A MOUNTAINTOP EXPERIENCE

I've had 2 literal mountaintop experiences in my life. Sometime in the late 1970s I climbed to the top of W. Spanish Peak in the San Isobel National forest, west of Trinidad, CO. It is over 13,000 in altitude but requires no technical climbing. The top of the mountain held commanding views of the plains to the east & the Sangre de Cristo Mts to the south. By the time & climbed back down & returned to my campsite, I had a splitting headache. Can you guess why? I hadn't given myself time to acclimate to the altitude.

My second experience was in Hawaii. I took the Aiea Ridge Trail on Oahu to the crest of the Koolau Mts. It was a little disappointing when I got to the top, because I expected to see a vista of the Pacific Ocean. Sadly, there was too much cloud cover. On my way back to the parking lot I started experiencing problems. I started getting cramps. Several times I had to literally lie down along the trail & rest. The problem? Another lack of preparedness. All I had brought with me were 2 water bottles, an apple, & an orange.I'm pretty sure I was suffering from heat exhaustion & dehydration. When I got back to the parking lot, I drank water from the pump--lots of water. And I sprawled on top of a picnic table until I felt ready to drive home. Once I got back home, I drank more water & laid down in the bathtub after filling it with cold water. 

Remember the Transfiguration, when Jesus took Peter, James, & John to the top of the mountain & Moses & Elijah appeared to them? His appearance became radiant. The Father spoke from heaven. The disciples were terrified. When it was all over, they returned back down to the plain & continued to Jerusalem, where Jesus was destined to be crucified.

I think Jesus used this mountaintop experience to prepare these disciples for the ordeal that was about to come. They, in turn, would be prepared to help their fellow disciples cope. Today, my mountaintop experience is weekly worship in church. It's a time when Jesus strengthens us for the valleys of our day-to-day life. He does this through His Word & Sacrament. [Today's hymn speaks to that.] We are also equipped to strengthen others during their times of suffering.

Last night our grand-daughter Brianna accompanied us to church. [She couldn't go to the church this morning because of orientation at NECC.] Their presence adds to my mountaintop experience. And this morning while Lois taught her parenting class, I attended adult Bible study, led by Pastor Wilke--yet another mountaintop experience that helps prepare me for the week ahead.

OUR SINS CAN BE FORGIVEN

"It is pride talking when you think that your sins cannot be forgiven . . . If you think you're special, harder to forgive than others, that speaks of pride . . . Millions of people have been forgiven for things just as bad as if not worse than anything you've done. Don't be fooled into believing the lie that your sins are more important than others or that God isn't big enough for your particular situation." Michael DiMarco, Devotions for the God Guy

GOD'S JUDGMENT & GOOD NEWS

"God's commandment not only demands external conduct & appearances, but it also lays hold of the heart & demands its perfect obedience. Therefore, it also judges a person not only according to his external life & behavior but also according to his innermost heart . . . The heart always remains hostile to the Law & strives against it with inward disobedience.

"Now, because no one fulfills God's Commandments & can be without sin before God, & so all . people through the Law are condemned under God's wrath to eternal damnation, God found a remedy for this evil. He decided to send His Son into the world so that He would become a sacrifice for us, atone for our sins by shedding His blood & dying, take away from us God's wrath (which otherwise no creature could appease), & bring us the forgiveness of sins. Moreover, He would give us the Holy Spirit, so that we could get & receive this, begin to become new people, & so come out of sin &death into righteousness & eternal life." A Year in the Gospels with Martin Luther

PROVING OUR LOVE

"It's a great reminder that what proves your love to God is not your words but your actions, & specifically the action of obedience, that is, doing what He asks. Anything else is rebellion, not love. But thank God that His love is greater than ours & because of that He never deserts us! He never leaves us but is always there waiting for our next confession." Devotions for the God Guy

NO SALVATION WITHOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS

"How can it be that all good woks, devotion, good intentions, fine obedience, & the serious & strict life of many people are nothing at all before God? . . . Because no one can fulfill the Law, we have no righteousness from the Law in & of ourselves with which we can stand before God against His wrath & judgment. Rather, if we are to come before God, Then we must have a different righteousness, the righteousness of another, which God regards & which is pleasing to Him.

"These words--'because I am going to the Father'--contain the whole work of our redemption & salvation, for which God's Son was sent from heaven & which He did for us & still does until the end, namely, His suffering, death, resurrection & His whole reign in the Church. This 'going to the Father' means nothing else than that He surrenders Himself as a sacrifice by shedding His blood & dying in order to pay for sin. Afterward He again conquers through His resurrection; brings sin, death, & hell under His power; &, alive, sits down at the right hand of the Father, where He invisibly rules over everything in heaven & earth & gathers & extends His Christendom through the preaching of the Gospel. As an eternal Mediator & High Priest, He intercedes & prays to the Father for those who believe, because they still have weakness & sin remaining in them. Moreover, He gives the power & strength of the Holy Spirit to conquer sin, the devil, & death." A Year in the Gospels with Martin Luther

TODAY'S HYMN 

Speak, O Lord, Your Servant Listens (LSB #589)

Speak, O Lord, Your servant listens, Let Your Word to me come near; Newborn life & spirit give me, Let each promise still my fear. Death's dread pow'r, it's inward strife, Wars against your Word of life; Fill me, Lord, with love's strong fervor That I cling to You forever!

Oh, what blessing to be near You And to listen to Your voice; Let me ever love & hear You, Let Your Word be now my choice! Many hardened sinners, Lord, Flee in terror at Your Word; But to all who feel sin's burden You give words of peace & pardon.

Lord,Your words are waters living When my thirsting spirit pleads. Lord, Your words are bread life-giving; n Your words my spirit feeds. Lord, Your words will be my light Through death's cold & dreary night; Yes, they are my sword prevailing And my cup of joy unfailing!

As I pray, dear Jesus, hear me; Let Your words in me took root. May Your Spirit e'er be near me That I bear abundant fruit. May I daily sing Your praise, From my heart glad anthems raise, Till my highest praise is given In the endless joy of heaven.