Some people speak of finding ultimate peace of mind in Tibet or rock climbing in the Alps. Perhaps it’s not surprising that we call spiritual epiphanies “mountaintop” experiences. Others talk about their experience of seeing the Dalai Lama, the spectacle of the Mass, or experiencing “transcendence” at a Hindu ashram or Buddhist temple. Some travel great distances to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment: to Lourdes in the hope of experiencing a miracle or at more Protestant venues, like Toronto or Pensacola to “catch the blessing.” We are always looking for revival: something exciting, awe-inspiring, and majestic. Newsweek is not likely to send a reporter to your church next Sunday simply because the Word will be preached. That is not where the action is. And yet, Paul tells us, that is exactly where the Spirit is miraculously at work in his grace. It is precisely here where he unites us to Christ and gives us his gifts. Sometimes we make “spiritual disciplines” a way of making our way up the mountain to experience God. However, unless we are going regularly to the Scriptures to find Christ and crying out to him for salvation in prayer, even personal Bible reading and prayer can become methods of idolatry and self-trust.
– Michael Horton, The Gospel-Driven Life, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2009. p. 106.
