Come, and Go! Up, and Down!

“It shall come to pass in the latter days
    that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
    and it shall be lifted up above the hills;
and peoples shall flow to it,
    and many nations shall come, and say:
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
    and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
    the word of the Lord…
He shall judge between many peoples,
    and shall decide disputes for nations far away;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
    their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation..;
but they shall sit every man under his vine and fig tree,
    and no one shall make them afraid,
    for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
For all the peoples walk
    each in the name of its god,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
    forever and ever.” Micah 4:1-5

The prophet’s call is to gather together- personal energies and senses, and people of God in fellowship, and go to the mountain of theLord who is high and lifted up. Go up, out of the whirl of busyness, away from the noise and pull of madding crowds. Once up, learn the Lord’s ways through worship and mutual edification, then come down and spread the light of that word in every circle of influence. (Isaiah 6:1)

Life with the Lord is never static, but a constant up and down, light and shadow, filling and emptying, bowing and rising, listening and telling, stillness and movement. He beckons us come, then go out to relay the word and live its promises. Be stewards, invest, grow and help grow, and share His bounty. Take time alone with Him, and be involved loving, working justice, spreading peace. Actively walk in His name and for His sake, urging others to climb the mount of faith also. (Isaiah 6:8; Matthew 28:19; Mark 5:18-19; Luke 14:23; John 4:28-30)

When do we exert the effort to set aside noise and pressing demands and go up to the Lord? How are we learning and practicing His ways of wisdom? Where are we intentionally applying His word? How does His teaching correspond to everyday disputes, relationships, work challenges, matters of the heart?

What lesser gods are vying for our attention, our affections? What worldly demands seem to pull with greater sway than God’s invitation, and how will we resist? In what situations have we prioritized the Lord of lords by shaking off temptation to succumb to other allures and climb the mount? How has the nourishment and inspiration gained furthered our desire to do it again, and again?

“I’d love to live on a mountain top
Fellowshipping with the Lord
I’d love to stand on a mountain top
‘Cause I love to feel my spirit
Soar….

But I’ve got to come down
From the mountain top
To the people in the valley below, or
They’ll never know
That they can go
To the mountain of the Lord.” ~Amy Grant (1977)

Lord, set my movements with Yours, balancing time with You and taking You to the dark world, to Your ends and glory.