Mt. Rainier

The first thing that stood out to me was the definition of the mountain. There are no other peaks to compete. It’s just Rainier rising in all of its might. If you drive in from the Southwest, there aren’t foothills to speak of, no gradually increasing mountains to prepare you. It’s just the looming shape that gets larger and larger. It feels immovable. Permanent.

Over time and as you get closer, you see the influences of change — the coming and going seasons, shifting glaciers, rushing rivers, fickle weather, and the list goes on. The view of the mountain changes based on the season or where we’re standing or which direction we’re coming from. Or it may even be hidden in a cloud.

But under it all, the peak is still there. Steady.

Faith has been like this for me. There are seasons when the winds are harsh or I feel like the clouds are rolling in. There are other times when the fog clears and the winds are still. But through it all, God’s word stands. His character is steady. He is the rock that I need to see me through.

Hear my cry, O God,
listen to my prayer;
from the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I,
for you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.
Psalm 61:1-2