This beautiful picture is Cady Ridge as seen from Lake Sally Ann on the Pacific Crest Trail. What you do not see is how hard, steep, and dry the Cady Ridge trail is, especially carrying heavy packs and camera gear. Though once there, the beauty made it worth all the effort, but if you would have asked me during the grind up the mountain, I would have said turn back. Fortunately, I hiked with a friend who carried the tent and stove. We persevered for no other reason then each other. We both had unspoken thoughts, wondering if this was worth the exhausting effort, but kept on because the other kept on.

Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 makes a similar statement about eternal glory:

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

When we come together in Christ it is not just to worship, but to encourage each other to keep on. To remind one another other that one day we will see God’s glory and be filled with great joy.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Hold on, take another step, we can do this together with God’s help. Someday we will stand before the throne and it will be a thousand times more glorious than beautiful Cady Ridge.