“When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions.” ( Matthew 5:1-2 MSG)

Sometimes Jesus calls you to climb with him. He draws you away from the noise of life to a quiet place where He can speak to you. A place that you can hear him clearly with no distractions. Some mistake these times for loneliness when really God is trying to get your attention. He wants to show you something. Something powerful that will transform your loneliness to fruitfulness and your aimless wandering to guided thriving abundant life.

I don’t love hiking (a.k.a. climbing a mountain) but the pros outweigh the cons:

• It forces me out of my comfort zone
• I get to see things I have never seen before
• It causes muscles to form that I never knew existed
• My breathing capacity is expanded and heart is strengthened

Jesus loved crowds. He taught them, he healed them and he fed them. But the teaching he was about to give was not for the crowds, it was for the climbers.

When Jesus calls you to climb with him, you can bet that it is for your benefit. You can also bet that it isn’t going to be easy. Nothing worthwhile comes easy. When Jesus calls you to climb higher it is to make you stronger. If you are feeling lost in the crowd, maybe it is because you don’t belong there. You belong with Jesus and he is calling you higher. He is calling you to step out of the crowd and become a climber.

What you learn on the mount with Jesus changes your life in valley. Choose today. Take the first step. Take the risk. It will stretch you. It will challenge you. It will change your perspective. It will expand your heart.

What mountain is Jesus calling you to climb with him today?