Friday, March 20
Read Jeremiah 16:14-21
O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth and say: Our ancestors have inherited nothing but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit. Can mortals make for themselves gods? Such are no gods! (vv 19-20)
PEAK EXPERIENCES
I have lived in Kansas my entire life. Some may think it is boring, but to me it is home. I do like to visit the mountains, however, and have numerous photos to prove it.
I saw my first mountains in Colorado when I was about 10. Since then I have visited mountains in other places, including majestic Mount Denali in Alaska and the Swiss Alps. There is something special about mountains. They seem strong and welcoming, yet they can also be frightening and overwhelming if extreme weather threatens or a steep pathway challenges my confidence.
I often think of God when I am in the mountains. Beautiful scenery touches my soul and I think of the only One who could fashion such beauty and uniqueness in our world. Perhaps this is because I heard the words from the Bible in my youth about God being a rock, a refuge, a fortress, a strong and constant presence in my life. But I think it is more than remembering the words; it is a feeling of being in the presence of God’s majesty and power.
It is often more difficult to feel this “mountain experience” in the plains or when daily life overwhelms us. This Lenten season, I pray that we all experience a place, physical or not, where we can focus on the Rock who loves us, who sent his Son, and who is our strong and constant presence no matter where we are on this earth or what circumstances we encounter.
Marsha Meili
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