TO THE HILLTOP

Make no mistake about it, there are no mountains in Fort Worth. There are, however, some hills that usually go unnoticed. I was reminded of the beautiful vistas that surround the city the other night at my youngest daughter’s bridal shower. Out in the western suburbs, off of Team Ranch Road, we stood there that evening in the back yard of the host home overlooking in the distance Cowtown to the northeast. It was beautiful from this vantage point. We could have just as well been on a mountain because the visual results were the same. Stretching from here to there was seemingly endless carpet of green treetops filling the expanse. How remarkable it is that we lose site of the bigger picture when we spend so much time in the valleys.

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:3). Isaiah knew how extremely advantageous it was to climb above the evil of the world to catch a glimpse of something decent and good. Our souls need lifting up out of the cares and corruption that this base world so easily entangles us in and in so doing attempts to choke the spirit life right out of us making us grow ever more carnal, distressed, despondent and puffed up.
Up on the hilltop we have no need to wander or be in conflict—just simply and gloriously focused on the light of God. What once was hidden and choked out has been cut away to reveal the perspective of God’s vistas laid out before us—the kingdom views.
In the valleys we experience an atmosphere stagnated with self-righteousness, greed and lust. But up there on the hilltop we are able to breathe in the fresh air of his glory and grace.  I invite you to take the climb to move from your valley to the hilltop. Take the upward path through God’s Word. Oh that you would frequent the hilltop where the Spirit of God will assist you in helping leave your fear and anxiety in the valley trekking upward to realize joy and blessed peace. There on the hilltop with the Most High the things of this earth will grow strangely dim compared to the light of his glory and grace.

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