A Life Verse
The mountain looms above--in its greatness, grandeur, majesty. And at the foot of that mountain where Christ had just been transfigured, echoing off of its slopes, rings the father's prayer: "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24). It is a prayer, a cry, that has often slipped from my lips.
It speaks of my need. Help! I need to believe--deeper, Lord, deeper! Mountains loom large and need to be thrown into the sea. Fears, worries, the cares of this world threaten. The Canaanites seem to make me be a grasshopper. The waves of the Red Sea beat with roars against the shore. The giants taunt.
It speaks of my greatest desire. Help my unbelief! I desire to believe, love, trust, glorify Christ with every inch of my being, my soul. To rise up with him on that mountain of transfiguration and worship him in spirit and truth. To find all my thirsts quenched in him. I long to walk so closely with him, to believe him deeper, to trust him deeper. To know his perfect love that casts out fear that plagues. His faithfulness that casts out the dark doubts that choke my heart. I long that David's words flow quickly and truly from my lips, "your steadfast love is better than life!" (Ps. 63:3).
It speaks of my need to respond. I myself need to believe. He is good, oh so good, to call me, to work powerfully in me, but he calls me to respond to his initiative of love. I am to work out my salvation, I am to put off, I am to reckon--all on what he has already done. After all, "this is the work of God, that you believe in him who he has sent" (John 6:29). Each decision of faith, one more step up that mountain.
It speaks of my ongoing need of my life. To believe. Every day, as I lift my eyes up the mountain to where his glory shone, to heaven where his glory shines, I am transformed. This is what enables me. The more I gaze at him, the more I become like him. The more I love him, the less I love my idols, my comfort, security (see 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, 4:4-6).
It speaks of hope. Help. Belief is his gift, his enablement. I can cry out to the Lord and he has mercy. Because of Christ, I can rest assured that my prayers are heard. I can admit our spiritual poverty before him, but even more wonderful, I can expect him to answer.
This verse captures the beginning of the Christian life at conversion--my greatest need, to believe in Christ. My utter helplessness. Yet, my response to his gift of faith. It captures my daily need of sanctification and my need in sin and suffering day in and day out. It captures the hope of glory, resting in him, believing in him. And my glorious Savior will move mountains--if I have faith as small as a mustard seed. For faith does not rest on my quantity, but on the object of faith. And my God, my God, is all great and glorious, on the high and lofty mountains and with the contrite in spirit in the valleys and the feet of the hills.
NOTES
(1) John Piper, God is the Gospel: Meditations on God's Love as the Gift of Himself (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2005), 92.
It speaks of my need. Help! I need to believe--deeper, Lord, deeper! Mountains loom large and need to be thrown into the sea. Fears, worries, the cares of this world threaten. The Canaanites seem to make me be a grasshopper. The waves of the Red Sea beat with roars against the shore. The giants taunt.
It speaks of my greatest desire. Help my unbelief! I desire to believe, love, trust, glorify Christ with every inch of my being, my soul. To rise up with him on that mountain of transfiguration and worship him in spirit and truth. To find all my thirsts quenched in him. I long to walk so closely with him, to believe him deeper, to trust him deeper. To know his perfect love that casts out fear that plagues. His faithfulness that casts out the dark doubts that choke my heart. I long that David's words flow quickly and truly from my lips, "your steadfast love is better than life!" (Ps. 63:3).
It speaks of my need to respond. I myself need to believe. He is good, oh so good, to call me, to work powerfully in me, but he calls me to respond to his initiative of love. I am to work out my salvation, I am to put off, I am to reckon--all on what he has already done. After all, "this is the work of God, that you believe in him who he has sent" (John 6:29). Each decision of faith, one more step up that mountain.
It speaks of my ongoing need of my life. To believe. Every day, as I lift my eyes up the mountain to where his glory shone, to heaven where his glory shines, I am transformed. This is what enables me. The more I gaze at him, the more I become like him. The more I love him, the less I love my idols, my comfort, security (see 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, 4:4-6).
“Long looking with admiration produces change. From your heroes you pick up mannerisms and phrases and tones of voice and facial expressions and habits and demeanors and convictions and beliefs. The more admirable the hero is and the more intense your admiration is, the more profound will be your transformation. In the case of Jesus, he is infinitely admirable, and our admiration rises to the most absolute worship. Therefore, when we behold him as we should, the change is profound.” (1)
It speaks of hope. Help. Belief is his gift, his enablement. I can cry out to the Lord and he has mercy. Because of Christ, I can rest assured that my prayers are heard. I can admit our spiritual poverty before him, but even more wonderful, I can expect him to answer.
This verse captures the beginning of the Christian life at conversion--my greatest need, to believe in Christ. My utter helplessness. Yet, my response to his gift of faith. It captures my daily need of sanctification and my need in sin and suffering day in and day out. It captures the hope of glory, resting in him, believing in him. And my glorious Savior will move mountains--if I have faith as small as a mustard seed. For faith does not rest on my quantity, but on the object of faith. And my God, my God, is all great and glorious, on the high and lofty mountains and with the contrite in spirit in the valleys and the feet of the hills.
NOTES
(1) John Piper, God is the Gospel: Meditations on God's Love as the Gift of Himself (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2005), 92.
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