My favourite element in all creation is altitude.
Elevation: the invitation to climb higher.
Whether that be the summit of some rock or the top of some tree,
It beckons me, the potential to be way up there,
Hidden stairs into a new sphere.

I hear that nature reveals the character of the creator,
From the warm embrace of the sun,
To the invisible yet invigorating wind.
The relentless waves of the ocean
Echoing the Kingdom’s forward motion,
Like an unstoppable stampede or the growth of a seed.
See, he is the reason and the power that everything exists
And this explains the bliss tucked up and way in tree tops.
Spiritual rest stops that God drops like “I love you” notes.

I climbed when I was young, eyeing every tree and boulder,
And though I’m older the only thing that changed is the why.
My God meets me in between branches four stories high
Or as I perch upon a rock ledge like a bird about to fly.
I have found more words to describe my grounds for leaving the ground;
It is all wound up in an upwards pull,
A tangible sense of proximity to the Holy,
As he holds me safely above the world.

I feel the appeal of elevation deep within my soul.
My goal is to go as high as I can,
Drawn on by a blend of factors.
Firstly: adventure.
The challenge of the climb,
The intense time of struggle,
As I say goodbye to gravity.
Secondly: the deep sense of calm that comes
As I rest on a strong branch or plateau.
My heart slows as I slip into a secret sanctuary not visible from down below.
Within the bubble of altitude I find solitude and relaxation,
Like a mini-vacation from the world’s anxiety.
Which brings me to attraction number three: I see differently from the top of a tree,
A new viewpoint appears and my mind clears.
I glimpse a more objective God’s-eye-view,
A true perspective on life’s problems.

I know that for many, heights are quite scary,
But I can barely imagine what that would be like.
And I suppose that some other aspect of nature points them towards the master crafter,
But from my angle, elevation is literally above all others.

So, maybe it’s just me, but God feels like a maple tree begging to be climbed,
Or a monolithic mountain demanding mankind to ascend.
It would offend the majesty to simply ignore that request,
Staying safely in the valley when such beauty is so close.
I find this thought exciting, that he is inviting us to experience more.
The door to heaven is eager to be knocked,
Like that house on Halloween with a hundred pumpkins on the porch.
Or a Porsche’s acceleration, built for more than the speed limit.
We were made to race towards him; it’s all there under the hood.

We should respond to his invitation with a resounding “Yes!”
Let’s press into the adventure, rising to the challenge.
Refusing to give up and persevering through setbacks.
Let’s relax in his presence, trusting that he is in control.
He is holding us in his arms with perfect love and security.
Let’s learn to see from a heavenly perspective,
Transformed by the renewing of our minds.

I love to climb.
God made me this way, just like I love to rhyme and dance and play.
Altitude is just one of the ways he meets me and he speaks to us all uniquely.
Perhaps you don’t like height, but he has an invite for you too.
Maybe it’s written in sunlight or water drops,
But for me – for me it’s in tree tops.