10TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

I lift up my eyes toward the mountains

In the Bible, we usually associate mountains with closeness to God because of how mountains seem to stretch toward the heavens.   Mountains also have an important place in salvation history:   Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, Jerusalem sits on Mount Zion, and Jesus was transfigured on Mount Tabor.

But many Scripture scholars believe that in this particular psalm, the mountains represent danger and a source of anxiety.   And that’s striking because the psalmist is declaring that even in the face of the most towering of obstacles, God will always help.

Look at how God provided for Elijah in today’s first reading. The “mountains” that this prophet faced were, first, the drought that he had called down because of King Ahab’s wickedness and, second, Ahab’s predictable wrath against him.   But God protected Elijah and provided him with water to drink from a stream that did not dry up and with food delivered by ravens (1 Kings 17:6).   Elijah probably never conceived of help like that, but he looked to the Lord and trusted him for aid.

We all have mountains in our lives—seemingly insurmountable obstacles that can obscure our vision of what lies ahead.   We wonder how to care for an aging parent or a wayward child, how to find a job or pay the rent, or how to deal with a health crisis.

It’s in times like these that God wants us to focus not on our “mountains” but on him, the One who is creative and powerful and who “will guard your life . . . both now and forever” (Psalm 121:7, 8).   As you look for his answer, persist in praying and searching the Scriptures.   Be prepared for the possibility that God will help you through an idea that unexpectedly pops into your mind or through the wise counsel of a friend.   He may even prompt you to act in a way you never imagined but that turns out to be the best course.

Remember, God always helps, even when the mountains seem enormous.   So trust in him and try to follow his lead as he shines his light on you and offers solutions.

“Lord, I believe that you want to help me overcome the mountains I face.   Help me today to hear and obey you as you come to my aid.”

1 Kings 17:1-6
Matthew 5:1-12