Mountain Tops and Valleys

Have you read the book or seen the animated movie “The Wind in the Willow?” The leading character, Mr. Toad, is driving his horse and carriage down a muddy road when the biggest and finest car he had ever seen hits a mud hole and splashed him all over. He just had to have a car like that. So he bought it and drove so fast and recklessly that he kept getting tickets and going to jail. Never being able to learn, he ended up in a prison cell chained to the wall for life. He was eventually released and went speeding out of town. But on a very sad day in prison he got so depressed that he cried and said, “O, I feel so sorry for myself.” Have you ever had a Mr. Toad moment? I must have had after writing my last essay. I always hope to get some sort of response. (You see, I am a lonely old toad who is not involved in the lives of others as I used to be in ministry. Sometimes I feel so sorry for myself). In my Mr. Toad moment, I wrote, “Hey! Is there anyone out there?” My heart leaped up when I received these two replies.

Sharon wrote: “What do you mean, is there anyone out here? What am I, chopped liver?” I assured her that she was not chopped liver but my precious daughter who calls me every Sunday and sends me email notes often.

Joe wrote: “Brother Lacy: As it has always been, the masses only complain when there is no bread to eat. As the wife waits for the complements of her husband, the mother those of her children, so the minister stands in silence, save for his own voice. Just burn the biscuits or misspeak some minor point, then be assured, that those now in silence will find their voice.
I love you brother, and the fine work that you engage in weekly. Just your last essay #104 is to be the basis for this Sunday’s lesson. I even sketched the train. I look forward to many more of your writings. I, like so many others forget to complement the cook, but I am grateful for being lead to you, and thereby am passing these great thoughts on to as many others that will listen.
Again thank you so much, and with prayers for you, and your labor, and your family that all may continue in our Masters service.—joe L. This also encouraged me because Joe is a faithful minister of Christ who often encourages me with kind words.

But now that my Mr. Toad moment has passed, I want to share a great message with you. Three men in the Bible, after having mountain top experiences beyond all others, went immediately into the valley and wished to die. They were Moses, Jonah and Elijah.

Moses: Early in Moses’ ministry (1446-1406 B. C.), he was ordered to go up on Mt. Sinai to receive God’s Law for the Hebrew nation. He went up with fear and trembling, had the experience of his life, and came down to find his people worshiping an idol god—a golden calf that they had made (Ex. 19, 20, 32). “The Lord said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. Now then let me alone…that I may destroy them.’ Then Moses entreated the Lord his God, and said, ‘...Turn from your burning anger and change Your mind...” So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.” But when Moses came down and saw the people engaged in pagan worship, he was enraged and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” And the sons of Levi gathered together to him.” He had the Levites kill those who had worshipped the idol god. Then he interceded for the remnant saying, “But now, if You will, forgive their sins—and if not, please blot me out of Your book which you have written!” If Moses had failed in leading his people to the Promised Land, he would rather die than live.


Jonah: In the half century during which the prophet Jonah ministered (800-750 B. C.), there was a fierce conflict between the bordering nations of Israel and Assyria. In the midst of this conflict God sent Jonah, an Israelite, to preach to the Assyrians in order to bring them to repentance and end the conflict. Jonah, dissatisfied with his assignment, tried to run away by boarding a ship for Tarshish. After a severe storm and his experience in the whale, he arrived in Nineveh, the capitol city of Assyria. He preached fervently and all the people repented genuinely. But after his grand experience, Jonah reflected on the enmity between the two nations and was very unhappy with his assignment—and evidently his success. “It greatly displeased him and he became angry.” In his disappointment and in spite of his victory, he prayed, “Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life” (Jonah 4:1-3).

Elijah: During Elijah’s ministry (848-797 B. C.), he found himself in a deep conflict with king Ahab and his queen Jezebel, who had many false prophets who were leading God’s people into the worship of Baal, an idol god. He challenged these prophets to a showdown on Mount Caramel (I Kings 19). After Elijah exposed the idolatrous prophets he executed them. When Jezebel heard of it, she sent a messenger to Elijah saying, “So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” Elijah, fearing for his life, fled into the wilderness. While sitting under a juniper tree, “he requested for himself that he might die and said, ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.’”

There you have it—three strong men in the service of God, who had just accomplished victories beyond all others, had their Mr. Toad moment (if it is not too frivolous to say so). They requested to die. But this is life. One day you are on the mountain top and the next day you are in the valley, feeling like a failure.

Now, get up from under that juniper tree and let’s get on with our journey to the Promised Land!