Devotions from the Mountains

by Thomas Nelson

Overview

Do the mountains seem like heaven on earth? Do you find peace in the grandeur of God's majestic creation? Devotions from the Mountains takes you back to your favorite cabin in the woods, daily reminding you of the peace and strength that is found in God--the Creator of heaven and earth.

Devotions from the Mountains:

• Includes 90 daily devotions with Scripture verses, prayers, and breathtaking imagery of God's mountain handiwork sculpted and brought to life by His hand
• Is fitting for anyone looking for inspirational content about the great outdoors to start their day
• Ideal gift for people who love the mountains and enjoy nature

Lift your eyes to the mountains. Be refreshed and inspired at our amazing God, who is more majestic than the mountains and yet cares for every detail of your life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780718090654
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	10/31/2017
Series:	Devotions from . . .
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	791,533
File size:	70 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

A HIGHER PERSPECTIVE

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways" declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9

The mountains offer us a chance to see the world afresh. Whether we hike or drive, take a chairlift or snowmobile, we get away, breathe fresh air, and see the view. From high on a mountain, the world looks very different. We can see so much more. Roads dwindle into the distance, and cities look like toy models, if we can glimpse them at all. Faraway hills and peaks may take some work to identify as we see them from a new angle. The landscape stretches out before us, and we gain perspective. Breathing room. Our minds clear a bit. We get some distance, literally and figuratively, from all the things that stress us out. We are calmed. We breathe easier. Our nerves are soothed.

As stunning as that change of viewpoint is, it's nothing at all compared to the difference between God's thoughts and our thoughts. He sees everything, knows everything, understands everything. His thoughts and ways are unimaginably higher than ours. And He is love. Because we are secure in His love, we sometimes lose sight of how holy and awe-inspiring God is. Not that we can really comprehend how holy and awe-inspiring He is! But as much as our finite little minds can grasp ... we forget even that limited understanding of God's majesty.

Just as we often feel both humbled and exhilarated by the mountains, it is fitting to be humbled and exhilarated in God's presence. We cannot comprehend His mind or His thoughts, and yet He kindly invites us to draw near. As it says in Micah 6:8, "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Dear Father, You are my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Lord. I yield to You, and I worship You. Thank You for Your kindness. Please shepherd me through this day.

CHAPTER 2

MOUNTAINSIDE PRAYER

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.

Matthew 14:23

Do you ever feel like your day is just too hectic to squeeze in time alone with God? We all have days like that, don't we? It turns out that even Jesus occasionally had to work at it to find time alone with His Father. For instance, Matthew 14 opens with the account of why John the Baptist was beheaded. Then Jesus fed the five thousand, and later He walked on water. Those are big events, and it's easy to miss what Jesus did in between. He went looking for solitude in order to pray — twice. The first time is in verse 13, when He had just heard about John's death. However, the crowds heard that He had taken a boat to a solitary place, and they followed Him on foot.

Though most of us don't have crowds following us around, we do run into obstacles to our time alone with God. Texts, e-mails, and phone calls can reach us anywhere. Kids who usually can't be pried away from a screen suddenly need us right now. Our own minds light up like pinball machines, pinging from one concern to the next. How we need the quiet!

So how did Jesus respond when He saw the crowd waiting for Him on shore? "He had compassion on them and healed their sick" (v. 14), and then He fed them all. He might have been tired and disappointed; He may have been aching with grief for John the Baptist. But He was tenderhearted toward the people who needed Him.

Then He tried again. He sent the disciples ahead on the boat, and He dismissed the crowd. Then, finally, He had time by Himself on the mountainside to pray.

If Jesus, who is one with the Father (John 10:30), sought time alone with the Father, how much more do we need it! We may have to try and try again. That's okay. God is still there, waiting to welcome us.

Dear Lord, thank You for all that we learn about You from Scripture. Please help me to respond with compassion when I am needed at inconvenient times. Help me to keep trying so that I find my time with You.

CHAPTER 3

CAMPING

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together ... but encouraging one another.

Hebrews 10:24-25

Part of the fun of camping or backpacking is sharing the adventure with our companions: the misery of the grueling hike to the campsite, the mosquitoes that will not quit, the mysterious noise in the middle of the night that turns out to be just porcupines, not bears. All those not-too-fun moments become stories to laugh about later. Of course some moments truly are enjoyable — a breathtaking view, butterflies weaving through wildflowers, a swim in a shockingly cold lake, fresh-caught fish, s'mores around the campfire. And there are shared projects: working together to put up the tent, to cook meals outdoors, to secure the food out of reach of those nosy bears, to break camp and clean up. For anyone who enjoys the outdoors, it can be a great bonding experience.

Sometimes the church draws together in a similar way. There are important jobs we've been given to do: to be Christ's witnesses and to care for widows and orphans, for instance. We often have fun together, whether it's at a barbecue, a day at a water park, a ski retreat, or just a gathering of friends over coffee. Then of course there are necessary, practical tasks, such as helping with church cleanup days and giving money to pay staff and keep the lights on. Being the church means collaborating with other believers. Maybe it can also be an adventure that brings us together.

Father, thank You for all Your good gifts, including the beautiful outdoors, our fellow believers, and the work You have for us to do. Help us to work together with joyful hearts, knowing that this pleases You.

CHAPTER 4

FLAX FLOWERS

"See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you — you of little faith? ... Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 6:28-30, 34

Wildflowers are a gift, blooming without coaxing or cultivation. And what could be more extravagant than a flower that blooms for only one day? Although a flax plant may produce flowers all summer long, each bloom lasts for just one day. Early in the morning, the teardrop-shaped bud unfurls into a cylinder, and from there into a sort of pinwheel, its five petals tucked one beneath the next with geometric precision, forming a pale blue cup. As the morning sun reaches it, the petals open fully. Sometimes the flower turns toward the sun, petals spread nearly flat into a disc. By evening it droops, looking soft and fragile. The next morning, other buds are still suspended like beads from the curving gray-green stem, but the petals of yesterday's bloom lie wrinkled and scattered at the base of the plant. Later there will be seed pods like little globe-shaped hanging lanterns, each containing five dark, smooth seeds. But the beauty of the flower is given to just one day.

Sometimes one day is all we are given too. In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus says, "Give us today our daily bread" (Matthew 6:ll). When God sent manna in the desert for the Israelites, it lasted for only one day, except for what fell the day before the Sabbath. If the people wanted to eat, they had to gather it six days a week. Of course there are seasons for planning, but in some key areas of life, daily is the necessary rhythm. Eating. Sleeping. Praying.

Whatever we do, whether we are receiving a gift from God or following as He leads, today is the time.

Thank You, Lord, for today. I turn my face to You to receive love, life, and guidance, and to pour back praise and obedience. How do You want my life to bloom today?

CHAPTER 5

TAMARACKS

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 — 2

Autumn in the western mountains can look a bit drab compared to the flaming colors of New England or the carefully chosen trees in our own neighborhoods. Most of the wildflowers are gone, and grasses have turned brown. In some areas, vine maple provides one of the few flashes of brilliant orange. Aspen leaves do turn a lovely gold color, and their soft rustling becomes a clattering, as though the trees themselves shiver.

The coniferous trees stand tall and dark on the ridges and hillsides — with one exception. The needles of the western larch, often called the tamarack, turn a lovely pale flame orange. Scattered among the evergreen species, they dapple the landscape with fall.

Tourists often ask, "What is killing all those trees?" But this is not the deep rust color of a dead evergreen. It is the glowing autumn coat of a deciduous conifer. During the winter, the needles will fall. Come spring, these same trees will glow with the soft green of new needles.

Our lives have seasons as well, and cycles of loss and regrowth. Sometimes we mistakenly assume that everyone moves through these seasons in the same pattern. There can be joy and solace in sharing life's stages and challenges with our friends. But what happens when events don't conform to the timeline we expect?

The tamarack reminds us that our Creator does not design identical carbon copies. He is extravagant in the variety and nuance in His creation. When we seek Him — and sometimes even when we don't — He guides each of us through the seasons in the way that we need to go, providing what we need for the journey.

Dear Father, thank You that You are a Creator of surprising variety and inventiveness. You know me better than I know myself — and You know what I need better than I do. Please help me to recognize Your provision for me in this season and to receive it gratefully, even if it's not what I had expected.

CHAPTER 6

ON THE MOUNTAINTOP

"The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

John 14:26

As we ascend a mountain, we can't see the whole peak. Whether we're driving, hiking, or hanging off a sheer rock face, all that we can see is the stretch immediately in front of us. And that's enough. By completing the stretch in front of us and continuing on to the next, we'll get all the way to the top and down the other side, if that's where we're headed!

There may be stunning views of the surrounding countryside from the top, but the mountain we're standing on? Although we are experiencing it firsthand, we can't see the totality of it while we're right on top of it. To take it all in, to see the shape and size of it and how it dominates the landscape, we get a better perspective from the valley below or the plains in the distance. There, after the blisters and bruises of the ascent (or the broken bones of our descent!) have healed, we are amazed that we were on that peak!

Similarly, when we have a spiritual "mountaintop experience," we can only guess just how big it will loom in the landscape of our lives. Maybe it's a mission trip, summer camp, retreat, or conference, a spiritual victory we had prayed about for years, or any season of particularly sweet closeness to Him. How will God use this treasured time in the days or years to come?

While we're on the mountaintop, we can't know, and we don't need to worry about it. That's the time to just soak it up. Later, when we are back on the flatlands or in the valleys, we will better understand the shape of that time. The exhilaration will have melted away, and the work that the Holy Spirit has been doing in us will become clear.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your guidance both on the mountaintop and in the valleys — and everywhere else You lead me! Thank You that Your Holy Spirit is always here to comfort me, teach me, and remind me of what You have said. Help me to be quick to listen and obey.

CHAPTER 7

OUTDOOR TECH

"I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of truth."

John 14:16 — 17

As beautiful as they are, the mountains can be treacherous terrain. When people rely too much on apps and technology, it can lead to mishaps that range from humorously inconvenient to downright tragic. Drivers who are overconfident in their four-wheel-drive SUVs may slide off icy roads into the ditch while more careful drivers with less impressive vehicles trundle safely on their way. Hikers using online information have been known to lose the trail or get stranded in winter storms. Driving apps have taken people miles out of the way on bad roads. Visitors from out of town following GPS directions get stuck in heavy snow on roads no local resident would have taken at that time of year. There's no substitute for local, on-the -ground knowledge. Even the wisest people can get caught by a freak storm or car trouble, but often it's our own pride that gets in the way of asking for directions ... or help or advice.

For just about every endeavor, there are apps, podcasts, Pinterest boards, and YouTube videos. In our high-tech, media-saturated society, it's easy to think, I got this. So ... how often do we stop to pray?

Jesus promised us the most fantastic resource imaginable — the Holy Spirit. He is our Counselor, Comforter, Helper, Guide, and Advocate. He is the Spirit of truth. He is here to remind us what Jesus taught. He transforms us and He loves us. We can turn to Him anytime because He is with us and in us.

Does that mean we shouldn't make careful preparation to the best of our ability? Of course not! But how amazing it is that at every step along the way, even when we're digging out from under a deep snowdrift of unexpected problems, the Holy Spirit is here with God's power to guide us, teach us, supply us, comfort us, and love us.

No app is going to give you all that.

O Lord, amid all the great gadgets and tech that I enjoy, help me to remember that You are my source of life and deepest wisdom. Thank You for the tender, vital work the Holy Spirit does in me. I yield to You!

CHAPTER 8

HAWKS AND JAYS

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James 5:16

In the mountains, as in most wild places, predators stalk their prey. The Cooper's hawk, for instance, will eat smaller, medium-sized birds. Cooper's hawks are fierce-looking raptors, with impressive talons and beaks. A single bird such as a jay or a flicker or a mourning dove — especially a young one — seems like it would be easy pickings for the larger bird. But jays are smarter than that. If a Cooper's hawk starts skulking around, hoping to snag a tender young fledgling, the smaller birds don't scatter in alarm. Rather, they give the alarm, shrieking at the hawk with raucous voices. They harass it relentlessly. Eventually, the hawk may leave, looking for more vulnerable prey.

We might learn something from those jays. First Peter 5 tells us that our enemy the devil is also "looking for someone to devour" (v. 8). Sometimes as Christians, we are afraid to admit that we're in spiritual trouble. It feels less risky to put on our Sunday faces and pretend that everything is fine. But how can our brothers and sisters — our spiritual "nest mates"— help us if they don't know we need it? Fellowship with trusted believers can offer a lifeline of prayer and encouragement. Together we can make noise in prayer and praise, fighting together against temptation and spiritual attacks.

Thankfully, it is not all up to us. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said, "Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." God has promised both to hear us and to be with us.

O Lord, thank You for entrusting us to one another as Your children. Help me to protect and defend and encourage my vulnerable "nest mates." Thank You that You are with us and that You hear our prayers.

CHAPTER 9

COUNTLESS SUNSETS

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Sunset in the mountains can take a thousand different forms. On a stormy day, clouds may blanket the peaks from view entirely. On a clearer evening, alpenglow can light up the western snow-covered slopes after lower elevations are already in shadow. For people east of the mountains, the looming shapes often become deep purple silhouettes against the golds, pinks, and oranges of sunset. As the sun drops, those brilliant pink clouds fade to purple and then to gray. Sometimes on a cloudy day, mountains in the distance may be under clear skies, bold against a brilliant strip of golden sky along the horizon. We may have our favorite colors, but who's to say one sunset is better than another? Each day's weather is different, and there is no competition.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Devotions from the Mountains"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Thomas Nelson.
Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

A Higher Perspective, 10,
Mountainside Prayer, 12,
Camping 15 Flax Flowers, 16,
Tamaracks, 18,
On the Mountaintop 22 Outdoor Tech, 24,
Hawks and Jays, 26,
Countless Sunsets, 28,
Snowstorms, 30,
Stones of Remembrance, 34,
Wildfire's Aftermath, 36,
Landmark, 38,
Surviving Winter, 40,
Hearts, 42,
Erosion and Eruptions, 46,
Wildlife, 48,
Alpenglow, 51,
Summer Thunderstorms, 52,
Blankets of Snow, 54,
The Big Picture, 58,
Home, 61,
Moonlight on Snow, 63,
Mount Rushmore, 64,
Living Water, 67,
Serving God, 70,
Avalanche, 72,
Safe Passage, 75,
Healthy Forests, 76,
At the Lake, 79,
Stargazing, 83,
Snakes and Doves, 84,
Fingers Thawing, 86,
Springtime, 88,
Firefighting, 90,
Old Boots, 95,
Truth in Advertising, 96,
Eagles' Flight, 98,
Mountains on the Move, 100,
Transfiguration, 102,
Motorboats and Canoes, 106,
Scars and Signposts, 108,
Being Known, 110,
Ever Changing, Ever New, 112,
Daily Bread, 114,
Focus, 119,
Hungry, 120,
Mountain Goats, 123,
Returning to the Spring, 124,
Many Routes, 126,
Uprooted, 130,
Wind, 133,
Refuge, 135,
Building, 136,
Time with God, 139,
The Source, 143,
Gentle Paths, 144,
Fishing, 147,
Natural Disasters, 202,
Gathering Firewood, 204,
Gold, 207,
Pine Pollen, 208,
Joy and Judgment, 210,
Washing Dishes, 214,
Lost and Found, 217,
Solace, 218,
Faith, Hope, and Charity, 220,
Creator of the Wild, 222,