“Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.”
-Hebrews 12:2
A few times in my life when driving on Michigan’s icy wintery roads we have found ourselves at the bottom of a difficult hill. I remember clearly one Sabbath, heading home from church we took the back road, which included a steep hill. It was icy but my hubby believed we could make it. Our van started the climb but about a third of the way up we started to slide backwards. It didn’t take long to end up sideways on the road. Fortunately my hubby’s quick thinking and skillful maneuvering had us turned around and heading back down the hill to take the safer, flatter route home.
But not all our hills resulted in turning around. There has been a hill in my life that will always be etched in my heart, as a light of hope. Since I was born to the time they passed away, I loved riding up the hill to my grandparent’s home. You couldn’t see it until you got to the top of the hill but each time it appeared, it would bring a smile to my face. When I was a child my family lived in Colorado so visiting Grandma and Grandpa in the summer was a happy, fun time. Then when we moved back we visited them regularly and I loved each visit. As a teenager and then as married life really began I have faced many difficulties but each time we drove up that hill and saw their house, the difficulties began to melt away. Like I said, both my grandparents have passed away and we don’t get to climb that hill anymore and I miss their faces so much, their words of love and encouragement, but my years with them will forever be etched in my heart and remembering their words still can help me get through the difficult days.
We all, at some point in life will have or have had, or are on a difficult hill, right now. Perhaps it’s rebellious children, trouble at home or work, finances, sick relatives, or our own personal struggles. No matter the hill, we all have a hill that leads to helping make it better. But I want to offer you the best hill that outweighs all of our earthly hills, God himself.
Joshua 1:9 says above all God is with us we need not worry. And in Zephaniah 3:17, God is in the midst of everything in our lives.
Next time you find yourself at the bottom of a difficult hill look to Jesus, climb the hill, and find the hope and light that can bring joy and peace at the end.