I keep a file of quotes, actually several files. They inspire me and I'm amazed how the right ones surface at just the right time. God IS Good!!

This week, this one surfaced....again.

"We are not built for the mountains and the dawns and aesthetic affinities, those are for moments of inspiration, that is all. We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that is where we
have to prove our mettle."
~Oswald Chamber

It's intriguing, so I went 'digging' a little deeper...and found that the sentence that precedes this one in the text by Chamber makes it all VERY clear to me....
he says,

"The test of our spiritual life is the power to descend; if we have the power to rise only, something is wrong. It is a great thing to be on the mount with God, but a man only gets there in order that afterwards he may get down among the devil-possessed and lift them up."

The proof of my 'mettle,' (or as Miriam Webster defines it....my 'vigor and strength of spirit,') is going BACK down off of the mountain where I caught a 'glimpse' of heaven and the glory of God.... I am challenged to go BACK down and use what I have seen to lift others on their walk...I think of my own journey with infertility and when our first was born we were on the top of that mountain, to stay there would have been wrong...we NEEDED to descend and spread the word of what had been done for us...a testimony!

I think of the apostle Paul and his conversion, to stay on the mountain would have been complacent, he NEEDED to get out there and DO! He was inspired by what had occurred, now it was time to get off of that mountain and use it!!

Those times on the mountain are where God 'refuels' us! Refreshes our souls and invigorates our spirits! Peter, James and John could not stay on the mountain where the Transfiguration occurred, (LUKE 9:28 ~36) they had to descend to the valley, where the lowly were living and teach them and inspire them with what they saw and knew...we are called to do the same...come down!

The mountain is a lovely place, what a view...but we were not meant to climb to the top and pitch a tent and stay there, ...oh maybe for a bit, to take it all in, but our spirits should want to descend to those valleys of the mundane and the trials of life....WE are the disciples!

We are the ones who are now called to come down and 'share' what we saw...encourage others to climb to the top and experience that 'glimpse.'

I believe that we are disciples sharing what we have learned on our journeys, sharing so that others can begin the ascent...
If we continue to encourage each other, descend from the mountain, passing those on their way up...
we will be involved in a beautiful cycle that God himself ordained...

If you close your eyes, you can almost imagine it, disciples on their way up, and those making the descent...and it continues on until the end of time.....

That mountain top view is lovely, I have seen it, sat in my lawn chair at the top....but I was not meant to LIVE there, that is for eternity...I was meant to live in that valley, walking and encouraging others with what I have witnessed 'up there!' So, I fold my chair and begin to walk down, grateful and praising HIM, for another view from 'up there,' now ready, with sleeves rolled up to do some real work!! The work I was born to do! You know, 'proving my mettle!' Knowing always, that HE has another 'view from the top' waiting for me....to encourage and refuel me on my way....

He is FAITHFUL like that!

You can find me and my lawn chair over here most days....