This post is Day 19 in a series of studies about “Mountains”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today. (The form is at the bottom of the page).

Mountains – Day 19

This reminds me of the painting by an English artist, Holman Hunt, of Jesus knocking at the door, inspired by Revelation 3:20. The door has no handle, because the owner must open it. Jesus will not force entry, neither will He force us to climb the mountain and go higher with Him.

Psalm 24:3

Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place?

The Thought

David answered this question in the following verse, but why was he asking it? The psalm begins with the declaration that “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” David was spending time in praise, and recognised that spiritually, praise takes us nearer to the God we are glorifying. It takes us up a spiritual “mountain” nearer to Him. But just as there were rules about who could climb the physical mountain when Moses was leading the Israelites through the desert (see yesterday’s post), so there are rules about spiritual mountain climbing for us.

When climbing the spiritual mountainside, it is our hearts that are important.

James tells us that doubt or lack of faith stops us from receiving what we pray for (James 1:6-8). Focusing first on who the Lord is will help to banish doubt.

Today’s psalm ends (v 7-10) with a picture of the king riding in majesty back to his own property. The old doors that have been shut to him for a while are opened as He returns to reign.

That reminds me of the image painted by an English artist, Holman Hunt (1827-1910), of Jesus knocking at the door, inspired by Revelation 3:20. “Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hears My voice and opens the door then I will come in and eat with him and He with Me.”

The door in the picture has no handle, because the owner must open it. Jesus will not force entry into our lives, neither will He force us to climb the mountain and go higher with Him. The choice is ours.

Action

Read Psalm 24 slowly and appreciate the spiritual pictures it paints.

Ask yourself if there are any “ancient doors” (past hurts, offences) that Jesus is asking you to open for Him to come in and heal.