Running, Noah, and the mountains of life

Well my self discipline regime at least in some small part was just outworked as I was up at 6:30am this morning and went for a good run...I know crazy, Also Im well behind in my one year bible reading as the last few days have been strange with being away at church, I know its no excuse in fact I had a really good time with some of the guys from Uni last night and I said about how I think that its sucks that discipline only works for me when its a timetable or regime but I want to live LIFE and have the spirit of God so inside me that how ever life goes or whatever situation is that Ill really have a longing for his word and his presence. Anyway I was reading the Noah story this morning (When I have time Im trying to read the bits I missed as I started on the 7th!..but I dont think Ill really go at the bits I missed until after exams) and its incredible in the old testament such a picture of Grace to Human kind, God could have finished it there and then, when we are disgusted by something we would just throw it away if we had the means to but, God told some crazy guy Noah to get a bunch of Animals and an early prototype of titanic! Also another thing about the Noah story is, you seldom here in any kids bible story books that Noah got off the boat and found the closest off licence, he got drunk and naked! Doesnt sound like the biblical hero I was taught about when I was a kid, but I think again this is a great picture of human condition, sinful yet loved by God, even the greatest men were failures and these days we can have assurance of salvation even through our failures, I cant remember who said it, but I think it was John quoting somebody, who said the view from the mountaintop is great but not much gets done on the mountain top, its in the valley where to battles are won and lost, where the action happens, where life is lived, where grace is experienced, so mountain tops are great, they stir our hearts, inspire us, make us passionate, remind us there’s more to life than the valley, but the rubber hits the road when we outwork the things that've been revealed on the mountain top. Heres to battling in the valley......