by Larry Magnuson
About ten years ago I decided that if I cut down a few trees on the west side of our property I could open a pretty good view of the Tarryall Mountains from our front lawn. It was a great idea until I started cutting trees. In all there were 32 trees that had to come down and several of them were BIG trees. One by one the trees came down, were cut up, and the land cleared. It took a lot of time and sweat but in the end we had the view we have come to love. This summer alone we have had dozens of cups of coffee staring out over miles of a pine covered valley rising up into the beautiful Tarryall Mountains. We can even catch a few glimpses of some 14,000 foot mountains hiding beyond.
Right in front of our chairs on the lawn is an old sign that once sat on the original SonScape property in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. It reads “I lift my eyes to the hills.” (Psalms 121) The rest of Psalms reads “I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” I have thought often about those words and the view we so enjoy.
Like our property, it also takes a lot of work to keep a clear view of our Lord. Time, energy, and sweat has to be invested moving those things that hide our view of the Lord and his words. So many things can get in the way: selfish ambitions, pride, our dreams and desires, work, relationships, sin, busyness, even ministry . . . and the list goes on and on. It often takes hard work to remove the obstacles and open the view. But it is worth it. There is nothing that compares with sitting and “fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross despising the shame and sat down at the right hand of God.” It is a view worth working, even fighting, for.
And every once in a while another tree grows up and blocks our view of the Tarryall Mountains again. Then out comes my chainsaw and I have to go to work clearing the view again. The same is true in our spiritual lives. Obstacles arise that threaten to keep us from the view that changes everything.
We also have to make the time to look, time to see, to fix our eyes on Jesus. Time to take in the view that brings hope and direction to our lives. Making that time isn’t always easy but it is always needed.
Remember the disciples out on the Sea of Galilee when the storm arose. All they could see were the waves and the wind, the thunder, and lightning. They forgot who was right there in the boat with them, Jesus.
So make sure you have time to enjoy the view that matters most.