The Snow. The Mountains. And God

"I lift my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from?

 My help comes from the Lord..."- Psalm 121:1-2

(this is a previous post published on Facebook in 2010)

As I run up a steep hill every morning on my daily jog, I see "the hills" (Pikes Peak) in the distance, and I imagine that I'm holding onto a rope that's attached to the mountain, and it's pulling me up to the top. But what happens on the days that I can't see the hills?

This morning as the snow fell hard, Pikes Peak was nowhere to be found. But though I couldn't see it, I had no doubt in my mind that it was there.

Kinda like God.

If I was asked this morning to bet my life that Pikes Peak was still standing- I would have bet my life. If I was asked this morning to bet my life on the fact that God was living, real, and loving- I would have bet my life. But would I have hesitated a split second more on the second bet?

Sometimes, even on the cloudiest of days, you can squint and make out a faint outline of the mountains on the horizon. This is just a reminder, that yes, they are there. The same goes for God. Even in the darkest of times, if you squint and look closer, you can see the faint outline of God- whether it's him blessing you with the ability to walk, or the abundance of having 3 meals on the table. Maybe it's the eerie silence of the snow, the sun peeking through the clouds, or the stirring of the wind that are the outlines of God in your life. Sometimes seeing these outlines of God, allows us to focus on His face better.

This morning I was blessed with the reassurance that God was as close to me as the snowflakes falling on my face. Though I couldn't see God, or Pikes Peak, I felt an incredibly surge of strength propelling me to the top of the hill faster than I'd ever gone before.

I realized that the joy in this life comes from believing that God is as real as Pikes Peak and as constant as the rising sun. Just simply knowing, without a doubt, that Jesus is constantly there loving on us, and encouraging us each step of the way- what a thing to smile about!

So as I lift my eyes to the hills, I know that, just like Pikes Peak, God is always, and will always be there- whether or not I can see him through the snow.