Tag Archives: skiing

A Vast and Lofty Mountain

Posted on November 12, 2022 by expressyourself4him

Since the days of Moses, there has been an impression that the higher up you are in elevation, the closer you are to God. As a former skier, being in the snowcapped Rocky Mountains in the middle of winter is a clear sign of God’s creation, Romans 1:18-20. Looking down from the top of any cliff is intimidating. Yet, as someone who climbed the Blue Ridge Mountains during Christian retreats in college, I have felt God’s presence while on a vast and lofty mountain.

Now all the people perceived the thunderings and the lightnings and the noise of the trumpet and the smoking mountain, and as [they] looked they trembled with fear and fell back and stood afar off. 19 And they said to Moses, You speak to us and we will listen, but let not God speak to us, lest we die. 20 And Moses said to the people, Fear not; for God has come to prove you, so that the [reverential] fear of Him may be before you, that you may not sin. 21 And the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was, Exodus 20:18-21.

I grew up in a church where the wrath of God in the Old Testament was emphasized. Meanwhile, God’s grace and the love of Jesus in the New Testament was rarely featured. Subsequently, I felt like the Israelites in the passage above, dwelling on God the disciplinarian. Fearing God is one thing, but thinking you’ll be punished each time you make an error or mistake is emotionally draining. Thus, God was too holy for me, far away on a vast and lofty mountain.

Then in the Spirit He conveyed me away to a vast and lofty mountain and exhibited to me the holy (hallowed, consecrated) city of Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God, Revelation 21:10.

When I became a high school Bible teacher, this ungodly belief slowly faded away. From time to time, this unworthy feeling would consume my soul, but the Holy Spirit set me free from this clouded and distorted view of God. I can’t point to the exact moment when this was flushed from my memory, but God’s grace paved the way to transform my mind. If this blog finds you in a similar place where I once was, may you find the confidence in the words of the apostle Paul in Philippians 1:6-7.

by Jay Mankus

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If You Look Down… That’s Where You Will Go

Posted on July 27, 2018 by expressyourself4him

Growing up two hours south of the Pocono Mountains, a neighbor introduced me to skiing while in junior high school.  One of the greatest obstacles I had to overcome was my fear of heights, some thing a chair lift ride to the top of Camelback Mountain only exasperated.  Gradually, I learned to look down, seeing which trails to explore and those to avoid.  Yet, as you exit chair lifts, you must keep your head up, fixed on what lurks ahead.  This prevents novices from making a wrong turn or venturing down a trail your not qualified to ski.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1.

A freak skiing accident ruined Molly Bloom’s chances of qualifying for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.  This crash in her final run of Olympic qualifying for woman’s moguls, a combination of free style jumps and moguls, is depicted in the 2017 film Molly’s Game.  After this vicious wipeout, there are a series of flashbacks from Molly’s childhood.  One clip depicts Molly’s father played by Kevin Costner, pushing her to the limits as a teenager.  Costner’s character stresses one crucial point about skiing,”If you look down, that’s where you will go.”

[Looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross,]disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work], Hebrews 12:2.

This same concept applies to the spiritual realm.  The moment you begin to look at the obstacles in your path, anxiety, fear and worry can consume human souls.  Just as moguls, steep slopes and icy conditions affects how you ski, a lack of faith leads to poor decisions.  Thus, the Bible urges believers to fix your eyes on Jesus.  While everyone faces scary slopes in their future, God wants to be your trail guide, to navigate you through uncharted territories.  May this blog inspire you to look ahead, trusting God so that the thought of falling won’t paralyze you with fear.

by Jay Mankus

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