“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3-4).
The final destination of all souls journeying toward heaven is Christ. He is at the center because He is equally connected to all who belong to God. Everything at the center is shared by all—and Christ is the meeting place. He is the refuge, the secure mountain to which everyone must ascend. And those who climb this mountain must never come down again.
It is there, on high, that protection is found. Christ is the mountain of refuge, and He is at the Father’s right hand, for He ascended to heaven after perfectly fulfilling the divine will. But not everyone is on the way to this mountain. The promise is not for just anyone. Only those who truly believe and obey have access to the eternal refuge God has prepared.
Believing that Jesus was sent by the Father is essential—but it is not everything. The soul must obey God’s mighty Law, revealed by the prophets of the Old Testament and by Jesus Himself. True faith goes hand in hand with sincere obedience. Only those who believe and obey are received by Christ and led to the place He has prepared. —Adapted from Augustine of Hippo. Until tomorrow, if the Lord allows.
Pray with me: My Lord and God, I thank You for placing Your Son at the center of everything, as my firm rock and eternal refuge. I know that outside of Christ there is no salvation, and He is the one I want to turn to every day of my life.
Strengthen my faith so that I may truly believe that Jesus was sent by You. And give me an obedient heart, so that I may sincerely keep all Your mighty Law and the commandments You gave through the prophets and Your own Son. I do not want merely to climb the mountain—I want to remain on it, steadfast in obedience and faith.
O most holy God, I adore and praise You for showing me the way of salvation. Your beloved Son is my eternal Prince and Savior. Your mighty Law is the steep path that leads to the summit of Your presence. Your holy commandments are like sure steps that draw me away from the world and bring me closer to heaven. I pray in the precious name of Jesus, amen.