Signs: From the Mountain, for the Valley (By Lory Persaud)

Have you ever had a “mountain top” experience? You found yourself in a quiet place where God spoke words of love and promise, purpose and strength to you and you felt certain that you knew it was Him and you felt confident of his comfort and nearness.

In the sixth volume in the Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, the lion Aslan gives school girl, Jill Pole, a special mission to find the lost Prince of Narnia. Having brought her out of the earthly realm, he meets with her at the top of a very high mountain, ensures she memorizes four signs to guide her quest, then sends her to Narnia, floating down the mountain on the breath of his mouth.

Just before sending Jill off, Aslan stresses the importance of remembering the signs he had given her.
“Say them to yourself when you wake in the morning and when you lie down at night, and when you wake in the middle of the night. And whatever strange things may happen to you, let nothing turn your mind from following the signs. And secondly, I give you a warning. Here on the mountain I have spoken to you clearly: I will not often do so down in Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind. And the signs you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. That is why it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearances. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters. And now, daughter of Eve, farewell.”

Though I doubt any of us are tracking down lost princes in strange lands filled with talking animals, the Bible says God has given each of us “good works” to do that he purposed and designed us for (Ephesians 2:10). I love how The Message Translation puts it in Ephesians 1:11:
“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.”

The farewell words of Aslan remind us the importance of holding on to our guiding signs—the Word of God (the messages He communicates to us through the Bible and the Holy Spirit).

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

When we come down off our “mountain”, the place of his manifested presence, we descend to the contrasting situations of life, where we often sense the hiddenness of God and must seek to build our faith in Him and our assurance of his character instead of relying on mere emotions.

For many, the year 2020 has been a confusing time, full of uncertainty and an unexpected turn of events. It would be easy to look at our circumstances in the world today and fall into discouragement by the way things appear. But, like Jill, we are instructed not to pay attention to appearances, we are told to set our eyes on things above.

The Passion Translation puts it this way in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18:
“We view our slight, short-lived troubles in the light of eternity. We see our difficulties as the substance that produces for us an eternal, weighty glory far beyond all comparison, because we don’t focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but the unseen realm is eternal.”

Are you currently experiencing the hiddenness of God? Now more than ever we need to cling to His guiding words. If you are feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, weighed down by your circumstance and the state of the world, it is time to fix your eyes on the things above. Is there a hopeful verse you can memorize? An affirming truth about God’s purpose for your life and the promise of your destiny? What Guide Words have you been holding onto lately?

“Say them to yourself when you wake in the morning and when you lie down at night, and when you wake in the middle of the night. And whatever strange things may happen to you, let nothing turn your mind from following the signs. And secondly, I give you a warning. Here on the mountain I have spoken to you clearly: I will not often do so... Take great care…And the signs you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. That is why it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearances. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters. And now, daughter of Eve, farewell.”

​Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiuvKo-7Me4