Mountains arise throughout Scripture

I love to hike, especially in the mountains. My family and I recently traveled to the Tetons, and this range has me thinking about all of the things mountains are in Scripture: places of worship, sacrifice, transfiguration, reconciliation, promises kept and revelation.

Abraham was provided with a ram in place of his son to sacrifice on a mountain. Moses received the Ten Commandments on a mountain. Jesus is revealed to his disciples by the Father as the Son of God on a mountain.

Mountains are places in Scripture where humanity meets God and sees God for who God is. In effect, they see themselves more clearly, too.

Maybe their clarity comes from becoming less focused on themselves because their experience of God consumes them.

I think this is kind of like confession, in that our experience of the love of God moves us to want to get rid of the separation between us through admitting how we have fallen short. Like confession, afterwards, we are no longer caught up in our sins, but rather in the love of God.

The National Parks, in their song "Meridians," sing it like this: "I saw distance between us. Yes I need, yes I need, yes I need, yes I need to grow."

My friend states it like this: He likes going to church because it's time in which he asks God for forgiveness for his sins.

This comment struck me because many times I don't really think about my sins because I'm focused on God's love. I think my friend is wise in that there is something powerful and freeing in naming what I've done and claiming these sins, so I can hold them with open hands as an offering to God, who accepts me and looks on me in love.

He receives this gift of my sins as something precious and works in me to transform them and my soul. It's not about dwelling on our sins, but rather naming our sins to make reconciliation possible.

I've also been thinking lately about how following the Ten Commandments brings us peace and how the disorders we cause in our own and others' lives come from thinking that a different way will bring us what we want, instead of trusting that what God outlines for us is the way to fulfillment.

In Matthew 11:28-30 (NAB), Jesus speaks about the peace he gives to those who are willing to simply be with him: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me ... and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

It is by drawing close to Jesus that we discover God's commandments as gifts of freedom.

In section IX.4 of Confessions, St. Augustine writes it like this: "For there is no other besides you and we need not struggle for other things that are not what you are."

Let us allow the struggle of the mountains of our own lives to help us see God for who God is, the One who reconciles, loves and provides rest.