A View from the Mountaintop

This morning, for the second day in a row, I woke up in Spain, from a house on a cliff, overlooking the city and beach below. I always thought about "mountain top" experiences from the context of being on God's holy hill. That His presence is what makes the experience so deep. I still believe that to be true, but I wonder if part of the mountain imagery in scripture is based on how different a perspective is from on high.
This mountain I am on has several characteristics that I think really play a part in how I need to view God. First - perspective is completely different. The scale changes, the relationships between location changes, everything seems smaller, more manageable, and the big picture is so much clearer. When we were walking around the city, distances seemed so much longer and each street seemed so isolated. From above, it's all small and unified as one city. Another change is the weather - this morning there is a fog hanging on top of the city, but here in the air is clear. No obstructions blocking our view. The fog may seem heavy and thick from the city looking up, but looking down, you can see that it is just whispy clouds, that will burn off with the rising sun. Finally, the approach - to get to the top is not easy. Most vehicles have a hard time with the climb and to climb the stone stairs up the side (as we did yesterday) caused even the most fit young men to stop and rest. No one could approach the top easily.
God's view is so different from ours. Isaiah 55:9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways highers than your ways and My thoughts, higher than your thoughts." While this should be a great comfort of ours, so many times we loook to our own wisdom instead. Psalm 65:5 promises "By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation. You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth." The rest of the Psalm describes the Lord's provision for the whole earth and all that is in it. For a brief moment, I thought to myself, why are we so different? Why aren't we just waiting patiently on Him and His provision? Why indeed?
Back in the garden, we were designed to dwell with Him, in His presence, living under the safety and protection of His bountiful provision. But we needed to go our own way. Isaiah 53:6 says "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." This verse alone shows God's amazing love and mercy. We are each a prodigal child, being welcomed back into the arms of our Father. But at what cost? Well, we need to read the previous verses to understand that:
"Surely He has born our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisemen for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:4-5
There is so much more to our God that simple power or provision. He isn't a geanie in a lamp or Santa Claus, bringing us our desires. In fact, some of the greatest punishments are in the form of giving us over to our desires. (Pslam 81:12, Romans 1) And yet, He is so much greater than just the loving God who is merciful. Without the total picture, we miss Him for who He is and shrink Him in our minds. When we fail to be in awe of His entire character (or at least in the best way we are able) we lose out on the blessing of knowing Him for who He is. Sandi Patti had a song with the chorus "And Lord we praise you, because of who You are, not just for all the mighty things Your hand has done. Lord we worship You because of who You are. You're all the reason that I need to voice my praise, because of who You are."
To worship God soley on His character puts our perspective back where it needs to be. As we are focusing on Him alone, His beauty, His works, His provision - all that He has done for us, to us and through us, becomes evident. There is nothing wrong with praising God for His gifts, but the praise also should be there in times of want. Paul summarizes this so well in Philipians 4:11-13 "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content: I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." That is the voice of one who loves Christ for how He is! Oh, that I could honsetly say the same for me.
Mountaintop views offer so much and yet they can seem few and far between. One can't hop a jet to Spain just for some refreshment and another point of view everytime things get heavy. But - I am thankful for this time - and trust God to continue to show me His character and who He is - whether I'm in a valley or on a mountain - until I reside with Him on His holy hill.
Revalation 21:10-11a "And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God having the glory of God."