Our temps have been down in the low 20’s* recently. As a result, our wood box on the back deck has been rapidly depleted! I headed out first thing this morning to bring around more wood from the woodshed in the front, to fill up the wood box on the back deck.
After the wood box was filled to overflowing, and as I was taking the wheelbarrow back to the garden shed, the thought occurred to check on the water faucet back behind the workshop. Gotta keep an eye on things like that in below-freezing temps.
The fastest way to get to the back of the workshop was to tramp through the forest.
The morning was delightfully sunny (albeit cold! – 21*) and I was captivated by the beauty of the layered snow perched atop the fallen logs and stumps throughout the forest.
I don’t think it was necessarily that there was anything super special about the layer of snow perched atop the logs and stumps. But rather, I think it was the sunshine itself which made everything so magical!
I loved the play between the light and the shadows!
Every place else in our entire local area is completely snow-free. The world is back to bare brown trees interspersed with evergreens.
Everywhere that is … except the little pocket where hubby and I live. We live on a high place.
Our high place still has a substantial amount of snow remaining on the ground. Which is a total anomaly.
I couldn’t help but think of “high places” in the Bible. The Old Testament speaks extensively about “high places.” Repeatedly, throughout the Old Testament, God sent his prophets to warn his people Israel not to build idols and altars on “high places” to worship other ‘gods.’
For brief periods God’s people Israel listened to the prophets of God, and they were careful not to build idols or worship on “high places.”
But invariably, their hearts would wander from God, and they would return to building idols and worshiping on “high places.”
As I pondered this, this morning, (in light of the high place where hubby and I live) I can understand why the heart is drawn to worship on “high places.”
The snow which our area received last week … it fell on mine and hubby’s high place first, before most other places. (elevation makes a difference!)
Therefore, in our world of constant comparison and competition on social media it would have been easy to make an idol and an altar of worship out of our high place: “I got snow before you. Look at the photos of my snow. My snow is better than your snow.” (aka: I’m better than you are.)
That’s an idol … an idol of pride!
That’s an “altar” … an altar seeking “sacrifices” of affirmation, worship, and praise.
Each morning last week, when hubby and I awoke, we had several inches of fresh new snow. Our kids live about an hour north of us. They did not receive several inches of fresh new snow each morning where they live. Once again … it would be easy to “build an altar on the high place.”
“We got fresh new snow every morning this week. Look at the photos of our fresh new snow. You didn’t get fresh new snow.” (aka: We’re better than you.)
That’s an idol … an idol of pride!
That’s an “altar” … and altar of worship to self!
High places have views. High places have beautiful views of mountain ranges in the distance. High places have beautiful views of sunrises. It would be easy to “build an altar of worship” up on a “high place.”
“Those people down there in the valley are socked in with fog. They don’t have a great view like I do here on this high place.” (aka: I’m better than them.)
That’s an idol … an idol of pride!
That’s an “altar” … and altar of worship to self!
Even right now, there is still snow lingering on mine and hubby’s high place. Nobody else still has snow.
“Look at my snow … I still have snow when you don’t have any.”
That’s an idol … an idol of pride!
That’s an “altar” … an altar of worship to self!
Our world today has “idols” and “altars” on “high places” every bit as much as the people of Israel back in the Old Testament.
Our “high places” look different than the “high places” of the Old Testament. Our “idols” and our “altars” look different too … but God has the exact same message for us today that he had for his people Isarel back then. Don’t worship on a “high place.” Don’t let our hearts be drawn away to anything else other than God.
Where do you find your value and self-worth?
Do you draw your value and our self-worth from the affirmations you receive? That might be a “high place.”
Where do you find your significance?
Do you find your significance in how many “subscribers” and “followers” you have on social media? Or in how many friends you have, or how much everyone likes you? That might be a “high place.”
Where do you find your security?
Do you find your security in your bank account, in your status, in your position, in your power, etc. … ? That might be a “high place.”
Where do you find your identity?
If we are finding our identity in anything other than Jesus Christ and who he says we are, then we might have a “high place” in our life.
Watch out for “high places”!
“High places” are sneaky. “High places” will creep into our life in the most inconspicuous manner (such as a snowfall) … and before we know it, we will have built an “altar” and set up an “idol.”
