In the winter both groups attended separate weekend Snow
Camps at the American Baptist Churches of the West regional camp in the Sierra
Nevada’s near Tahoe, California. In the
summer the youth were able to attend a week long summer camp at the same
conference grounds. Then in the fall my
wife and I would take the combined groups on a weekend camping adventure to a
State Park in the majestic redwood groves located anywhere from two to three
hours north of our city. In the last few
years that we ministered there, we also added a summer weekend waterski camp in
which I worked with the College Career group and three adults with boats in
ministering to the youth.
At one point after one of these special camps I had a
deep conversation with a member of the church whom I greatly respected. I had mentioned to him that I longed to live
in a mountain top experience with God on a regular basis, not just three or
four times a year. His response and the
foundation of our conversation centered around his understanding that we cannot
live on the mountain top all the time.
His hypothesis was that we lived our everyday lives in the valley and
only went up to the mountain top for an occasional refreshing from the Lord.
That conversation has uncomfortably stuck with me
throughout the last 35 years! Recently
though, I came across a statement about the Apostle Paul that rejected my
friend’s theory and gave me a new hope for living in that kind of a close,
personal and powerful relationship with my Savior.
In discussing the evidence of the power of God being demonstrated
on a regular basis in the ministry and life of Paul, Wesley L. Duewel in his
book for leaders in the church, “Ablaze
For God” states: “What Paul wants is
more of the abiding power of Christ communicated through the Spirit. What he desires is not for an occasional
mountain top experience. He longs for
the continuing experience of God’s power everyday of his life and
ministry. He hungers for, yearns for,
and is willing to pay any price if only that power can abide upon him day after
day.” (Ablaze For God ©1989 by Wesley L. Duewel, Francis Asbury Press)
This bold statement describes exactly what I was longing
for back in the 70’s and has continued through today. If Paul could live it, then so can you and
I! I think the reason that it seems too unconceivable
to some believers though, is because of the maximum effort it takes to
consistently live in this close proximity with God. The personal hungering and yearning has to be
followed up with paying the price on a day to day basis.
Have I reached this goal?
NO! But I continue to work on it! It is a continual process that needs to be
worked at on a daily basis, 24/7 – 365 days a year! Is it worth the effort? YES… and
then some! Will I ever “reach” the goal? I don’t think so. I believe that it is something that grows and
matures within us as time goes on. It is
a fluid process. If you stop reaching out
and moving forward, I believe that you’ll fall behind!
Paul told the Colossian Church that they were to “get rid of the person you used to be”
because “you’ve become a new person”
and that this new person is to be “continually
renewed in the knowledge to be like its
Creator.” (Colossians 3:9-10 God’s Word ©) That sounds like a consistent, life long
process to me. It also sounds like an
exciting challenge to embark upon! What
do you think? You know, you can see a
lot from the top of a mountain. What a
way to live this life! I’m all for
it. How
about you?
Have a mountain top day!
Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What EXPERIENCE am I expecting today?”
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