I recently had the opportunity to go up Knockavoe (the photo to the left is taken at the top of Knockavoe) and see the breath taking views from the top. I could see from Londonderry to Barnesmore Gap, from Errigal mountain to Slieve Gallion mountain. I must confess, I didn’t walk up Knockavoe, and I thank Leslie for taking me up in his Jeep, but I couldn’t help but liken the climb, to that of the journey of life.
Do you ever feel like you are climbing a mountain? Is the path you find yourself journeying sometimes a struggle?
When we ask Jesus to be our Saviour, He doesn’t promise that we will no longer climb mountains, nor does He promise that life will be easy, but He does promise that we will never be alone. As Joshua was preparing to enter the promised land, God said to him “...Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
No matter what we are going through in life and no matter how big a mountain it would seem we have ahead of us, the promise which was made to Joshua is also real to us. God promises to go with us.
However, we so often choose to walk life’s journey alone, and carry the load ourselves, no matter how heavy it is. Jesus is often the last person we turn to for help, and yet He says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The heaviest load that we choose to carry is the burden of sin, and Jesus promises to give our troubled souls peace.
We so often pray in the traditional form of Holy Communion “We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us…” (Holy Communion 1, BCP 2004). The challenge which comes to each of us is this… When Jesus died he took the burden of my sin and your sin upon himself. He died in our place. So as we journey through the summer, and you (hopefully) feel the warmth of the sun, think about asking the Son of God to forgive your sins, and fill your heart and life with the warmth of the Holy Spirit. This gives us assurance that no matter what happens and no matter what life throws at us, all is well with your soul!
“It is well, it is well, with my soul.”
Do you ever feel like you are climbing a mountain? Is the path you find yourself journeying sometimes a struggle?
When we ask Jesus to be our Saviour, He doesn’t promise that we will no longer climb mountains, nor does He promise that life will be easy, but He does promise that we will never be alone. As Joshua was preparing to enter the promised land, God said to him “...Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
No matter what we are going through in life and no matter how big a mountain it would seem we have ahead of us, the promise which was made to Joshua is also real to us. God promises to go with us.
However, we so often choose to walk life’s journey alone, and carry the load ourselves, no matter how heavy it is. Jesus is often the last person we turn to for help, and yet He says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The heaviest load that we choose to carry is the burden of sin, and Jesus promises to give our troubled souls peace.
We so often pray in the traditional form of Holy Communion “We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us…” (Holy Communion 1, BCP 2004). The challenge which comes to each of us is this… When Jesus died he took the burden of my sin and your sin upon himself. He died in our place. So as we journey through the summer, and you (hopefully) feel the warmth of the sun, think about asking the Son of God to forgive your sins, and fill your heart and life with the warmth of the Holy Spirit. This gives us assurance that no matter what happens and no matter what life throws at us, all is well with your soul!
“It is well, it is well, with my soul.”
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