Do you find yourself more and more pressing on the upward way? Are you
gaining new heights every day? When you pray, do you ask the Lord to
lift you up, let you stand, and plant your feet on higher ground? Or
does your heart have the desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay?
Though some may dwell where these abound, is your prayer, your aim, for
higher ground? Even though Satan's darts at us are hurled, our faith
can sing the song of saints on that higher ground! Especially when our
hearts desire is to want to scale the utmost height, just to catch a gleam
of that glory bright...
Most of you will recognize those words I just used above as part of the
hymn "Higher Ground". I couldn't help thinking of that hymn this morning
as I read our verse for today found in Proverbs 15:24 which says:
"The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath."
Truly, a woman of understanding has embraced a way of life that leads
ever upward to higher levels of moral purity and responsibility. Every
effort is made to avoid the path that would lead to destruction as sin
is consciously forsaken. The right way is chosen over the wrong way,
amen? But while you and I casually sing the hymn "Higher Ground", is
that really the direction our lives are taking day by day, moment by moment?
Are you usually found choosing the "above" way of life, or the "below"
way of life? Are you striving toward that higher plane or satisfied with
the lower ground?
Psalm 61:2, "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart
is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
You know ladies, the view is much better from that higher ground... I
speak from experience, for I live at the top of a hill located in beautiful
Tennessee. On a clear day you can see forever! The path the road takes
below us is visibly laid out before our eyes... We can see when storms
are coming off in the distance sooner than those down in the valley might
be able to. At times, we've even been able to watch a sheet of rain make
it's way across the sky before it soaked us as we hurriedly put things
away we didn't want wet, actually seeing how much time we had left to
do it in. We also enjoy the sun for longer periods of time on our higher
ground as it hits us earlier in the morning and sets upon us last at the
end of the day. Needless to say, the destruction of floods are not a
worry to us up here either! Certainly it is more difficult for an enemy
to attack us on a higher plane than it would be if we were located on
low land... Plus, we would certainly be more likely to spot our enemy
before he was able to reach us and then be better prepared to protect
ourselves. Yes, it is definitely more peaceful up here on our hill and
there are less distractions for us to contend with. Come to think of
it, the higher ground is quite nice and there are many benefits! You
don't know what you're missing until you live on higher ground....
Psalm 148:1, "Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens:
praise him in the heights."
"Why would you want to live up there on that hill??" That is the question
that we're often asked when people visit us for the first time. Let's
spiritualize that question for a moment, shall we? Why should Christians
want to live on higher ground??
Jeremiah 42:3 says: "That the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein
we may walk, and the thing that we may do."
Why do we need the Lord to show us the way to walk and what to do?
Mt. 7:14 says, "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
I definitely want to find that way of life that is ABOVE, don't you, dear
lady? Who wants to end up in hopeless situations all the time, living
out a dismal life of despair? You and I can't possibly arrive on that
higher ground apart from the Lord's leadership in our lives! Wise is
the man or woman who will yield to the Lord's leadership and safely arrive
on higher ground. But those who stubbornly resist God's direction for
their life are choosing to reside on lower ground where doubts arise and
fears dismay... They never seem to grow as a child of God and reach those
new heights of maturity.
Isaiah 55:9, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my
ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
As you think of the narrow way the Bible speaks of that leads toward life,
consider how much baggage you could carry through a narrow way... Not
very much, amen? In fact, none! You see ladies, the narrow way that
leads to life on higher ground forces us to give up our sins, forces us
to let go of the assorted baggage of sin and worldliness that hinders
us from moving ahead toward maturity in the Lord. The closer you get
to higher ground, the narrower the path will become for this very reason!
Leave that junk behind, won't you? Get it out of your heart and life
so you can reach new heights in Christ! Higher ground will cost you something...
Psalm 24:3-4, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall
stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;
who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully."
Unfortunately, many Christians today are trying to walk both roads - the
way above and the way that leads below - the narrow road and the broad
road...
Mt. 7:13 says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate,
and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which
go in thereat."
Have you ever tried to walk on two roads, in two different directions
at the same time?? Impossible, isn't it? Well, it's impossible to do
so spiritually too! You'll find that you can travel either on one path
or the other... The broad way is the easy way, it's the popular way,
but it leads downward. It's a contemporary Christianity that makes no
demands... If you came to my house and walked our hill to the top, you'd
quickly realize the demands placed upon you to reach higher ground - it's
not an easy climb! It requires much effort... Which road are you on today,
dear lady? Have you developed enough character to choose the narrow way,
or are you still enjoying the broad path that provides plenty of room
for your sin and worldliness to carry along with you? If you are, guess
what? You won't end up on higher ground taking that road, cuz you're
headed in the wrong direction!! Better make a YOU-turn!! God's road
sign says: Turn RIGHT!
Col. 3:1-2, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which
are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection
on things above, not on things on the earth."
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000
Pamela A. Iannello
