by Catherine Gillette, student, College of Wooster (Wooster, Ohio)
Sometimes a “mountaintop experience” is necessary to remind us of the splendor we live within and to help us recognize God’s incredible, loving power.
This past summer, I worked at Ghost Ranch—a Presbyterian Conference Center in New Mexico. Originally from the East Coast, I had never seen anything like the red and orange mesas. For the first few days, I found myself staring in awe at everything around me, but as the weeks went by I grew accustomed to my surroundings, noticing them less and less. Then, on one of our days off, the college staff hiked to the top of Pedernal (a nearby mountain reaching nearly 10,000 feet). The climb was exhausting, but the view from the top took my breath away.
My experience on top of Pedernal reminds me of Psalm 147, which celebrates how God creates, blesses us, cares for our daily needs, and gives us the gift of peace. While it is sometimes easy to forget or overlook all of the incredible things God has done, the Psalmist reminds us that God is truly great. In this season, so full of distractions, it is important to remember God’s love in the gift of the Christ child.
PRAYER
Amazing God: You are truly spectacular—giving “snow like wool” and scattering “frost like ashes.” Help us to make known the peace and joy that come from seeing your hand at work in our lives. Amen.