Mountainous Impact -- A Protective Hiding Place

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains; From whence does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2

I don't get to do it often by any means, but I love to hunt deer and elk in the mountains. There were some members of the church in Montana where I pastored during the 90's that became good friends primarily due to our hunting trips.

I will never forget one particular hunting trip. We went to a familiar hunting spot where we had always gotten our mule deer in years before. The deer were always plentiful, and we would even see some small herds of elk occasionally. But this particular day was different. We failed to see deer for a couple of hours while on the hunt. It was shocking to say the least! After all, this place always had numerous deer -- too numerous to count!

But that day my hunting buddy and I would learn a lesson. It was chilly and also pretty breezy that day. While roaming the countryside, we stumbled upon a deep ravine. And there were the deer! They had been lying down and were almost hidden from sight. It did not take long to shoot a nice 3 point buck muley. I was ecstatic, as this was the largest buck of what at that time had been a short hunting career.

So why were the deer lying down like that? Due to the strong wind that day, the deer's scent could carry for long distances and thus alert their predators to their location. Mountain lions, wolves, etc. would thus have no problem finding them. By lying down low in the shelters of the mountain, they found protection from the potential trouble. It just might save them from death!

So what is our lesson for the day concerning mountains? After scanning the mountain terrain that aforementioned day, I remembered the many deep ravines, small but dense stands of timber and even caves and ridges to be found in the mountains. In actuality, there were innumerable places to hide from one's enemies. Additionally, there were many places that could provide shelter from a heavy storm. And all of these places could be found in the mountains! Suddenly, verses like the following came to life in my mind:

"The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble." Psalm 9:9

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in Whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Whom I trust.'" Psalm 91:1-2

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped." Psalm 28:7

"For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me." Psalm 27:5-6a

"As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people both now and forever more." Psalm 125:2