How far up the mountain are you?

“Then came the disciples to Jesus apart and said , Why could not we cast him (a devil) out? And Jesus said unto them because of your unbelief… Howbeit this kind goweth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:19 -20)

I heard a story once about a man who wanted to climb a mountain. Who will go with me he asked and two others agreed to go. “It’s going to be hard,” he said, It’s a long way up, it’s physically demanding, and we need to prepare ourselves mentally and physically for this. Even then there is danger of rock slides, and many other things that can go wrong. Are you sure you want to go?”

“Oh, yes,” they agreed. They spent a month getting in shape and preparing and finally the day came and they started on their adventure. Friends drove them and their equipment to the mountain. Spirits were high and they jumped out and started putting on their gear. They said good bye to their friends and turned toward the mountain. One of the three looked up at the mountain. It looked a lot higher from this angle. He decided he wasn’t going to make it so he called to his friends and went back into town with them.  

The other two continued up the mountain. In time they came to a beautiful spot to rest for a moment.  There were trees and grass and forest animals and a stream running nearby. After they had eaten some of the provision they had brought and rested they were ready to move on. The second person said, “You know, I think I’ll just stay here. It’s so beautiful, there are fish in the stream and I’m satisfied just to have gotten this far.”

His friend left him there and continued to the top where he rejoiced in his reward.

We are much like those hikers and like the disciples. They had the Son of God in their mist to teach them all things and yet they had not yet obtained the faith to cast out all devils.

Me? I’m still struggling up the first half of the mountain. Some days the top of the mountain is out of reach. I slip and fall and get up and try some more. I can’t cast out devils, but I know who can.  Sometimes the only thing that keeps me going is that I love my Lord Jesus Christ who gave his life for me. I have to keep trying because I love him.

It was my son who told me this story. “Which one are you,” I asked him. “Oh I’m sitting under a tree by a stream half way up the mountain.”

Maybe that’s where he sees himself, but I see him still climbing. He’s had some hard falls and defeated some serious temptations, but as of this moment he’s still climbing.”