NAVIGATING THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE CHRISTIAN WALK
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“Our life, like April weather, is made up of sunshine and showers.” – Charles Spurgeon
The Christian walk has been likened to a rollercoaster… ups and downs, highs and lows, peaks and valleys. The high points fortify us for the low points that are sure to follow. Yet it is in the low points where God works most mightily.
The peaks in our spiritual walk are the times of special closeness to our Lord. Times when we sense His awesome presence… when our hearts are stirred… when our spirits come alive. Times when He reveals to us His divine revelations… when we step out in faith with great success … when we see Him work miraculously in our lives or world.
The valleys are the times where our human weaknesses and frailties come to the forefront. Times when we fall short… when we miss the mark… when we succumb to temptation. Times when our emotions take over… anger, frustration, fear, self-pity, despair. Times when we know in our hearts that we’ve failed the One whose opinion most matters.
On our spiritual journey, the enemy actively works to trip us up. Often, we are enamored by the heights of the peaks we have reached. We forget our vulnerability to temptation when we yield to our pride of success. In the valleys, we are often overwhelmed by situations and happenings that can sap our resolve, undermine our faith, deplete our hope. We forget in the valleys what we learned on the peaks… making us easy prey.
“And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20
Yet a key point to remember is this promise of Jesus. We never walk the Christian journey alone. He will help us triumph in the mountain peaks… drawing us away from the world and closer to Him. He aligns our goals, dreams and desires with His. He teaches us deep and divine lessons that strengthen our faith and enrich our walk.
Jesus will help us prevail in the valleys. For without trials to overcome, we cannot learn to prevail with Him. It is in the low times where He purifies us… removing some of the world from us, and placing more of the divine in us. He teaches us to trust Him like never before. He refocuses our faith heavenward, to Him, where our power for a victorious life resides.
Let us explore how Moses, the anointed prophet of God, navigates pivotal peaks and valleys on His spiritual journey…
“Now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.” – Exodus 3:10
⇒ Peak – A New Mission
Moses is shepherding in the wilderness of Sinai when God calls to him from within a burning bush The Lord sees the potential for a dynamic leader in Moses and challenges him with a new mission in life – to rescue the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt and to lead them to the Promised Land. This divine calling from the Holy One is daunting to Moses.
“’Who am I that I should go…?’ And God said, ’I will be with you.’” – Exodus 3:11-12
† Promise – God’s Presence
God promises to empower and embolden Moses for the journey ahead with His presence. He gives His anointed one a sign to assure him of His faithfulness. He prophesies that one day Moses will meet with Him again on the mountain in this wilderness of Sinai.
“The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.” – Exodus 11:10
⇒ Valley – Facing Opposition
Moses obeys God’s calling. He entreats Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, yet encounters resistance at every turn. God hardens the king’s heart to demonstrate His sovereignty. He strikes Egypt with plague after plague until, at last, Pharaoh concedes.
“That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians.” – Exodus 14:30
⇒ Peak – Deliverance from Egypt
Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt to freedom. God miraculously parts the waters of the Red Sea for them to cross over. When the Egyptian troops come in pursuit, Moses exhorts the people to trust the Lord to fight for them. God releases the waters, engulfing the enemy and delivering His chosen ones.
“What am I to do with these people?” – Exodus 17:4
⇒ Valley – Desert Grievances
The Israelites soon grumble to Moses, fearing they will starve in the desert. They pine for the days in Egypt, with food in abundance… forgetting their cruel bondage. Moses trusts his God of all mercy who rains down heavenly manna… the divine food source for His people’s journey through the wilderness.
“Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession.” – Exodus 19:5
⇒ Peak – Covenant with God
God descends on Mount Sinai with thunder and lightning, smoke and fire. As He speaks to His chosen ones, they tremble in fear. So the Lord calls Moses up the mountain to hear the covenant law. After 40 days and nights in His glorious presence, the prophet is given two stone tablets with the words of the covenant written by the finger of God.
“Come, make a god for us who will go in front of us.” – Exodus 32:1
⇒ Valley – Abandoning God
The Israelites grow restless in the absence of Moses. They rebelliously set up a golden calf to worship, deserting their mighty Deliverer. They bow down and sacrifice to the idol, celebrating with dancing and revelry. Moses returns to see their flagrant impiety. In anger, he throws down the stone tablets, shattering them.
“My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” – Exodus 33:14
† Promise – God’s Presence
Again, God promises to be with Moses and the Israelites, forgiving their waywardness. Pillars of cloud by day and fire by night guide and protect His chosen ones throughout their wilderness journey… a continual reminder of the presence of their loving Lord.
“I am making a covenant with you… Obey what I command you today.” – Exodus 34:10-11
⇒ Peak – God’s Glory
Moses again ascends Mount Sinai where the Lord shows him His glory… proclaiming His enduring love, forgiveness and faithfulness. With God, His people will prevail. When the prophet repents on behalf of the Israelites, the Lord renews His covenant. If His chosen ones obey His commands, He will bless them and set them apart as His holy nation… God’s light to a dark world.
† Eternal Takeaway – With Jesus, we prevail on the rollercoaster of our Christian walk †
