rhetoric for motivational speeches and inspirational books but not so great when it comes to teaching us to actually live a productive and victorious life.

The mountaintop is a great place to visit; the views are magnificent, but frankly the top of the Colorado Rockies is not a great place to live. When Hillary finally triumphed over the treacherous Everest and planted his feet on the highest peak in the world, he took a look around, stayed just a few minutes, and began the descent back to real life. He had not come to the mountaintop to stay, just to visit. A city is almost never located at the top of a mountain. The corridors of life are almost always built in a valley or on the plains that lead up to the mountains.

Valleys are the places of everyday life. They are the places where most of the fruit of life is grown and harvested, where most of life is lived. None of us really derive the character qualities God desires for our lives while we are on the mountain. It’s in the valley where fruit is planted, nurtured and harvested. In the valley, it is more difficult to see ahead; the clouds often cover the valley and limit our sight. It’s in the valley that we learn to live and walk by faith.

Whenever we stand on the mountain, we are able to see clearly. It is the best vantage point from which to view what lies ahead. God allows us the mountaintop experience at times. Go to the mountains whenever you can, clear your head, look into the future and enjoy the grand vista. But remember that the fullness of your life is not there; we go to the mountains so that we can cross them and continue our journey of faith.

Our God is the God of the mountains and the valleys. Real life is the continual experience of having “ups” and “downs.” Those who teach that all of the spiritual life is only an “up” experience are seriously misguided.

In 1 Kings 20:23 an enemy army brought an accusation against Israel, and especially against God, when they said, “Their gods are gods of the hills.” The enemy leaders then went on to say, “If we can fight them on the plains, we can destroy them!”

Why would they say something like that? They were not members of the Jewish faith, so what would lead them to that particular observation and accusation?

Could it be that they had observed the Jewish people living excitedly for God when things were going well, when victory over enemies had been achieved, when life was good and they were “up”? Could it be that the Amereans also saw Israel when things were “down” and they were struggling, grumbling, complaining and generally not living for God? And so the enemy came with a railing accusation, “You have a good-time god! Your god is a god of the mountain because the only time you worship and live righteously is when things are going well and you are ‘up.’ Your god is a god of the mountain and not the valley because you sure don’t live for him when you are ‘down.’”

God sent an unnamed prophet to the king of Israel with a message, “Because the Amareans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands and you will know that I am the Lord” (1 Kings 20:28).

The message was not for the enemy, it was for God’s people! The message was for God’s people to know that “I am the Lord.” He is the Lord of the mountains and the valleys—He is the Lord of all of life’s experiences—He is the Lord!

The Psalmist David understood this principle well! “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME….”

He’s the God of the mountains and the valley; He is our God, and whether we are “up” or “down” He is always with us!