When the Mountains Fall

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Psalm 46:1-2


The names roll off the tongue: Grandfather Mountain, Beech Mountain, Sugar Mountain, Blowing Rock, Chimney Rock, Table Rock and many more. These names are familiar to those of us raised in North Carolina. For my family, they evoke memories of summer camping trips and winter Christmas tree expeditions. As long as we have been traveling to the mountains of North Carolina, there has been change. Towns grow. Big box stores spring up. New restaurants appear. Old favorites close. Ah! But the mountains with their recognizable silhouettes, bumps and ridges, they remain the same.

There is a comfort in their familiarity, in their seemingly unchanging nature. As we drive the twisting mountain roads, we orient ourselves by the identifiable contours of each mountain. They dominate the horizon. They define the landscape. They help us know where we are when the roads are turning back on themselves. We all need dependable reference points, and not just while driving in the mountains. We need them in our physical, spiritual and emotional lives. When so much is changing and uncertain, we come to depend upon those “unchanging mountains” in our lives.


Our “mountains” have different names, but they define the landscape of our lives just the same. We call them things like good health, a secure job, healthy parents, a loving spouse, a happy family, financial security, a stable government, or a united church home. What happens to us when one of our mountains crashes into the sea? Suddenly, we are thrust into unfamiliar territory. Often we become disoriented. Our horizon is altered, sometimes drastically. We have to find another way to navigate the sharp curves of life.


Now there is good news. Even if one or more of your mountains has crashed into the sea, there is a way to have a point of reference that never changes. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Everything else is temporary. Nations fall. Nations rise. People are born and people die. Marriages begin and marriages end. Parents become dependents and dependents become parents, all way too early. The only true security available to us is Christ. He is our Rock, our true Mountain. Everyone and everything else are road signs, pointing us to our Creator and Sustainer.


God designed us to be in fellowship, first with Him and then with others. He works through other people in our lives to reveal His love for us. It is not wrong to grieve when we lose someone or something of importance. We were made to love; therefore we will grieve when that love is lost. However, we do stumble into trouble when we turn things around and begin to worship the gifts instead of the Giver, regardless of how precious the gifts.


The temporary blessings of this earth are just that, temporary. What temporary blessing has God removed? Did you make the mistake of thinking it was permanent? We all do. Did it ever occur to you that you had so much to lose because God had given you so much in the first place? Psalm 121:1-2 says the following:

I will lift my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

Whatever difficulties you are facing now, whatever your horizon looks like, whatever mountains have slipped into the sea, look up. Look to the Lord. He is there waiting to hold you, to comfort you, to guide you. You are not alone. He will not leave you an orphan. He is always with you. He will supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19). He never changes. Let Him love you today.