I recount such a road, and how in the awesome splendor of the smooth ride up to the top, I thought that some of those going westward from St. Louis in horse drawn wagons would thought the ride would have perfection. But most going west wanted the lowest crossings without those rain swollen streams and rivers. Most wanted a not so bumpy ride, but then you get to the Rocky Mountains. And what do they consist of, yeah, rocks!
When you rise higher and higher up the mountain, you become aware that the trees start to disappear......and then only the rugged terrain and some of last years snow and ice remain in those areas where the sun seldom shines.
Saw a short documentary of the wagon train going over the rugged Rocky Mountains. They were looking for a better life. What became of those going to a new land some 169 years ago, brings a very sad reminder of trying to take shortcuts.
It was told that of the 89 men, women and children who entered the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, only 49 made it out alive. They were the Donner Party.
This group also included the Reed family. As American pioneers they were led by George Donner and James F. Reed.
Bad luck, and worst mistakes in making a trip across a land where storms can produce much snow and cold, these were truly unprepared people for awaited their arrival known today as the Donner Pass.
They headed to a place called Hastings Cutoff which took them through the Great Salt Lake. Brutal winter descended, and they were so blocked in from the heavy snow, they could not go forward or backward.
For they had hoped to get to the West in record time before those winter storms came, but trapped in cold and without food about half of them perished. There was an attempted try to rescue them but it took some four months to get to them. By that time only half remained.
Yes, leadership played a role in this devastating encounter with the elements of the earth and especially in the mountains of Utah.
From the top of the mountain, we can see for miles but in truth when we take each step to go to the new land, that which God has promised us could take some time in the going forward with God. From that high point, one looking down upon the terrain, everything seems small and not of any significance. But making our way out, the view certainly changes. Now the road is filled with cars, trucks and semis. The way down is laden with city after city, and the roar of many people and changes can occur to change our perspective from that which we had on top of the mountain.
But with God, we stand with Him, and by His Holy Spirit we are shown what is available to us. If we keep that Word before our eyes, we see with His eyes! There are no shortcuts! Relationship takes time. But we will find the more effort we put into knowing Him and see from the TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, we gain His advantage, then we are not limited. We are not shortened, divided or subtracted, no, we are multiplied in every way to become what He desires us to look like. It is in Him we live and move and have our being.
For those people, those early pioneers, they got into trouble trying to take a shortcut. May we not be spoken of as they are today. For historians have described their very adventure as being one of the most bizarre and of a great tragedy.
May our history be spoken of as this: We resided in God. His justice was our pathway. His freedom held our hearts in the place of peace and where Jesus ruled. His love was ever enlarging in our lives to go make disciples. And all creation knows that God Alone is to be praised...........may our hearts respond to meet Him FROM THE TOP!
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Awesome Word! Amen to no short cuts in our relationship to Him.
ReplyDeleteAwesome Word! Amen to no short cuts in our relationship to Him.
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