Mountaintop

Ever heard of a mountaintop experience? The term originated from the time of Moses, whenever he would come down from the mountain having met with God, face shining. It's not a word used in the Bible itself but to describe experiences like that - where you et a glimpse of God's heart or of His glory. To come away from a place or an event in your walk with God aglow in a sense, with new insight or revelation in your life.

I had one of these recently, and it still remains a solid memory to this day. But first, we'll open the door to something I've discovered while on DTS. I have a critical spirit in my heart. What is that? IT sounds weird and eerie! My critical spirit, in essence, comes from a need to be validated or affirmed for doing what is right. When I criticize someone for not following the rules, staying in the structure, or breaking the system, I'm trying to show emphasis on ME already doing it right. Boiling it down more, it's my lack of resting in the comfort of God and instead striving to be praised for works. This critical spirit is something I've repented of but still is being broken by God. So this experience was one that God used to reveal a new thing, with His creation and Spirit of truth.

Wait. I'm still not ready to tell about my amazing mountaintop time! This one is short, no worries (shortER at least). In the book of Genesis, it is written that God is creating the world. One thing is written after every segment - "and He saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:4,10,12,18,21,25,31). God, speaking about creation, saw it as good. Is it not then safe to say God was pleased with His own work? And on we go.

At one evening during a training camp for staff at the HiBA International Camp, we went out to the beach to pray and spend time with the Lord. The beach was in Chiba, which is significantly less urban than Tokyo, and you can see the stars. So I laid down, cement at my back, the sound of waves crashing near my head, sand by my feet, and a vast starry sky above. I didn't ask God for anything; I just laid there and marveled at the stars. I realized I could only focus on one part of the skyscape at one time. I turned my head side to side and could still see yet more beauty. Is it any wonder that I can only see a fraction of the view and am amazed by it? My heart's eyes widened as I realized God's scope of it all. He can see ALL of creation, from a way we can never imagine, ALL simultaneously, transcending time and even all the destroyed creation of the past.. and He is pleased with it.

In a way that could only be God revealing it in my heart, I saw that my own view of people was like what I was seeing. I see only a fraction of a person, a tiny error made big in my eyes and I criticize them for it. But God, well, God sees it all. And He is wholly in love with that person, unconditional to their failures and victories. It was here that I saw God's heart for people that I was so eager to put down for my own elevation. I needed to have the God view of people in my life. That's how I can work in the opposite direction of the critical spirit. Living and acting in love towards others, love from the overflow of what God revealed to me that night!

Double post this month (maybe even a triple) to make up for the lack of updates since being in Japan. I've been coming and going pretty much since the end of June, so it's been difficult to make time to mesh thoughts.