We just got back from a family vacation to Colorado with all of our kids and Beth’s siblings and parents. We were in one of the most beautiful cities I have visited in the continental US – Telluride, Colorado. This town had three of the most majestic things – mountains, waterfalls, and streams.
When I experience these three things together, it has a spiritual impact on me. You see the majesty of God’s creation and the beauty that it displays day after day. There is something about the breathtaking awe of being on a mountain, the powerful impact of a crashing waterfall and the peaceful relaxation of a flowing mountain stream running through the valley.
In the Bible, mountain top experiences were often used as places where God would communicate with people – Moses receiving the 10 commandments on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34), Jesus at His transfiguration (Matthew 17), Elijah on the mountain after his battle with Ahab (I Kings 19). I think God used mountains as a place to talk with people because they represent the highest points of earth that are closest to the heavens and because when you are on a mountain, you can see the vastness of the world around you. It helps to keep things in perspective – how little we are and how big God is!
The waterfall to me represents the power of God! Looking at a waterfall you see the top of the mountain or cliff that looks so peaceful, but then you see the force of the water falling off the edge and watching how it hits the ground below with amazing force! God is like that waterfall. You do not see His power around you, but when you learn to recognize it, it is more powerful than anything you have experienced.
The valley stream reminds me of Psalm 23 – “He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me besides peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.” Psalm 23: 2,3 NLT. Listening to the water run by is that peaceful, refreshing experience described in Psalms for me.
Experiencing the mountains and valleys reminds me that God has created this amazing world we live in and its beauty reminds me what a wonderful and generous God we have – He created all of this for us to experience and enjoy!