Mountains. I’ve been pondering them.  Seems a little strange, given that I live in Alabama where we are notoriously mountain deficient.  My little hometown, nestled in the foothills of the Appalachians, is located in the “shadow” of Mt. Cheaha – Alabama’s highest point at 2,407 feet.  As far as mountains go, ours is not a huge one. I’ve never seen a really huge mountain that I can recall.  It’s on my bucket list. 

It’s not really geographical mountains that I’ve been pondering, though, which makes my pondering them seem a little less strange.  J 

Mountains in Scripture and in the life of the Christ follower – they are everywhere; places of refuge, indicators of the Presence and Activity of God, places of Holiness, and of Battle; Victory, Defeat, Revelation, Life, and Death. They are blessed as holy sanctuaries, and cursed as the Anger of God fell. The Law was given upon a mountain, even while His people sinned in its shadow. They are metaphors for troubled times, and monuments to the redeeming Power of God.

As Christians, we experience different kinds of mountains – those that are meant to be cast into the sea, and those that are meant to be climbed. But how does one tell the difference?  I’m glad you asked.  I’ve been pondering that as well, and have come to this conclusion:  What happens when you speak to it?  What happens when you exercise your authority in Christ, and speak to that mountain as Jesus instructed in Mark 11:23, “I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.”?  Does your mountain move?  No?  Then start climbing. 

I know.  It looks like I’m saying that Jesus got it wrong, that he should have said “sometimes it will happen”.  I’m not saying that at all.  Jesus said it, I believe it, and that settles it.  What I am saying, however, is that sometimes we have to climb a mountain to experience the mountain top. It doesn’t mean you don’t have enough faith to see your mountain move.  It means God has a different plan.  There are some circumstances in life that God would rather us go through than go around – and it is for our benefit that sometimes we must climb a mountain.  God never wastes a hurt, or a difficult situation, or a fear. He uses these life events to teach us so many things – strength, trust, perseverance, hope, determination (et cetera – as far as the eye can see).

Imagine the way that a climber ascends a mountain.  I can’t even begin to comprehend the physical, emotional, and psychological endurance it requires to reach the top of a giant mountain.  But I can imagine the elevation elation that climber feels when he reaches the mountain top! It is the same with the overcoming Believer.  Climbing our mountains, ascending from the valleys is not easy.  It takes supernatural effort, faith, dogged determination, and indefatigable trust that God won’t let us fall – and an integral knowing if we do slip, He will catch us. The physical, emotional, and psychological endurance required is astronomical – but the spiritual benefit is indescribable. 

Have you ever been on the mountain top?  Ever faced a giant and watched it fall?  Sure you have. We all have.  Some are bigger than others. Doesn’t matter the size of your mountain. If you climbed it, you’ve experienced the mountain top.  At 2,407 feet, Mt. Cheaha is small compared to other mountains – but I sure wouldn’t try to climb it!  But if I went temporarily insane and did give it a shot, and IF I reached the top without dying, I would sure enough have a mountain top experience there at Alabama’s highest point. (Entre nous, I imagine my mountain top experience would consist of paramedics and oxygen….) I would have learned many lessons on the way up the mountain – trust my ropes, find strong hand and foot holds and hang on tight, rest along the way, take in nourishment, drink the water, be courageous.  (OK, Mt. Cheaha isn’t THAT kind of a mountain – there’s a lovely paved road that goes all the way to the top, frequented by hikers and bicyclists. You get the picture, though, no?)

Mountains in our lives are no different, and the lessons cross over – trust my rope - I will trust Jesus whether He casts my mountain into the sea, or asks me to join Him for a climb; find strong hand and foot holds and hang on tight – pray, pray, pray, pray. It is our source of strength – pray, declare imminent victory even when it seems a long way off, worship the One Who climbs with you and is waiting at the top to give you more of Himself. Rest along the way – sometimes it’s enough to rest in His Presence and just wait for your second wind; He is faithful to give it. Remember, He wants you to reach the top because He has good things for you there. Take in nourishment – immerse yourself in the Word of God. Seek out and write down Scriptures that speak to your situation or mindset and declare them (boldly, confidently – His Word is LIVING and ACTIVE. Use it!) Drink the water – the Presence of Holy Spirit. He is there to strengthen and comfort you. Drink. Huge draughts of Holy Water. Drink Him in. Be courageous – I promise you that you can do it.  Nothing is too big for you and God together to handle.  You don’t have to feel courageous – you just have to keep climbing and not give up in defeat.  That’s the definition of courage – being afraid but doing it anyway.  Keep climbing, keep going - look up! There’s a mountain top waiting, and the God of the Mountain is there!

“I look up to the mountains – does my help come from there?  My help comes from the Lord, Who made Heaven and Earth.  He will not let you stumble; the One Who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, He Who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.  The Lord Himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective Shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.  The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.  The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” Psalm 121, NLT

I thought about it today - what I was doing on the day that terrorists attacked this great Nation. Just like you, I remember every detail of that day. Two major life events personally, eclipsed by this National horror on Sept. 11, 2001.

I thought about writing it all down, and telling you where I was that day, the heartbreak we were facing, even before the first flight’s wheels left the tarmac.

Instead, I want to tell you where I was NOT that day.

I was NOT aboard American Airlines Flight 11 when it crashed into the North Tower of The World Trade Center, carrying a crew of 11, and 76 passengers. Five evil men took the lives of the innocent men, women, and children who were aboard American Airlines Flight 11.  I will never forget.

I was NOT aboard United Airlines Flight 175 when it crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, carrying a crew of 9, and 51 passengers.  Five evil men took the lives of the innocent men, women, and children who were aboard United Airlines Flight 175.  I will never forget.

I was NOT aboard American Airlines Flight 77 when it crashed into the Pentagon, carrying a crew of 6, and 53 passengers. Five evil men took the lives of the innocent men, women, and children who were aboard American Airlines Flight 77.  I will never forget.

I was NOT aboard United Airlines Flight 93 when it crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, carrying a crew of 7, and 33 brave passengers who attempted to regain control of the airplane.  Four evil men took the lives of the innocent men, women, and children who were aboard United Airlines Flight 93.  I will never forget.  “Let’s roll!”

I was NOT beginning my work day in the World Trade Center, or in the Pentagon.  I was NOT trapped in the upper floors of these mammoth towers.  I did NOT leap to my death, but almost 200 innocent people did.  I was NOT a first responder, rushing into the unknown, risking my own life in an effort to save others. I was NOT on the telephone, listening to the voice of my loved one, facing certain death, reassuring, speaking words of love to me for the last time.  I was NOT running, covered in ash, breathing toxic air, fleeing the crushing weight of falling debris.  I did not kiss my family goodbye that morning with a promise to see them at dinner, unaware that I would be forced to break that promise by 19 evil men.  

I was not one of 2,977 innocent men, women, and children who died that day.  I will never forget them.

Different nationalities, different races, different ideologies, different faiths, different hearts, different minds – but all, precious, valuable, loved, and all lost to us because of the hatred of evil men.

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 would have been a pretty rotten day for my family and me, even if those 19 evil men had never boarded 4 airplanes. But, I didn’t lose my life that day.  My life was changed, but I woke up on Wednesday, September 12.  I was given, what so many – TOO many – had lost.  A future. So, I remember them. We cannot let them become brief mentions in a history book, faceless numbers in the recordings of “Worst Ever” events. We cannot let them pass into the past, vaguely remembered, and mourned by only the loved ones they left behind.

We must remember. They deserve our remembrance. Their families deserve our unity, mourning with them for the tomorrows that were stolen from them by evil men. Their children deserve our compassion, longing with them for the loving guidance of a parent, taken too soon by evil men. Their mothers, fathers, siblings, spouses ache every day for the one ripped away; they deserve our unanimity on this day. But not just this day.

Folks, look around.  Look at us.  What are we doing? What have we become?  14 years ago, we were indivisible – ONE NATION – brothers and sisters. There were no dividing lines based on color, lifestyle, religion…Evil had come to us, and we stood together against it.  Today, we’re murdering our first responders – the extraordinary heroes who run TOWARD disaster and evil to protect and serve us. Today, we’re murdering our children; we’re murdering each other. Today, we hate each other, we’re intolerant of each other – we’re becoming no different from the 19 evil men who brought terror to America.  We have forgotten, and we should be ashamed. 

2,977 lives lost brought this country briefly to its knees.  We rose up as one, united and determined.  How many stolen lives will it take before we finally see each other the way we did on September 12, 2001? We have become what we stood against – murderers, filled with hatred. We need not fear ISIS. We need not fear another attack on U.S. soil.  We’re destroying each other from within; terrorists need not put forth any effort. We are doing their jobs for them – one life at a time.

I was NOT one of 2,977 people who died a horrific death that day.  Neither were you.  So, what are you going to do about it?

We’ve forgotten and we must remember. 

God bless America.  America, bless God.