With each step Juarez came into greater view behind the rocks at the top of the mountain. Santiago and I had reached the summit of the first large peak in the Juarez Mountains. For months we had talked about climbing it, had stared up and wondered how and now we were at the top.
The wind whipped around us ferociously. This is high desert, an unforgiving desolate environment where the plant life waits eagerly to plunge its 2 inch razor sharp spines deep into your flesh. At times you are assured of your safety only as you cling to the rock, pulling yourself higher and higher and hoping that from the top you'll catch sight of a safer, trail down. A short day hike to be sure, but one with an abundance of danger in every foot gained towards the top.
As Santiago and I climbed and talked, we talked of the Christian walk and the similarities of climbing in the desert mountains. All the while a few thoughts were persistent in my mind. The first was that there are reports of people killed climbing these and the Franklin Mountains (a small chain of mountains in El Paso). The second was that in my lifetime there may be many hikes, climbs, etc. Yet, there is a finite number and therefore each one, no matter how painful, difficult, ugly or wonderful must be recieved as the blessing that it is. With that, it must not be taken for granted and the summit must ever be ahead.
The Lord in His graciousness has given each one of us a finite handful of situations. Each one has its ugliness, it's pain and 
it's beauty. Each one points us as Children of God towards our Savior. Each one is frought with danger, even and especially when unrealized and each one of these demonstrates His unseen and loving hands protecting, directing, guiding and caring for us.
It is in the times of hunger when we are most keenly aware of His every provision. It is in the times of heartache when we learn the depth of His love for us in of His sovereignty as it plays out. And at the times when we see our sinfulness, if we'll look, we see most clearly His rich and abundant mercy. But most often I don't see things from this view in the midst of it. I most often see only the circumstance, the struggles, the sorrow or hunger. Yet it is the summit that proves the real value of the climb. We must be ever reminded of the summit and the view from the top, because our time on the mountain, no matter how perilous it may be, is an integral step leading to the peak. Therefore as much a part of the gift as the summit itself and as we long for the summit we're filled with the hope of soon seeing it reached. Therefore we continue by faith, one foot and then another, a white knuckled bleeding hand holding fast as the wind threatens to blow us to our death below.
Peter speaks to these things in the first chapter of his first letter. "According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" He predicates his discourse on the living hope on the great mercy of our God. That is the forgoing of our rightly deserved judgment. It must be understood that we are of no ability to climb this mountain. In the midst of it, we have no business even setting foot near it. And all around us we see the lost as they're consumed and destroyed by it's perils. We are sinful, and yet He foregoes the righteous retribution that we are owed and sets our hearts on the summit. This greatest aspect of this holding back of His wrath is that He causes us to be reborn to a living hope.
"... who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." This living hope, the summit, can only be seen, by faith. It is not visible from the bottom, it's peak is far higher then our eyes can percieve and even with faith is often obscured by the steepness of the next ridge, or the treacherous course ahead, or the tears in our eyes and yet it is ever there. And it is God's power that keeps our foot to the slope and secures our climb, and He does this through our faith. Even the faith is a generous gift. And we are being kept for the summit, and we must know, that the summit has been given us. And we must know that every inch gained towards the summit is His power and not ours and we reach out our hand and grasp the rock by a given faith.
That is, our resurrection, our completion, Peter calls an inheritance. "... to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you ... " It is something that our God has built and earned for us and before us and then He freely gives it to us. He describes this gift as imperishable, it cannot be destroyed by the passing of time or be defiled by sin and if we look with eyes of faith, is unfading. Peter describes this outcome as the "Salvation of our souls". It will be revealed in the last time. As children of the living God, we anticipate this revelation and this anticipation, this hope is the salt that flavors the sorrow and the joy in our way, it is the 
reminder in the midst of our clinging to the rock, that we shall one day see that glorious summit. The glorious resurrection!
"... In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials..." About two thirds of the way up, I kicked my shin into a yucca plant, which gladly sunk a nice spine deep into my shin. It hurt, I couldn't get it out and it made it painful to use my leg. Yet I thought of the view from the top because the summit was drawing ever nearer. I came to see the summit. It was an absurdity that I might turn back, or lie there whincing. We are likewise often grieved by lifes trials. They are devastating, brutal and seemingly insurmountable. Yet these trials, Peter tells us, are there for the purpose of testing, refining our faith, burning the impurity off, purging the poisons that pervade all of us who have suffered the fall. And we rejoice in our living hope, we rejoice in our view from the top because we shall see it soon.
"... may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ ..." Every aspect of this climb is to result in the Praise and Glory and Honor of our mighty King. We shall all see Him very soon. Do you see it? In your heart, can you see the view from the top? Your glorious inheritance is it fresh? Does it lift your feet one more step? Set your life to it, to the view from the top. We are set upon this mountain, we have one climb and a finite number of trials, it is a gift and He has given us this gift and we shall soon see the summit!
Somewhere behind me, someone was slamming on their horn, their patience wearing thin. The starter wouldn’t even click as I frantically turned the key and for some reason no matter what I tried I couldn’t get the transmission into neutral. It was stuck in park. “Lord, please… please… let the van start!” I said out loud, over and over again. All at once, the precariousness of one hot afternoon in Juarez seemed to come to this culminating point, here on the other side of the Santa Fe bridge in downtown El Paso, surrounded by a sea of people annoyed with the heat; perturbed with the preceding long wait to get there and now frustrated with this sweaty American now babbling to himself (seemingly) blocking most of the right lane of their only quick escape from downtown in a giant ancient van. Somewhere miles away in a warm one room Juarez church sat Lori and the kids, now most of the way through the church service and wondering when I was to return. Miles in an entirely different direction the hood of Jose Luis’ van sat open, now cooled down, surrounded by a crowd of fellow church attendees, waiting for the Gringo in the big van to return with Jose Luis and a radiator fan motor. “Lord, PLEASE, PLEASE, IN JESUS NAME, start this STUPID VEHICLE!!! AAARGH!” Nothing!
“Do you need help? I’ll help push you!” In Spanish, breaking through the panic of the moment and softening the shrill of horns beside me and the angry looks and gestures of those wise enough to drive around me. I tried to explain in broken Spanish that I couldn’t get the van into neutral and that he couldn’t help. My cell phone erupted from the console, “Brother, where are you?” Jose Luis questioned, obviously tired of waiting. “Pray Jose Luis, the van won’t start!” I said, hanging up. And my new friend was gone. Working the key, fiddling with wires, under the dash and praying out loud, the Lord’s beautiful sovereign will poured out and the van was in neutral. “PRAISE GOD!” I said out loud and from out of nowhere to men were pushing the van. We found a parking place just around the corner. My friend had returned to help push.
God’s sovereignty as it plays out can be a wonderfully frustrating thing. Specifically, in relation to our own expectations and what we think to be a cost too unreasonable. Hours earlier, the building wave of whining children, anxious and uptight preparations built to a crescendo with a mad rush down the highway towards church in Juarez. I had prayed, as we often do, that God would launch us into ministry, that He would use us and that we would have a good time. It had been two weeks since we were able to attend church and I was INSISTENT on getting there on time to practice with the worship team. I had spent the entire day in frustration as NOTHING had come together; as every one of my children whined in their own lovely way about having to go to church; as the glass light cover fell for no explicable reason on Joes head and shattered on his tile floor scattering glass all over their floor and the hour it took to clean it and the 3 tons of accumulated toxic waste; as Tatyanna and I had spent 3 hours crying and discussing the pain of moving away from her home and friends; as … as … well you have the idea. My attitude had seen MUCH better days. “Mike, this is Georgia… uh… we have a situation.” “Ok, well what’s up!?!” I retorted. “Jose Luis and Cristina’s van is broken down. I don’t know who to call. They need some part for their van, could you call him and find out what they need… I know your on your way to church… please?” “WHERE ARE THEY GEORGIA?” “Anapra… at their church.” “Fine I’ll take them the part.”
There is a fine distinction between “Radiator fan” and “Radiator fan motor”. Especially, if you’re not happy and being short with someone on a cell phone. I didn’t know that I had purchased the wrong part until I was driving along the tree-lined “river-road” through Juarez on our way to church. “NO Brother, not the fan… the fan MOTOR!” Jose Luis snapped at me. It was this stupid mistake on my part and the 2pm closing time of all Juarez auto parts stores that had landed me now squarely in the midst of God’s wonderful plan on the side of the road, in downtown El Paso, wondering what the heck I was going to do. That’s when I saw our friend, Rafa (the names have been changed to protect the fragile and forgetful mind of yours truly). Rafa, a “Ranchero”, wore a huge cowboy hat with, huge belt buckle, gold chains, gold teeth and alligator skin boots. He smiled and asked me in Spanish if I had gas in the tank. Of course I had gas. He made the suggestion that perhaps it was overheated and so I should let it sit with the hood up. I did, so we stood there.
I’ve learned long ago to look at car problems, or long waits in line, etc as opportunities to share Jesus. Depending on the day, my comfort with the language, I take these when I can. We spoke about the law of God, sin, death and of Christ’s death on the cross, His resurrection and of faith. He smiled even bigger and soaked it up. Rafa listened intently to the Gospel and took a Bible excitedly and left. The Holy Spirit had moved in his heart and his walk with Jesus has seemingly begun. The Lord caused me to laugh at all that brought me to this place and time and of my foolish frustration. I did indeed laugh and smile and know that the van would start right up. So I got in and the man who had originally offered to help came over to my window. He told me in Spanish that he had been standing there praying for our conversation. We exchanged the joy of the work of the Lord. Of course the van started right away and we prayed and worshiped the Lord together right then and there.
Jose Luis was able to drive his family home and I showed up at the church just after dark with many folks hanging out.
To finish this testimony off, I must share a bigger picture, because I wasn’t the only one having a hard day. Jose Luis had ridden with me to the bridge, forgotten his visa to get into the states and therefore had to wait for me at the bridge. However, he was also not feeling good. In this and his frustration with my stupidity, Jose Luis boarded a bus back to his van. On the bus, a number of Christian women prayed with him. Additionally, we had taken Daniel Young in with us. He was grouchy and didn’t even want to go into Mexico. But after church, we were invited by Lori’s good friend Betty to eat at their home. This too, was a gift from the Lord for Lori as she had been hoping for time with Betty. Daniel had “His favorite time in Juarez.” Joe (my son) was able to spend time with his good friend Eduardo. Jacob (also my son) freaked out and started trying to speak Spanish with many people.
Finally, the point:
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10
What a joy it is to know that God is working all things together for us, that we might grow more like His Son, Jesus and that He has sovereignly ordained all things to come to pass in such a way that even our most frustrating steps are set before us that we might enjoy the good works, that He set before us. Because we have been created in Christ Jesus, and therefore it is all Him, and not us and the works themselves are a great part of His divine grace to us. – Mike