As believers we
all have faced mountains or mole hills that seemed impossible to climb. Difficult
relationships, destructive and sinful habits, stresses, sicknesses and other
difficulties in life reinforces that we are human and we can not climb this
mountain or a mole hill without the intervention of a loving heavenly Father
who alone has the ability to help us. My desire and prayer as I am writing this
is for my readers to feel the Hidden Hand of our loving Father in the midst of
their problems.
If we study God’s Word we will observe that mountains very
often symbolize not only problems but also the place where people encounter God’s
enabling power and presence. Few examples
of mountain experiences in the Bible are: a) the angel of the Lord stopped
Abraham from offering his son Isaac as a sacrifice at Mt.Moriah; Gen 22. b) Moses and the Burning bush and Moses
received the Ten Commandments on Mt.
Sinai Temple the center of Jewish worship was at Mt Zion and was
referred to Israel
Let us explore
together the Hidden Hand of God in the birth stories of number of people –
Isaac, Samuel, John the Baptist, Moses and Jesus Christ. They all became a part
of God’s plan to reclaim the lost world and had many mountain experiences in
their lives. Who else but God alone could work in the heart of Pharaoh’s
daughter to defy her father’s command and save the very child God would use to
punish the Egyptian dynasty, break the power of Egypt
Extrapolating it
further, where did Moses get his compassion, the passion and the strength to
withstand injustice? Sure enough he was trained by God more than what he
learned in the Pharaoh’s court by many mountain experiences. One thing is for
sure God knows what He was doing in the life of Moses for His great story from
the very beginning when he was pulled out of the Nile
by Pharaoh’s daughter. Isn’t that the truth in every believer’s life too?
Invariably when we say ‘mountains’
it is a location or a situational circumstance where our problems and God’s
presence meet. In general we can say in all of our problems we see the presence
of the hidden Hand of God and we begin to communicate with Him. The
pivotal role played by Jachebed, Miriam, the mid-wives Shiprah and Puah, and
Pharaoh’s daughter partnering with God as women in that culture is something to
think about; Exodus 1-2. Can we imagine
the mountains they were facing? Whose Hidden Hand was behind the whole story?
Though we do not
like these ‘mountains’ they are very
beneficial for the spiritual growth of a believer in Christ because they serve
as reminders of our inability and God’s enabling power. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh
in us”; Eph 3:20. In the darkest moment of
hurt and pain, He is there – weeping with us, hurting for us, strengthening us
and encouraging us to climb ‘that
mountain.’ The ‘width and height of
our mountains’ may differ for each one of us, but the fact still remains
the same. The Hidden Hand of God is there in all situations and circumstances
in a believer’s life to equip us so that we will get closer with the Almighty, partnering
with Him and venture together in rescuing the lost humanity.
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth;”Psa: 121:1-2. King David the Psalmist teaches us to stay ourselves upon God, because He is Omni-potent, Omniscient, Omnipresent and He is all sufficient to over come any mountain in our lives.
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth;”Psa: 121:1-2. King David the Psalmist teaches us to stay ourselves upon God, because He is Omni-potent, Omniscient, Omnipresent and He is all sufficient to over come any mountain in our lives.
Book
References:
1.Payer To Move Your Mountains, “Powerful Prayers for The Spirit-Filled Life.”
(Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville ,
Tennessee
2. Timothy Keller, Counterfeit
GODS, “The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That
Matters” New York Times Bestselling Author of The Reason for God and The
Prodigal God, Published by Penguin Group (U.S.A) Inc; 2009.
3. Jay E.Adams, ‘The Christian Counselor’s Manual, ‘The Practice of Nouthetic
Counseling’ (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973)
4. Timothy Keller, ‘The Prodigal God’ Recovering the Heart of the Christian
Faith; Author of the New York Times bestseller The Reason for God, Published by
Penguin Group (U.S.A) Inc:copyright @2008 Timothy Keller.
5.David G. Benner & Peter C. Hill, ‘Baker Encyclopedia of Psychology &
Counseling’ Second Edition, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1985, 1999)
6.Dr. Larry Crabb, “Effective Biblical Counseling” How Caring Christians can
Become Capable Counselors, (Hammersmith: Marshall Pickering, 1985), p. 100-104)
7.The Matthew Henry Study Bible, ‘King James version’ The best of Matthew
Henry’s Notes in a Handy One Volume Reference Bible, World Bible Publishers,
Inc; 1994, Iowa Falls, U.S.A.
8. David Seeking A Heart Like His, ‘Beth Moore’ Life Way Nashville , Tennessee
9.Jay E. Adams, ‘Critical Stages of Biblical Counseling’ Finishing Well,
Breaking Through, Getting Started, (New Jersey: Zondervan, 2002)
10.Jay E. Adams, ‘How to Help People Change’ The Four-step Biblical Process,
(Grand rapids: Zondervan, 1986)
11.John F. MacArthur, JR. Wayne A. Mack & The Master’s College Faculty,
‘Introduction To Biblical Counseling’, “A Basic Guide To The Principles And
Practice Of Counseling”(Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers,1994)
12.Jay E. Adams, ‘Lectures on Counseling’ (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,
1978, p.192-203)
13.The Holy Bible, New King James version, Women of Destiny Bible, “Women
Mentoring women Through the Scriptures” A Spirit Filled Life Bible, Thomas
Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, Copyright 1982.
14. Deuteronomy becoming Holy People, Stephen D. Eyre, p:32-26; IVP connect, An
imprint of Intervarsity Press, Downers
Grove , Illinois
15. Metzeger, Bruce M. (ed); Michael D. Coogan (ed) (1993). The Oxford Oxford , UK :
Oxford University
16. Mitchell, Stephen, 1987. The Book of Job. San Francisco Tower of Babel , Cambridge ,
MA
17. Stormie Omartin, “The power of a praying wife”, Harvest House Publishers,
Eugene 97402; copyright @1997; pgs81-85.
18. Timothy keller, ‘The Reason for God” Belief in an age of Skepticism,
Published by Penguin Group, USA ,
New York
Website
References:
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12.God Can Move Mountains - Spiritual Experiences and Spirituality
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