Ascend & Grow
Joshua 14:12 “Now give me this mountain.” What is the tallest mountain in the world? It depends on how you are measuring but most experts say Mount Everest. The topographical giant is 29,000 feet above sea level. It’s considered the rooftop of the world, you can see three countries from the summit.
While Mount Everest may be physically the tallest mountain in the world, all of us face mountains even taller. We come against challenges and obstacle that stand between us and God's best and we have to choose to cower or climb. Will we courageously say, “Now give me this mountain”? This is probably my favorite phrase in the entire book of Joshua. It comes from one of Joshua’s good friends and fellow leader, Caleb. For 400 years God had promised the Israelites a home of their own, that’s about twice the age of the United States. Even in the bondage of slavery, this promise remained. The day finally came for them to go to war against their enemies and move in. Caleb, who is 85 and should be thinking about retirement, looks around at all of the possible land, sees a mountain (or some hill country) and says,
“Now give me this mountain.” This is not a "name it and claim it," give me that TV, that car, that purse, or that spouse scenario. God had already promised the Israelites the land. This is a man courageous enough, faith-filled enough to fight for all that God wanted for his life. He wasn’t going to let the fact that he was 85 stand in his way. When I was growing up there was a song I heard just about every day. I’m going to read part of it and I want to see if you know what it is from: Fish don't fry in the kitchen; Beans don't burn on the grill. Took a whole lotta tryin' Just to get up that hill. Now we're up in the big leagues Gettin' our turn at bat. As long as we live, it's you and me, baby There ain't nothin' wrong with that. Well we're movin' on up (movin' on up) To the east side (movin' on up)
They just don't make good TV like "The Jeffersons" these days.
God has placed a desire within all of us to climb, to grow, to reach beyond our current circumstances. God wants us to transcend the mountains so the mountains can transform us. What current mountain are you facing? Debt, fear, loneliness, unforgiveness, doubt? God desires your faith and trust as you courageously ascend, persevering through the climb. James 1:4 says: Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Will you say like Caleb, “Now give me this mountain”?
