A Mountaintop Retreat
“We will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea…” ~Psalm 46:2
The mountains of western North Carolina are beautiful. They are lush with foliage, often turning beautiful colors in the autumn months. They flow with streams of water, making glad all the wildlife that inhabit the forests. They reverberate with the sounds of creation, as day and night the animals and bugs give glory to God in their songs of life. The mountains point to many biblical truths which serve as helpful and comforting reminders of who God is and what He does for His people.
The first thing we might consider is that the mountains provide elevation above the lower terrain. In times of trouble, people flee to the mountains. The mountains are seemingly immovable. They offer safety from floods. They grant better observation of the horizon. Isn’t God’s Word like this? When you flee to God’s Word, you find immovable promises from the Lord Himself. You find safety for your heart and mind from the constant tug of fallen ideologies. You find perspective, as you are granted a redemptive view of history. The Word of God is like a mountain for God’s people.
Additionally, the Bible speaks of God Himself as a mountain surrounding His people (Psa 125:2). When we feel like the world is falling apart — whether it’s the world around us or our own personal world — we remember that just like a fortress high in the mountains is secure, so too is the Christian surrounded by the God of creation. God Himself is our mountaintop retreat (Psa 46:1). This comforting truth enables the Christian to face any trouble.
Lastly, we must remember that Scripture is bound to use illustrations that resonate with our finite minds. Sometimes this means that we find seemingly contradictory uses of these images. For example, we’ve just seen that the immovability of mountains serves as a picture of God’s presence. But in Psalm 46:2 we read of the mountains being moved into the heart of the sea. Does this mean that God can be moved? Can His promises be laid low? Can His Word crumble? Of course the answer to all these questions is a resounding NO!
What Psalm 46 is showing us is that as great an illustration as the mountains may be, in the final analysis they fall short in capturing the true steadfastness, security, and majesty of God and His Word. Even if the mountains were to be cast into the heart of the sea, we still wouldn’t be moved, for God is greater than the mountains. His word is more enduring than Everest. His promises are more vast than the greatest panorama of the Rockies. His love is more beautiful than even western North Carolina.
Rev. Kyle Lockhart, Pastor of Teaching & Spiritual Formation