An alpine tundra is a type of region found on mountains all over the world, one set of mountainous alpine region known around the world are the Himalayas. Tundras are described as harsh climate areas that have below freezing temperatures and are exposed to radiation from the sun, high soil eroding winds. But yet, in this not-life supporting area, something beautiful grows. Different species of flowers bloom on the mountain sides and in the dark valleys.
When I think about these flowers surviving despite the harsh conditions in which they grow, it makes me think of life and people. In our lives we are either climbing up or climbing down a mountain, or wading in the valley of a mountain. The problems and struggles we endure are our mountains. Pain and loss is another mountain many struggle to overcome. Jesus knew a lot about pain and suffering. God in His awesome wisdom has had a plan since the beginning of time to rescue mankind from themselves. That plan was fulfilled in the great mystery of the trinity of God. God The Father, Jesus the Son, and The Holy Spirit. Now this is not a lesson on the triune God, Just acknowledging the entire Godhead in the plan of salvation.
Jesus Christ came in the flesh of man to earth. This was God, the Creator, the invisible and omnipresent utterly 'other' being who became like His created, a human being with the physical limitations, the heart burn, the bodily functions. Can you really imagine what that must have been like? Coming from Heaven, paradise to a fallen, diseased, filthy earth? But He did. And He did not come in His splendor or in a royal palace surrounded by fine linen and servants. He, who was a King of Kings, came instead in squalor. Jesus had a tough break from the time He was born. Instead of getting to be a bubbling happy baby, He was was having to be hidden away because an evil king wanted to kill him. For most of His life no one understood Him. His parents even though Mary and Joseph understood where Jesus had come from (God), they still did not understand Him as evidenced by the only other passage of scripture we get about Jesus's childhood. Luke, Chapter 2 starting at verse 41, "His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He, Jesus, was 12 years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast." Now think about this time. Thousands were in Jerusalem for this feast. And we can assume that Jesus traveled with a large number of people because they traveled in pacts and it tells us in verse 44 that they traveled with relatives. After the feast was over, Joseph and Mary and the rest of the family headed back to Nazareth. A whole day had passed before they realized Jesus was missing. Three days they searched for Jesus; Jesus was found not playing with other children, He was found in the temple of God, listening and asking questions. Here we get a glimpse that Jesus was not like other kids. But how did Mary and Joseph react? Did they say, "Oh, we knew you would be in Your Father's house". No, they were frustrated that He had abandoned them. They did not understand who Jesus was. Throughout Jesus's ministry, He was misunderstood. Although He healed the sick, gave the blind their site, raised the dead, and offered them eternal paradise, and offered them freedom from their life of sin, His own disciples turned their back on Him, He was beaten savagely , and then they Crucified Him. Jesus took humankind's place and was the sacrifice for ALL SIN FOR ALL TIME, Jesus incurred the righteous wrath of God and He bled and died so that His creation, which is irrevocably and permanently incapable of saving themselves, could be brought back into a loving and forgiven relationship with The Father, The Creator, The Great I AM.
Even now, today, Jesus is still calling, saying come to Me, you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Jesus promises to never leave or forsake you. Jesus is quick to forgive and restore you. There is no issue or problem that Jesus does not understand. In this world we will have trouble, but we don't lose hope because we know that Jesus has overcome the world. Jesus says, in Mark 11, "if we say to this mountain 'fall into the sea' and we don't doubt and just believe we will have what we ask for. At times, some mountains won't be changed, just as Jesus prayed to His Father that He not go to the cross, Jesus Christ obeyed, with a willing heart the will of God, and He went to the cruel cross of Calvary. Your mountain is nothing compared to what Jesus suffered. With these type of mountains, we can only climb up and down or rest in the valleys. But the good news is, He is with us where ever we may be. You can strive and grow like the beautiful flowers in the Tundra.
1. Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is real, He lived and died and rose from the grave.
2. Believe that you are a sinner, repent-turn from your sins and realize and accept you need Jesus.
3. Confess that Jesus is your Lord and God
4. Find a local Bible preaching church that does obey the commandment for water baptism for the remission of your sins and to identify yourself with Christ.
The Good News is there is going to be a Day of Judgment, and God will judge everyone who has ever lived, His wrath is going to poured out on all the wicked and ungodly. Believing in Jesus saves us from the righteous wrath of God. But that is not all, He gives us a new heart and mind NOW, and we receive some of His blessing from heaven NOW and are equipped to be able to live a life that is holy and acceptable to Him NOW.
This is just the first step to a lifelong journey of growing in truth and love with the God who created this earth and everything in it, including every human being that has ever lived.
Bible verses related to this post: Matthew 2:13-18; Mark 11:23-24; Matthew 11:28-30; Luke 2:41-50; Matthew 26:39;
2 Corinthians 5:21
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