George Leigh Mallory is probably not high on your list of familiar names. But three words he uttered probably are familiar to you. When asked by a New York Times reporter in 1923 why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, the British mountaineer stated, ”Because it’s there.” Mallory and a companion died a year later on the slopes of Everest. Whether they reached the summit before their deaths remains a mystery.People have a things for mountains.
God has a thing for mountains, too. God chose to do some of His best work and made some stunning revelations of Himself to people at high altitudes. On the tops of mountains, God made a promise to Noah, supplied a substitutionary sacrifice to Abraham for his son Isaac, talked to Moses through a burning bush, gave Moses the Law, participated with Elijah in a definitive showdown with false prophets, gave a glimpse of His glory in the Transfiguration of Christ, who later ascended to heaven from a mountain top.
So why climb a mountain? Maybe it's because He’s there.
Sunset from Clingman’s Dome, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Click on picture to enlarge. Photograph © 2006 James Jordan.
4 comments:
The picture took my breath away when I first saw the thumbnail on flicker. Your description on the blog completed things. Because He's there! Because He Lives! Amen! Praise the Lord for showing us His glory everyday. And thank you for capturing this beautiful image.
Thanks for this post! I've been spending tons of time in the mountains these days - a good firend of mine and I have had a "Sunday tradition" the last 5 or 6 weeks: church, a hike, and a swim. I love it. We often talk about God and our faith on these hikes, so what you said really resonated with me. It gives a new way of looking at why we love this Sunday tradition so much! I'm going to go look up those passages, now, too!
And the photo is beautiful, as always!
What a fantastic photo
Post a Comment