One of our family’s favorite movies is: The Sound of Music. I don’t think it would be exaggerating to say that we’ve watched it hundreds of times through the years.
As I was thinking about this morning’s lesson, one particular scene kept coming to mind. It portrays Maria during one of her darkest times. She is at a crossroads in her life. The possibility of romantic love with Captain Von Trapp lies in front of her; her vows as a nun behind her. She has gone into seclusion at the Abbey.
This is the scene (as viewed in the assembly) follows:
Sister Margaretta describes Maria's silence to the Reverend Mother: "She doesn't say a word, Reverend Mother, except in prayer…It's strange. She seems happy to be back here, and yet she's unhappy too."
Then, in a private conference with the Reverend Mother, Maria confesses why she came back – to escape from her deep, unacknowledged romantic feelings for the Captain. She is persuaded by the sympathetic Mother to return, with the understanding that married love is also a holy vocation:
Maria: I left…I was frightened…I was confused, I felt, I've never felt that way before. I couldn't stay. I knew that here I'd be away from it. I'd be safe…I can't face him again…Oh, there were times when we would look at each other. Oh Mother, I could hardly breathe…That's what's been torturing me. I was there on God's errand. To have asked for his love would have been wrong. I couldn't stay, I just couldn't. I'm ready at this moment to take my vows. Please help me.
Reverend Mother: Maria, the love of a man and a woman is holy too. You have a great capacity to love. What you must find out is how God wants you to spend your love.
Maria: But I pledged my life to God. I pledged my life to his service.
Reverend Mother: My daughter, if you love this man, it doesn't mean you love God less. No, you must find out and you must go back.
Maria: Oh, Mother, you can't ask me to do that. Please let me stay, I beg of you.
Reverend Mother: Maria, these walls were not built to shut out problems. You have to face them. You have to live the life you were born to live.
The worldly-wise Reverend Mother sings the inspirational: "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" to encourage Maria.
One of the most poignant lines in this exchange is:
Maria, these walls were not built to shut out problems. You have to face them. You have to live the life you were born to live.
It is just so true to life—so on target when it comes to the challenges we face in life, that is. Against the back drop of this statement her life-coach (remember: it’s a musical) puts and exclamation point on these sentiments by singing the song from which this lesson draws its title: Climb Ev’ry Mountain.
Climb ev'ry mountain
Search high and low
Follow ev'ry by-way
Every path you knowClimb ev'ry mountain
Ford ev'ry stream
Follow ev'ry rainbow
'Till you find your dreamA dream that will need
All the love you can give
Everyday of your life
For as long as you liveClimb ev'ry mountain
Ford ev'ry stream
Follow ev'ry rainbow
'Till you find your dreamA dream that will need
All the love you can give
Everyday of your life
For as long as you liveClimb ev'ry mountain
Ford ev'ry stream
Follow ev'ry rainbow
'Till you find your dream
This scene (and this song) has occupied my thoughts this week because it seems to get to the very heart of the attitude we should take when we are faced with similar crossroads experiences in our lives. Maria was frightened. She was confused. She was ready to abandon her heart’s desire for what she felt like was safe, what was sure. Just think what she would have missed out on!
She needed something more than a pep talk. She needed a fresh perspective—she needed someone to urge her to see possibilities and not problems, purpose-driven choices not convenient escape routes. She needed to be challenged to face what future with faith and not fear!
In many respects this is what we find in New Testament book of Hebrews. The author summarized it as a brief word of exhortation—Hebrews 13:22. The heart of this message that gives Christians encouragement to see possibilities not problems; place emphasis on God’s purposes not personal convenience and ease; and walk victoriously by faith rather than limping through life in fear is found in chapter 11:1-12:3.
Listen as God lifts each one of us up from the valley of despair in order that we might have a crystal clear view of the mountains He wants us to climb…
1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for. 3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. 5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. 20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. 21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. 22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones. 23By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. 31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. 32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
In a nutshell: Since so many have gone before and are now cheering us on, let us…
(1) Cast off the shackles of self and sin;
(2) Run with endurance the life we were born to live; and
(3) Fix our eyes on Jesus!
