Sometimes…when I’m having a sweet time with the Lord…I wish I could just stay in that place.  I wish I didn’t have to come down from the mountain.  I wish that I didn’t have to leave the fellowship and tend to dirty laundry and hungry people and the general pressures of life. 

I do believe Moses can totally relate to that feeling.  He had the mountain top of all mountain top experiences.  However, he was brought back to the harsh realities of life.  After forty glorious days and nights with God…being taught…having fellowship…seeing the blueprints for the tabernacle…the Lord speaks these words to Moses:

…Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.  – Exodus 32:7 NIV

Party over.  Back to work.  There are situations that need to be handled.  Can you imagine?  I can.

After a crazy, stressful day, you finally sit at the table to have a quiet time and the baby wakes up from her nap.

You’re enjoying a relaxing Sunday afternoon…watching television…playing a little Scrabble with your honey…and…I don’t know…your oven bursts into flames and you have to break out the fire extinguisher and make a big mess in your kitchen…not to mention the cost of replacing said oven. 

Suddenly, your rocky mountain high is officially over.

Lately, Michael and I have been watching this show on the history channel called, Expedition Africa.  It is about this group of people on an…expedition…in Africa.  Okay, that was pretty obvious. 

In a recent episode, the self-appointed leader of the group was explaining the risks of that day’s travels.  You see, they had just spent several long days traveling to the top of this huge mountain.  And, they were all ready for some easy days of going downhill instead.  However, Pasquale (the leader) shocked them all by saying…Going down the mountain is far more dangerous than going up.

After hearing that, here is what occurred to me.

1. You have to take what you’ve learned on the mountain and put it into practice when you go back down…Moses was given very specific instructions on what he was to do when he went back to the people who were waiting below.
2. Those who were not on the mountain with you may not understand what you have been doing and learning…The people down below did not have a clue what was going on up on the mountain.  All they knew was that Moses delayed in returning.
3. You are much more vulnerable on the mountain top than you are in the valley…Satan is not as concerned with those who are trying to navigate their way through a valley.  However, when you are on the mountain and feeling connected…it’s like there is a large, red target on your forehead.
4. You are held responsible for what you are told on the mountain…When you seek the Lord…sit in His presence…seek His guidance…you are then responsible for acting in obedience to whatever you have been told.

I would have to agree…Going down the mountain is far more dangerous than going up.  Going down into a world that may not understand the life you are trying to lead.  Returning to hardships that have not gone away just because you have spent some time with the Lord.  Being attacked by Satan who will try to make you question everything the Lord told you while on the mountain.

Yes, it is hard…which is why we must continually return to our mountain of refuge (Psalm 18:2.)