Friday, October 30, 1998
Friday, October 30, 1998
Extol the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our
God is holy.
(Psalms 99:9
NRSV)
You may be familiar with Peter Jenkins, author of such best selling books as Walk Across
America. Jenkins tells of the night he was converted to Christ. He was attending a huge revival in
Alabama. "I didn't understand all that these people were saying about what had just happened
between God and me," he recalled. "Born again...," "Saved...," "The Lord led you here tonight...,"
"Praise the Lord...," "Well, God finally's got you away from the Devil...," "Ain't God good?" were
words that Peter Jenkins heard that night. In using those words it "seemed as normal in their
vocabulary as `taxes,' `commute,' and `weekend' were to my family and friends in New York and
Connecticut," he wrote.
The woman who had first spoken with him about his conversion found him again. "She stared at
me with probing eyes," Peter recalled, "trying to figure out what I was feeling and thinking. I
remembered what she'd said about the angels singing because I'd become a Christian. I wondered
what kind of songs they sang."
"Peter, this great elation that you're feeling now," Mary, the woman who first spoke to him, said.
"You are feeling great elation, aren't you?" she asked. "Yes," Peter replied. Mary continued
talking to him. Her voice was soft and hard to hear. "At this moment it may seem like these great
feelings are going to last forever, but they won't," she told him. "Being a Christian is not based on
feelings. You're on a mountain top now, but someday, sooner or later, you'll be far away from
these great feelings. You may even wonder if all this ever happened."
No matter weather we are on a mountaintop or a valley God is with us. Feelings come and go, but
God is forever reaching out to us with love.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, remind me of your forgiveness and love when I'm on the
mountaintop or in the valley. Amen.
Ronald Newhouse, Texas, USA