The High Road

‎Wednesday, ‎June ‎8, ‎2022

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Psalm 90:2,4

Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night.

Memory of the Month: Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Today's reading: 2 CHRONICLES 30-31 JOHN 18:1-18

The High Road

We refer to 'taking the high road' in moral situations as opposed to the lower, darker paths that could be taken-paths that would be more emotionally costly to others as well as detrimental to our own reputations.

But the Bible speaks of 'high places' in a different light. Out Here, the Hill country of Texas, we have sheep, goats, and deer of many kinds. We see 'sure-footed' animals run up the sides of these hills as easily as some men walk on a track. These hills are 'their' hills. There is some food on these high places but there is more to it that food. They can see for great distances and can have a better chance of escaping natural predators.

What about 'my' high places in that scripture? This is not a glitch in the translation. The possessive is there. It translates 'my high'. The Lord takes us to our 'high'-high places yes but also to emotionally charged and spiritually strong places.

The Lord does lead some to places of great prominence but all of us have high spiritual places. Some are there often. Some, not so often-some, have not known a high place for a long time because they have allowed sin to creep in.

But we need to read more of the scripture leading up to this one lone passage:

17Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold and no cattle are in the stalls, 18yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! (Habakkuk 3)

There it is again. The teaching to look to the Lord in the worst of times-to praise God when times are dark-to learn to rejoice in our salvation alone.

Salvation-alone-

We were chosen. We were singled out by God. At some point, we recognized our condition and put our sinful lives in His hands and there we were on our high place. People work lifetimes and pay fortunes to live on the top of some of these hills around here but it costs us only the control of a sinful life to be placed by God on the high place He has given to us.

And when the prosperity of this world fails, the high place in God's presence is always there. When people we love break our hearts, God's love will lift us up. When we lose loved ones to death and the high places cannot even be imagined, God's peace and presence never leave us. And when we fail and our sin makes our own hearts condemn us, God's mercy lifts us up to see past it and feel complete forgiveness-when we are truthful with Him.

Truth-peace-forgiveness-love-God's presence-all are in God's high place for us-our high place-God's own heart. My high place-your high place is in God's heart.

Visit often.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Holy Spirit,

I want my desire to be constant and my focus on you sharp so my high place I know well. Forgive my weak gaze-strengthen my will to see You always so I may be the one

You have intended.

Mighty God of my high place!

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen