Mountains and valleys

I was reading in Mark 9 today about the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountaintop. Three disciples experienced this event, Peter, James and John. What an experience it must have been for them. They got to see and experience things that no one else had and no one else would. Not only did they see things, but they heard the voice of God speak. It was a mountaintop experience in their life of faith. Of course the disciple with a foot shaped mouth (Peter) wanted to stay on the mountaintop. I do not know if he wanted to stay permanently or just for a short time, but the fact that he wanted to build some shelters suggests a little longer than a day. Peter forgot about the people that waited in the valley below. As we examine the next part of the story we see that there was much need in the valley. There were people who were hostile to Jesus and were arguing with his disciples. Evil was running rampant in people's lives. There were people hurting that needed help. There was unbelief and there were others struggling in their faith. There were still many who did not understand and that included the disciples of Jesus. They needed the message of the mountain to be brought to them. Yes it is true that Jesus told the disciples not to talk about what they saw, but still the truth should have been evident in their lives and their ministry. They should have had a renewed passion for Him and for His message. I think the lesson for us is clear. We will often have a mountaintop experience with God. Hopefully it will be in a worship service, but it could just as well be through our quiet time with God. It could be through some event that God has orchestrated in our lives to reveal Himself. The point is that we all have those experiences that draw us closer to God. The problem is that we want to keep it to ourselves. We want to maintain that closeness and we forget that we are to share what we know with those in the valley below. There are those who are enemies of the gospel and they needed to be challenged with the gospel truth. There is evil present and we must overcome evil with good. There are those who are hurting and we must minister to them with the love of Christ. There are those who are unbelieving and we must help them to believe. There are those who are struggling in their faith and are doubting and we must be there to strengthen their faith and help them overcome their doubts. There are those who do not understand the truth and we must teach them the truth. Some of these people are our family, such as Peter's brother Andrew who was not a part of the mountaintop experience. Others are our friends, such as the other 9 disciples. But all of them are people for whom Jesus gave His life and whom He loves. We must come down from the mountaintop and deliver the message of hope to a valley that is in deep need of the message we have to share. Have you been to any mountain tops lately? More importantly have you been ministering in any valleys? Both exists and we need to make sure the message from the mountaintop is shared in the valleys below.