Meeting God at the Mountain

Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain Exodus 19:3 NKJV.

There’s a call I believe, for each of us at the beginning of this year. It’s one we need to hear.

In Exodus 18, Moses’ father-in-law Jethro came to Moses for a visit. While he was there he observed Moses at work, so to speak, and he gives Moses some incredible advise about what to do, and how to lead the people of Israel so that Moses and the people could survive and thrive in whatever role they had.

There’s must be, or there usually is, an Exodus 18, before there’s an Exodus 19. If you know what I mean.

I saw three key lessons in this story.

1. Moses put into place Jethro’s advice.

Moses was humble enough to take Jethro’s advice and do it.

As we enter a new year, is there something we have been doing, an aspect of our lifestyle, that we need to change? Has God already sent someone, or a book, a course, a seminar, a key person, a revelation from God, the conviction of the Holy Spirit, about something we need to release?

It’s always a good opportunity at the beginning of the year to take a few moments to prayerfully reflect and ask the Lord if there is a habit, a doctrinal position, an attitude, a worry, and burden, that He may want us to release.

Sometimes we can’t move ahead into the new while we are still holding on to the old.

What is God asking you to release?

2. This freed Moses to go up the Mountain.

After Moses took Jethro’s advice he was free and able to do what he should have been doing anyway as the leader, which is to go up the mountain and meet with God.

There’s a mountain of meeting for all of us, and the Lord is yearning for us to come up and be with Him there. But sometimes the busy-ness of life, the responsibilities we’ve taken on have occupied us so much that we are unable to answer that call to go up the mountain.

The fact is that Moses’ leadership was out of order, until Jethro saw it, counselled him, and he did what he was told to do. (Big lesson right there).

If there are aspects of our life that are out of order, we will not be in the place where we can go up the mountain. Even our responsibilities can cloud our judgement so that we think what we are doing is more important than going up the mountain to be with God.

That’s not a good place to be. I have been there and it’s not good.

3. It was there, that God spoke to Moses and gave him the details of the tabernacle.

Moses was familiar with going up a mountain and meeting with God.  Are we?

The mountain was a place (not the only place, but a significant and important one) where Moses went to be with God.  But notice also what these verses say.  See what happened on the mountain of meeting.

• … according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain. Exodus 25:40
• … according to its pattern which you were shown on the mountain. Exodus 26:30
• … as it was shown you on the mountain, so shall they make it. Exodus 27:8

God had specifics for Moses when he was to build the tabernacle. It was when he was up the mountain that he heard and received the plan and details of what he was to do.

I remember being in Timaru in the South Island and leading the church, some decades ago. I was praying and thinking and wondering about running an evening Bible school programme but unsure exactly what or how to do it. There were then as there are now, many outside options available. But one afternoon, as I was just sitting in my office praying and meditating about it, the Holy Spirit gave to me the whole programme. In two hours, I had written down the course subjects, the mix of subjects, the basic content, the dates for each one over a period of two years, the term dates, how each evening would be run, how we would structure it; everything about that two year course was there, clearly written down, from that time in His presence.

That course was a blessing. Almost all of those who went through it have gone on to have strong marriages, fruitful families and careers, raised great kids, they have served faithfully in community, business and church leadership roles, prospered in business, they have proven the foundation of their lives is Christ, the unshakeable Rock.

The course in its correspondence form also went to places overseas and helped strengthen many in their walk with the Lord.

Sometimes, we too need to go up a mountain (maybe even physically but especially in a symbolic sense) to hear from God of the pattern for life, service and leadership He wants us live.

Jesus did the same.  He goes to a mountain to pray (Matthew 14:23), He goes to a mountain to rest (Matthew 15:29), He goes to a mountain and meets with Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1).

It is my conviction, that we just cannot survive in this life, without that personal connection with the Lord. Time in His presence, waiting and listening, hearing His voice, and receiving from heaven is everything. Everything you and I need, all the resources for the journey He calls and commissions us to walk, is birthed there in His presence.

There are many questions and much we do not know about what is going on in the world right now. But the place to bring those fears and concerns is right into God’s presence. There’s no fear, when we’re in the perfect love of God. (1 John 4:18).

Moses was familiar with going up a mountain and meeting with God. In that place of personal meeting fear is banished. Faith is fueled. Hope is grown. Revelation is given. Identity is strengthened. Calling is confirmed.

Remember the boldness of Peter and John? It was because they’d been with Jesus! (Acts 4:13).

Our values and priorities are revealed by what we do. So let’s not make a new year’s resolution, but just do the things that spring from our values and identity. The first of which is to be men and women of the mountain. Let’s be ones who have released unhelpful issues, and put things in place so that our life’s priority is to be there, at the mountain of God.

Who knows what revelation and dreams, vision and details, faith and authority can come to you and I, as we are there, up the mountain, meeting with God! Our families, our work, ministry, community, will benefit from our time with God up the mountain.

He’s waiting. For you. And me.

Image: From Pastor Terry Lema’s Daily Devotions, Author unknown