A long time ago, the Prophet Moses ascended a mountain called Pisgah. From that lofty perspective, he was able to view the land below, where his people would settle, after their escape from slavery in Egypt. Since those days of ancient history, Moses’ last ascent before leaving this world has been an inspiration for many people.
Several millennia of time have passed since that Exodus ascent.
In our present era, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke prophetically on the night before he was assassinated in Memphis in 1968. Harkening back to Moses’ historic example, our nation’s pioneering Civil Rights leader said:
“. . . I just want to do God’s will. And he’s allowed me to go up to the mountain, and I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land!”
Dr. King was one of many Americans who have found inspiration in the mountaintop quest and its accompanying experiential peak.
For instance, on a lighter note, John Denver brought forth a song in 1972, about his personal mountaintop challenge, a life-changing experience on a Rocky Mountain peak. In one verse, he sang: “. . . Colorado Rocky Mountain high, I’ve seen it raining fire in the sky. You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply. Rocky Mountain high. . .”
I, too, have had mountaintop moments of inspiration. In 1975, I left my homeland in the Deep South and moved to Asheville. Near that vibrant North Carolina city, I ascended Mt. Pisgah, which had been named after the biblical peak from which Moses glimpsed the promised land.
During my 5-year season in Asheville, I attempted to start a newspaper, which we named The Eagle. On the masthead was printed a line from Denver’s song: “. . . though he would be a poor man if he never saw an eagle fly.”
The newspaper didn’t pan out. But at least, I won't be a poor man. haha!. We saw our Eagle fly for a few issues. . . I suppose, just for the experience of it. The learning experience was worth the effort. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, eh? Now I write novels and blogs. Go figure.
But soon after that, I was given, thanks to Tom Behrens, access to a Nashville sound studio. Among the eleven songs that I managed to record there, Mountaintop was my tribute to Moses and to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The song was included in my 1977 album, Something for Everyone, Songs of Rowland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3hQNMr0A48
This tribute song and five others can also be heard on Spotify:
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