Climb a High Mountain

by Rev. Richard Fisher

Mountain top experiences are rare but they do happen. I am thankful to have had several mountain high experiences. Most of mine have centered around the Lord and my family. We just had one of our grandsons graduate from high school. While I appreciated the graduation service, one of my mountain high experiences was holding him in my arms at birth. I had not anticipated the emotions I would experience when I have held all of my grandsons at birth. (We have been blessed with five.)

So called mountain-top experiences come in all shapes and sizes. What is exciting to you may not be exciting to me and vice versa. In our text, Peter, James and John literally experienced a mountain-top event.

Matthew 17:1 “After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.” You’ve heard the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” I guess that’s true for horses and humans. You can’t force people to do what they really don’t want to do. Are we willing to let Jesus lead us where He wants?

It was said that when David Livingstone was sent as a student to preach at Sanford Rivers, he stood up in the pulpit and completely forgot what he was going to say. Although this incident would have signaled the end of public speaking for many, Livingstone knew he must not give up. When God called him to be a missionary, he was ready to go. Later he wrote, "I am still a very poor preacher and have a bad delivery; and some say that if they knew I was to preach, they would not even enter the chapel."

Even though David Livingstone considered himself to be a poor preacher he was still very open to God’s leading and became a great missionary. There is a blessing in following the Lord’s leading in our life.

Matthew 17:2, 4-5 states: “There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters - one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"”

For the most part, I don’t think it’s appropriate to interrupt someone while they are talking but while Peter was still speaking God, the Father, interrupted him and said, “This is my Son . . . listen to him!”

A Brazilian tells the story about a farmer who wanted to buy a parrot. He went to a pet shop and told the proprietor what he wanted. “I have just what you have in mind,” said the store owner. With that he slipped into a back room and came back with an owl. “This is an especially fine bird,” he said. The owl sat perched on a bar and stared - just stared. “But will he learn to talk?” asked the amazed customer. “Of course,” said the store owner. “You just have to be patient and keep talking to him.” So the farmer took the owl, and was quite pleased with his purchase. A few weeks later the two men met again, and the pet shop owner asked, “Well, how’s your parrot? Is he talking yet?” “No,” the farmer replied, “he’s not talking, but he certainly knows how to listen.”

In my prayer time, one of things I do is to be silent and listen. I have had times when the Holy Spirit would impress me about what the will of God is or I would be reminded of a passage or I would just know the will of God due to the study of God’s Word and living in Christ.