Editor’s note: “The Spoken Word” is shared by Derrick Porter during the weekly Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square broadcast. This will be given Sunday, June 30, 2024. This was written by Lloyd Newell.
There’s something about being on a mountain that helps us feel closer to God. That’s been true since ancient times. It was on a mountaintop that Moses heard the Lord calling to him from a burning bush (see Exodus 3:1-6). And when Jesus had a special spiritual experience to share with Peter, James and John, He led them up a mountain (see Luke 9:28-36).
(Note: There have been some technical difficulties with the YouTube broadcast. It is also available at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/broadcasts/music-amp-the-spoken-word?lang=eng .)
Why do so many divine experiences happen on a mountaintop? Being on the summit of a mountain does put us physically closer to the heavens, but there’s more to it than that. Maybe it’s not the elevation of the peak but the work it took to get there that brings us closer to God. It’s our willingness to climb the mountain — not just the mountain — that’s sacred to the Lord.
After all, He sent us here to grow, to stretch, to improve. It’s both exhilarating and, at times, exhausting. Just when we think we’ve finally achieved a worthy goal, we look ahead and discover that there are yet other mountains to climb.
So, we keep climbing, trusting that every positive step moves us closer to fulfilling our potential. We set goals — even small goals — and then achieve them, one at a time. Along the way, the altitude slowly increases, but more importantly, our attitude also improves. We find more peace, more confidence, and gain more control over our lives.
Perhaps that’s why God invited Moses to the mountain — because Moses was not the same person at the foot of Sinai as he was at the summit. It’s the climb that changes us. Somehow, the view from the peak seems more beautiful and the mountain air more refreshing because of the climb.
Every effort to nurture a relationship, to reach out to someone in need, to learn from our mistakes and to try again — every effort of this kind is sacred to the Lord. Of course, we may still have a long way to go to become the kind, patient, compassionate people He knows we can be. But with His help, we’ll get there, one step and one day at a time — just like climbing a mountain.
Tuning in …
The “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcast is available on KSL-TV, KSL News Radio 1160AM/102.7FM, KSL.com, BYUtv, BYUradio, Dish and DirecTV, SiriusXM (Ch. 143), tabernaclechoir.org, youtube.com/TheTabernacleChoir and Amazon Alexa (must enable skill). The program is aired live on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Mountain Time on these outlets. Look up broadcast information by state and city at musicandthespokenword.com/viewers-listeners/airing-schedules.
