Climbing the Mountain: Matthew 4.18-22

You can look at me and know some things about me. One of those is that I am not an exercise fanatic. From that comes the natural inference that I have never climbed a mountain. Heck, sometimes I have a hard time climbing out of bed in the morning. That is why I was surprised when I got the urge to climb this mountain in February.



As I looked at it I realized that it was not very tall. It was not terribly steep. I would need no special equipment and it would not take a very long time to accomplish. The weather was perfect and I had the time, the energy and the inclination to give it a try. Here is the good news: I did it! I made it to the top of my first mountain and I learned some stuff on the way up.

• Focus on the Goal. When trying to accomplish something, you should always keep in mind the goal that you want to accomplish. I wanted to get to the top of the mountain and so I watched the summit get closer. I did not focus on where I had been, but rather where I was going.


• Be Prepared. Although I did not need special supplies for my ascent, I did need to have my mental state ready. I knew where I was going, what I was doing and where I was going. I was not going to be distracted. I was prepared. Preparation includes research, training and prayer.


• Watch your step. My mountain had a path where others had gone before, but still it was littered with rocks, stones, brush and other obstacles. There are always things that get in our way and potentially keep us from attaining our goals.


• Pace Yourself. Remember the story of the turtle and the hare? Do not sprint to the top because it is hard work. I took several breaks on my way up the mountain so that I could catch my breath. I took pictures so that I could remember and I did not try to over-do it. I wanted to make sure that I got to the end. The speed of the journey was not a concern to me.


• Then... Enjoy the accomplishment! One of the greatest feelings of my life was looking down from that mountain and realizing that my fat body had done something that I had never imagined I could do. Wow! There are great blessings in store from God.

Remember, things look different from another perspective. From the top, even large items seem relatively small. Its quiet at the top of the mountain. You cannot hear the traffic, the arguing, the complaining, the television, rap music (or screamo).

So Even if you cannot climb a mountain, you can make a change in your life. You can get a new perspective. You can look at things differently. You can do that thing that God has planned for you. And you can do it- or at least start doing it right now. One thing about climbing that mountain was that I did not spend a lot of time thinking about it. I would have talked myself right out of it.

In this passage of Scripture, Matthew 4.18-22, the word immediately is used twice. When God called these men to follow him, they did. They did not evaluate the costs, the pros and cons, or even what their families would think. There was a mountain to climb and so they took off.

What is your mountain?