Rubbing noses with a mountain

If you've ever looked at a picture of the mountains, you can't help but gain a sense of awe for their beauty. And if your like me, often times thinking you're more special than you really are, you look at those mountains and say, "I could summit that." But, as the host of one of my favorite TV shows, Bear Grylls of Man vs. Wild, often says, "You can never tell how big a mountain is until you rub noses with it." A few days ago, I had the pleasure of rubbing noses with a quaint mountain in Colorado, Mt. Humboldt, and my perspective not only of that mountain, seen only in a picture before, but also of God was adjusted a bit.
My friend and I arrived at the trailhead to begin our hike up the 14,064 ft. peak, elated and full of pride. The peak looked much less daunting 7 miles away on the road to the wilderness area, but now it seemed to be looming over us, tempering our elation a bit. Onward we went. The further up the trail we ascended, the more and more I began to appreciate the power this peak possessed. It was only about 2 miles to the summit from our start point, and stopping had become an all too frequent part of the trek. We arrived at the summit nearly 4 1/2 hours after our initial elation, and once on top the reality of how small I really am hit me. It was as if that mountain could have swallowed me with no effort, but it didn't, it allowed me to stand there seeing the world from its perspective and I was thankful. Thankful that I could stand, thankful that I could see, thankful that I could feel so small.
After coming back down that peak and arriving home a couple of days later, I laid in bed thinking how much my perspective was changed that afternoon. Not only was I able to stand atop a 14,000 foot mountain, but I am able to stand before the Triune God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Able to stand before Him because He stood below with me. He took my perspective by becoming a man, all the while remaining fully God, so that I might have the privilege of "rubbing noses" with Him.