Higher, Better…More, More, More

I could see the mountains of Petra in the distance and I heard the sweetest sound—silence. But sitting near the top of that mountain in Wadi Musa, Jordan, I only wanted one more thing…to go higher.

Mountain in Jordan

Pulling myself over the rocks onto the next ledge, I found what I expected…an even more amazing, breathtaking view. As I hiked up the mountain my desire to go higher only seemed to increase. The higher I got, the more I wanted to keep going. I wanted to see what it felt like to be on the top, as high as I could possibly go.

But no matter how high I climbed, there was always a higher peak. No matter how long I kept going, there would always be somewhere higher to go. As a young man, I just wanted more—more height, a better view, a more intense thrill…more, more, more.

What people want

Isn’t that what people want? More money, more toys, more love, more time…more anything.

Wanting more has been a human trait from the beginning. Adam and Eve wanted more than what God said they could have in the Garden of Eden. Solomon had hundreds of wives, but it wasn’t enough. Our human nature leaves us with a constant hole, a longing for something better, something…more. But what are we really looking for?

• Money? It buys all sorts of physical things that bring temporary happiness, but it leaves you still feeling incomplete.

• Fame? Movie stars fall into addictions and bad relationships because they still don’t feel content.

• Love? Even people in happy marriages feel that there has to be something better, something more.

• Time? People seek the fountain of youth so they can live forever, but who really wants to live forever if eternity is spent with this desire for more?

Finding more

Mankind has not been able to find the answer for thousands of years…well, at least not the majority of them. Some have, however, found the solution, a hope for something better. With this hope comes abundance, love and eternity filled with meaning and contentment.

This solution is not something people can find among themselves. God created the world and all that is in it for us to enjoy within His law, but He also created us with this desire for more: “He has put eternity in their hearts” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Only one thing can fulfill that desire—a relationship with the Creator of the universe as a member of His family.

To learn more about that fascinating biblical book check out “Ecclesiastes: The Thinking Young Adult’s Guide to Life.”

The urge for more doesn’t end as soon as you begin to build this relationship with God—it actually intensifies. You find yourself longing even more for something better. The difference is that you can now see the more in sight as He reveals to you the truth about His plan for you. He wants to give you more…blessings, love and eternal life.

The desire for more is not a negative experience if fulfilled in the right way. What God has in store for us in the future is more than we can ever dream of—it’s even more than the more we long for.

Until this desire is fulfilled, don’t give up! Press on toward something better. God will help bring you to new, breathtaking heights. Think vertically, reach high—never stop climbing! VT

- About the Author -

Zach Smith and his wife, Emily, are currently volunteering on a 10-month project in Amman, Jordan, as a member of the United Youth Corps.

Lessons From a Teeter-Totter

Have you ever seen a horse on a teeter-totter?

This is a familiar sight at my grandpa’s secluded farm on the outskirts of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he trains the Cincinnati Mounted Patrol to navigate their horses through an unusual obstacle course. The course includes fluttering balloons, gunshots, a narrow “tunnel” filled with trash, sirens, his flaming arch of fire and, of course, an oversized teeter-totter!

The need to learn

Without this training the average horse would quickly panic in a downtown atmosphere. As prey animals, horses are naturally skittish around the unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells that are brimming in any city.

Even after rigorous training, horse-human teams still encounter unexpected difficulties. For example, a mounted unit in Florida cornered and almost caught two drug dealers. But the criminals escaped because an officer’s horse refused to jump the guardrail! After hearing this story, Grandpa incorporated a guardrail jump into his obstacle course.

Grandpa trains horses

Grandpa has run a thriving horse training business for over 40 years and has worked with the Cincinnati Mounted Patrol the last 20 years. He enjoys this success because his training principles work! When I asked him what his secret was, Grandpa explained, “I train horses the same way God trains us.”

Let me explain. Horses operate by instinct; submission to man is a foreign concept. They must be taught to understand our commands and to obey them. Similarly, man operates by human nature, which is naturally contrary to God’s way (see Galatians 5:17). We both (horses and humans) learn to obey because there are consequences: rewards for doing right and punishment for disobedience (see Genesis 4:7).

Consequences for a horse come in the form of physical pressure and release. In order to win a horse’s respect and submission, Grandpa must be very consistent in always applying the correct amount of pressure at the right time. As crucial as that is, it is even more important to release at the exact instant the horse yields. This principle of pressure and release is effective for every sort of training, from the mundane habit of picking up their feet to the more extraordinary feat of walking through fire!

God trains us

Since human nature is inherently contrary to God’s way, we wouldn’t know how to please Him or how to live a godly life without His revealed word, the Bible. Yet we have so much to gain from obeying the commands of the Being who “wrote” the laws of the universe and instructs us for our good (see Deuteronomy 10:13).

Humanly, many of God’s instructions don’t make sense. For instance, “What’s so important about keeping the Sabbath?” Our human discernment doesn’t grasp the significance. (Check out God’s Sabbath Rest.)

Remember the horse that refused to jump the guardrail? Though he didn’t see the urgency, his rider knew why jumping the guardrail was so essential. Likewise, we need to trust that God in His infinite wisdom discerns far beyond our limited perception. When we obey Him on faith, we reap His blessings and avoid the negative consequences of sin.

Just as these fine horses are tested, you can learn more by taking this Vertical Thought test on Bible study questions called “What Is Faith?”

Police horses enjoy a healthy relationship built on trust and respect as they learn to obey their riders. As we learn to trust and obey God, we not only have the opportunity to live a good life now (see 1 Timothy 4:8), but to live a fantastic life for eternity! VT

- About the Author -

Shannon and her grandfather, Emmett Wayne, are from Cincinnati, Ohio. Shannon attends the United Church of God and studies chemical engineering, and Emmett is still training horses at 84.