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Listen while you read: "I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say"1 (Lyrics) |
The first mountain I ever saw was the Blue Mountain in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. Actually, as mountains go, it is really only a very big hill. Not only did I see it, but we also lived on it. My dad worked in an orchard, and we lived in the middle of this orchard about half-way up the side of the mountain. One of the things that I remember so well is how peaceful and quiet it was up there. We could see the town of Collingwood in the distance, about eight miles or so away. We could see the school house on the road to town, some farms, and in the distance, the grain elevator and the lighthouse. Almost every day there would be a big ship coming in or going out — sometimes two or three. There on the mountainside, it was so still; we could not hear the noise of the town in the distance, or the engines of the big ships, or the clamour at the harbour as they were unloading their cargo. When a person wants to get away from the busyness of everyday life, a mountainside or mountaintop is a good place to go.
As the time approached for Jesus' crucifixion, He began to prepare His followers for the events which were to take place. He told them that He was going to suffer and be rejected by the religious leaders, and that He would die and be raised again on the third day. He also told them that there would be consequences for His followers, but they did not understand these revelations. So He took three of them up a mountain.
Mark 9:2-3,7 – Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!" (NKJV)
My spiritual "mountain" is to withdraw at times from the busyness of everyday life, to think about the things which have happened in my life in years past, to contemplate the present, to look forward to the future, and to talk to God about the things which concern me and worry me and the things that I am thankful for. My spiritual mountain might be when I drive to a church service, or prepare for a Bible discussion, or when I am awake at night.
During this period of Lent, as we prepare for Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we, too, need to seek out the stillness of a spiritual mountain and in that time, gaze on the Lord in His new appearance as the light of the world, Who came to die so that we may live. Hear Him! Listen to Him!
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, as we think about Jesus and His suffering, as we worship and remember, we pray that You will open our hearts so that we will understand and comprehend that through His death and resurrection, we have life eternal. Amen.
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Tuesday, April 16, 2024 – In Peru — Please pray for this summer season at our beach-town home to be a blessing to the little Fellowship we have started and that the Lord would "add to our numbers those who are being saved".
Housing: "Update April 14, 2024; Please pray extra fervently for tomorrow when she and her son will be going..." 
Another challenging one Joel.
Thank you Joel.
God Bless you and yours.
Loved your devotion this morning Joel. Thank you so much.
And may God continue to bless you as you continue to share His love in your writings to inspire and to encourage us.
(Ont.)
Joel: Thank you for ‘taking’ me with you to that ‘mountain’ as you described the the scenes, the sounds of faraway, yet the quietness and peace of loneliness of nearby and that place with thankfulness that one should feel for His gifts to Man. It helped to lift me from the valley of woe-is-me during my many hours now spent without my loving and lovable wife of over 60 years and whose health is now being well maintained by multiple healthcare professionals.
I could continue but you get the ‘picture’ of how I appreciate what you gave me to read and then consider.
What a wonderful devotional.
Good morning Joel;
Thanks for reminding us all about the importance of finding an appropriate “spiritual mountain” as a place of solitude for contemplation and prayer.
God bless.
Beautifully written. I just saw an autobiography of John Denver and his inspiration to write songs came while he was flying his plane through the mountains and also walking amongst them. Thank you for your precious reminder.
Dear Mr. J. I do enjoy your devotional messages. I am thankful to the Good Lord for these devotions & the abilities you people have to share God’s word with us. I find it so amusing that Austria is part of your email yet Blue Mt. was your biggest hill. I grew up in the Era where every house had a piece of Blue Mtn. Pottery on the prairies with Chief Mtn. in the distance. I guess most of us regard where we grew up to be special.
Now my husband & I are retired so very fortunate to spend 1/2 the year here in Southeast Australia & other half back home in Alberta. I am fortunate to make a lovely walk up almost daily to a little park to see the most lovely view looking down on the coastline. It is my little place for spiritual solitude. Christ’s Blessings from down under.
(Australia)
Joel this was a beautiful devotional. I love the mountains and felt a sense of peace while reading your message. I grew up in Cape Breton and knew a little about the majesty of mountains, (Smokey, French Mountain, etc.) but was truly introduced to the great authority mountains seem to have over the landscape after enjoying several great trips to Europe and traveling the mountains in Italy and Switzerland, mountains that travel through the clouds. Our Western mountains are also awesome.
Your beautiful explanation of how your spiritual mountain seems to be during a very quiet time in your life, when you are able to listen, in the stillness, and hear Your Father speaking to you – It is amazing how often we hear more when alone with God and in the quiet of one’s life than we do in the midst of so much turmoil that goes on around us continually.
I love the line, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His Glory and Grace.” –
I loved this message, thank you.