Morning by Morning, December 9 - “Let Us Go Up to the Mountain!”
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me begin my day centered in Christ, embraced in the arms of my Father, and filled with the Holy Spirit. ...
“In days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say,
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that He may teach us His ways
and that we may walk in His paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:2-3).
We’ve come up to the mountains of New Mexico for a few days with family, here in beautiful, rugged Ruidoso. “The mountain of the Lord” here is called Sierra Blanca, the highest peak of the Sacramento Mountains. It’s the most sacred mountain to the Mescalero Apaches Indians who own it and it’s sacred to all because all the mountains of the earth belong to You.
We can literally “go up the mountain” in the physical realm, as when we made the journey from Fredericksburg to Ruidoso yesterday. But we can also “go up to the mountain” in the spiritual realm whenever we take some time in worship and prayer to make the journey “up here” into the sacred and high place of Your Presence. Just like when You invited the Apostle John, “Come up here” through his journey “in the Spirit” for You to unfold the visions of Revelation of “what must take place” (Revelation 4:1-2), You invite us, “Come up here” with You.
Thank You for getting me up this morning, to come up here with You as I “go up to the mountain” in worship and prayer. The door is always open, as the open invitation to spiritual intimacy in the open arms of Your embrace.
But there’s also something significant to me to coming up here with You first thing in the morning, to give You first place in my day, as You begin to teach me Your ways and help me walk in Your paths throughout the moments of my day. When I come “up to the mountain” first thing it’s a lot easier to stay up here in the embrace of Your grace, in in the intimate place of Your Presence, as I go about the choices and challenges I’ll inevitably encounter.
In a sense, this is a mountain that moves. In a sense, this high and sacred place is a place of Your Presence that’s right here within me, as I abide in You and You abide in me (John 15:4), as I make my heart Your temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). In a sense, this is a mountain where I can honor You and worship You and experience You any moment I take time to come up here.
Maybe that’s even part of what You meant when You were speaking with the woman at the well:
“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I see that You are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but You say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and Truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and Truth’” (John 4:19-24).
Morning by Morning, moment by moment, I seek to worship You in Spirit and Truth -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. Thank You for the grace to “come up here” with You now and throughout the moments of my day, every day, wherever I am. And Thank You that today, I get to do it “up here” in beautiful, rugged Ruidoso. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My Friend, may you be drawn up to the mountain into the high place of the intimate Presence of God -- morning by morning, moment by moment, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy & Rocio Hays | Messiah Ministries
Messiah Ministries Mailing Address:
412 S. Adams Street #148
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
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