“Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place?” Psalm 24:3 (NIV)
The higher we climb in God the less we are able to take with us. What was acceptable in a previous season is no longer beneficial or allowable in our lives in this new season. God calls us upward in Him, to ascend the holy hill into a deeper relationship with Him. The cost is new levels of holiness, and it can really, REALLY hurt. Clean hands, a pure heart, dealing with idols in our life and absolute truthfulness does not come easy (Psalm 24:4). But that’s the cost! And He will prune us (John 15:2), not just the dead unproductive branches, but even good things of last season’s growth! He calls us to come, deny ourselves, follow Him and die (Luke 9:23)!
However, the cost dwarfs the benefits that we gain! As we climb up this holy hill, God promises to bless us (Psalm 24:5). The higher we ascend into the altitudes of this holy mountain, the better we can see. Our spiritual sight and vision become clearer, further and wider. He shows us things that we weren’t able to see before we were standing at this new elevation in Him. We also carry a greater sense of His authority and presence. His fragrance rests upon us in ways we’ve never experienced before. But best of all, we are closer to Him. The closer we draw near to Him, the higher we allow Him to lead us up His holy mountain, the closer He draws near to us (James 4:8).
All this to say, this is a season when God is calling us to ascend His holy mountain. God is using the challenges, the circumstances, the trials, the COVID lockdowns and all, that we are facing right now, to expose those things that have kept us from ascending into a deeper more intimate knowledge of Him. Please do not miss this opportunity to go deeper in Him. Yes, it comes with a high price tag, but what it will cost you is nothing compared to what you will gain. Tell Him right now that you desire for Him to lead you up that holy hill, to stand in His holy presence. Invite Him to do whatever it takes to lead you up that mountain. And while you are at it, ask God to take your pastor and church up that mountain as well.
