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The Mountaintop Experience |
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Location: Blogs Brad's BlogMid-Week Missive |
 | | Posted by: Brad Miller | 1/26/2009 1:52 PM | Yesterday was quite a day. Starting with the huge throngs of people who attended the inauguration of President Obama you just knew it was going to be a special day. So many people never thought they would see a day like yesterday, and when the reality of the moment sunk in, I understood why there was a tear in so many peoples eyes. This was a mountaintop experience of the first order, and I can only imagine what it felt like to the new President and his family.
But as the dignitaries were filing off the main stage, one of the announcers on the station I was watching said something to the effect of, “Well, he better enjoy it now because come tomorrow, it’s business as usual and he will have to deal with the opposition he surely faces.”
“How sad,” I thought. I know that there was certainly a grain of truth in what the commentator said, but still, who wants to be hit with such a downer on such an up day? Who wants to be reminded that they live in the valley and the mountaintop is only a fleeting moment? So, what if it’s true? Can’t we at least spend some time up there on the mountain, take a few minutes to look around, see the spectacular view, revel just a little bit? We are hoping for better days: can’t we just be allowed to let that hope wash over us for awhile? This is, in fact, something like what we experience as Christians. We have mountaintop experiences where everything is sweetness and light and joy and celebration and hallelujahs, only to find out soon enough, that we live in the valley and need to make our way in the shadows, among the weeds, yet still needing be fed by the mountaintop experience. And that is the key for us as a nation, and as Christians. Yesterday was full of promise, as are the mountaintop days in our faith journey: our acceptance of Christ or our baptism. But the promise only becomes fulfilled, the hope for the future only becomes realized when we return to the valley, roll up our sleeves and use the precious memory of that experience to keep us energized and on task.
For President Obama, the task before him is monumental: to help Americans get on track, especially in the economic sector. Our task is monumental, too: it is to honor God and help those we know get on track, through our sharing of the good news of Jesus Christ. Both tasks will be daunting, sometimes slow and sometimes frustrating. But as we go about our work, we need to think back to those mountaintop experiences so that we can be reenergized to carry on. And I hope that as President Obama runs into obstacles and frustrations that he will think back to yesterday’s mountaintop experience and know that the thoughts and prayers of a nation are with him, and that will reenergize him to keep searching for the right answers to the questions before him.
For an updated list of prayer concerns and upcoming events, please go to www.brookhavenchristian.org
Announcements
- Don’t forget the Super Bowl Party Sunday February 5th at Charles and Debbie Kinney’s home at 5:30. Bring a dessert or appetizer to share and root on your favorite team.
For your prayer list
- Harold Kinney underwent two tests yesterday. The results of the first test are in, and the results are good, thanks be to God! The results of the second should be in by Friday. Keep Harold and Margie in your prayers during this time of waiting.
- Cynthia Freeman continues to recover at home following shoulder surgery. Keep Cynthia and Darrell in your prayers.
- Please keep all those who are being hit by the second (or is it third?) wave of flu/colds that seems to sweeping through the city and region
I hope you can make it church this Sunday as we once again celebrate the Lord’s Day together. The scriptures lessons are Jonah 3: 1-5, 10 and Psalm 62: 5-12. Have a great rest of the week!
Be peaceful,
Brad
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