Climbing Prayer Mountain

Author Tim Spykstra presents Climbing Prayer Mountain as a metaphor for spiritual growth through prayer. Inspired by the events atop Mount Hermon in Mark 9, known as the Mount of Transfiguration, Spykstra's forty devotionals examine pivotal events in the spiritual growth of those who were present that day: Moses, Elijah, Jesus, Peter & John.

Mountains in the Bible are places of dramatic and life-changing encounter with God, and they are a perfect metaphor for the challenges of spiritual life. Here is a 'climbing tour' of the mountain ranges of the soul via ten biblical mountains.

Jesus said in Mark 11:23, "If anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea, ' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them." My five year old grandson asked, "How does God move mountains? Aren't they really heavy?" They sure are and He sure can! But what if your mountain will not move, or even budge? I hope for the next few chapters I can walk along side of you as you climb your mountain, by sharing with you bits and pieces of my own personal experiences, difficulties, and accomplishments. A friend of mine once said, "We tend to look at mountains as a bad thing that Jesus has to cast into the sea, but sometimes those mountains are not troubles in our lives but triumphs! Sometimes God does not move the mountain but calls us to climb it and conquer it." So gather your supplies, and get on your hiking shoes, and let's go mountain climbing!

This is a guide for spiritual mountain climbers. In the Scriptures, connecting with Abba often leads to a mountain. Modern spiritual writers have long recognized this scriptural metaphor and explored the nature of this journey of ascent. Drawing on the text of the Bible, works of literature, and the writings of mystics both old and new, Climbing the Spiritual Mountain speaks of the desires and intentions, discipline, and effort involved in developing our intimacy with Christ. In Jesus' dealings with people in the Gospels, he draws them up the spiritual mountain through dialogue and questions. Like Socrates of old, his teaching method probes our thinking, knowledge, and motives. In the process, he stimulates our longing and desire to reach the summit. There are challenges, hurdles, and difficult choices to make as we climb the spiritual mountain. But the reward--approaching the beautiful One who is our Abba--far outshines any sacrifice we may make on the climb.

Edith Stein admitted that there was time when she 'consciously and deliberately lost the habit of praying'. She tells us this because she re-discovered it during the journey which brought her to Carmel. We all need to make our own spiritual way through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, with guides who help us to see the pitfalls and inspire us to persevere. The journey of prayer is one of the great adventures which we should all undertake because it leads us to the mountain which is God himself.In this book we find a sure companion for this journey, showing us how to begin to pray, exploring the many sources of prayer that we may encounter, and sharing the experience of the saints and other spiritual writers from both Eastern and Western Christianity. The great variety of prayer, meditation and mystical experience in the Christian tradition is expertly treated, as well as the many stumbling blocks and obstacles that may come our way. Christian prayer needs to be discovered, or in many cases, rediscovered - it is that mountain waiting to be climbed.It is essential for us today to realize that life is more than the frenzied bustle of activity in which all sometimes find ourselves. We must begin with the interior life ... This is a fine book, drawing from many rich sources in the lives of great spiritual leaders. I commend it to those who are undertaking a serious prayer life for the first time and to those who are looking for a fresh beginning in their own lives of prayer. John J. Myers, Archbishop of Newark