BE on the Mountain

In Exodus 24:12 The LORD said to Moses “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here…” (NIV)

The phrase “come up [to me on] the mountain and stay here.” * Can be most accurately translated as “come up on the mountain and then BE on the mountain.” 

When read that way, this sentence seems a bit redundant; to me at least.... I mean, of course if I climb the mountain, I will then- as a result- BE on the mountain. There's no real way around it. Thats, um, kind of the way it works. Simple cause and effect... So the "and then be...." command is understood, and therefore, unnecessary. However, I believe dismissing the latter half of this command given to Moses as mere repetition is nothing less than a huge exercise in missing the point. You see, one can be somewhere, but still not actually BE there. This happens all the time- and we usually do it without even realizing it. We are out to dinner with friends, but not really. Where we really are is at the football game on the television above the bar. Or maybe I'm at my daughter's soccer match, but I'm really at work setting up appointments via social media or my Yahoo inbox. I'm there, but I'm not really there.  

...and that is why God is instructing his servant to come up the mountain and then actually BE there with Him– God knows us, our capacity for selfishness, and our easily-distracted, humanistic tendencies very, very well. After all, He did create us…

It is a very sobering realization to think of the tremendous amount of time, resources and energy we can spend planning and preparing a climb up “the mountain.” Just to get to the top and immediately begin thinking about and planning our hike back down without ever truly enjoying the view. You see, we can be on the mountain, and yet never  really BE on the mountain.

I love that in Psalm 23 the psalmist writes that "He makes me lie down in green pastures."* 
     Like: you'll bow, or you'll bow. You are not the center of the universe, and neither am I. Life does not revolve around us. This is one of the most freeing acknowledgements we can make, and with it comes a peace that can bring restoration to our exhausted souls. 

My prayer is that we would all seek to slow down and give ourselves over to being fully present… wherever God has us… and that we would  acknowledge how expansive and amazing the grace is that allows us the right and privilege to approach it’s throne with boldness* and expectancy which we could never be worthy of.

Slow down. Stop. Listen. Enjoy the view.  BE PRESENT.

 Be 

HERE 

Now.




*Scripture Reference:

Exodus 24:12

Hebrews 4:16

Psalm 23:2