Psalm 104:1-4 Bless the Lord, O my Soul! O Lord my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with splendor and majesty. Covering Thyself with light as with a cloak, Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain. He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters: He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind; He makes the winds His messengers, Flaming fire His ministers. New American Standard (NAS)
If you have hiked in the Rocky Mountains, then you know there are a few rules to follow when you decide to “summit” a peak. Hiking to the summit, or very top, of a 13,000 0r 14,000 foot mountain is different than a hike in the mountains. You must start very early in the morning before the light illuminates your path. You must turn around if a storm comes up over the peak as it can be very dangerous. You must dress for any change in weather from cold, to scorching heat, to driving rain, and frightful wind. The thunder and lightning that appear out of a cloudless sky creates stupendous excitement. When I summit or take a high mountain hike, I always leave early to watch the sun rise and the earth become clothed in splendor and majesty. The view at the peak before the height of the day’s light shows the earth stretching toward the horizon and into the heavens. Whether it is a winter snow-shoe hike or a summer peak “summit”, the snow or rain that falls in the high desert is always welcome. But the thunder and lightning –oh, they can blind and roar, make hair stand up on your arms, and scare the breath out of you! Your rapid descent off of the summit in a summer storm can drive you to believe that God Himself is sending his ministers and messengers to give you a message you will never forget.
What fears do you need to overcome in order to “summit” your mountains? What preparations are you making to keep safe in a storm?