Moving my Mt. McKinley

One of the roads I travel often goes up and down a hill. As I get to the top, if it's a clear day, I can see in the distance the Alaska Range with its beautiful, snow capped tall mountains that extend through the horizon. This morning was one of those clear days. As I was nearing the top of the hill I was wondering if I would be able to see the range. Sure enough, down in the distance, the mountains rose majestically. And then, just to the side, as I started going down the hill I could see it: Mt. McKinley. At more than 20 thousand feet high, it is the highest mountain in North America and it easily rises above all the other mountains of the Alaska Range. It is impressive!

As I contemplated the beautiful scene in front of me, I compared Mt. McKinley to all my problems. At the moment they seem huge and even though God has been giving me peace and strength, I am very well aware of what's going on in my life. But just as I was comparing that huge mountain to my trials, God brought to my mind that Jesus had once said that if I have faith like a mustard seed I can say to a mountain to move and it will move ( Matthew 17:20.) So right there and then I told my big mountain of problems and trials to move out of my way and then I rejoiced in the fact that God had honored my little mustard seed size faith.

Notice how the Bible text doesn't say that the mountain will disappear. It says that it will move from here to there. What I've just learned is that asking God to move the mountain is not asking God to make my trials go away, but asking that my trials won't get on my way. As the big mountain moves, I have a clear path before me with no distractions, no obstacles, no worries. God is in control and taking care of it all for me.

Last night before going to sleep I was telling God that a small part of me really wanted to complain about everything that is going on, but at the same time how could I when He's been so Wonderful in spite of it all? He then led me to read Psalm 29.

"Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. The voice of the Lord is powerful, majestic. His voice breaks the cedars. The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning and shakes the desert. 

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood. 

The Lord is enthroned as King forever."

As I read these words I didn't quite understand how this was the comfort I was needing, although I did acknowledge that God is all powerful and above everything. Maybe God was helping me understand that He's bigger than my trials?

But then the last verse brought it all home.

" The Lord gives strength to His people; 

the Lord blesses His people with peace." 

Psalm 29:11

This God who is bigger than anything, who is powerful to shake the deserts and make flashes of lightning with His voice; the God who sits in His throne as King forever, is the same God who gives me strength and blesses me with peace.What a wonderful promise God gave me last night.

And this promise is for you too. How's your life? Are your problems becoming too overwhelming?  Maybe there is sickness in your family, or maybe heartache. Maybe your children are not making the wisest decisions. Are you having financial difficulties? Is your marriage in distress? Or maybe you're having a difficult time with school or work. Are there broken relationships or misunderstandings in your life? How big is your mountain? Is it getting bigger and bigger? However big, God wants to remove it out of your way and give you a smooth path in front of you. He also promises you strength and peace. Hold on to those promises. Trouble free eternal life is just around the corner!

Photo by Bill Kasper

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Matthew 17:20

" The Lord gives strength to His people; 

the Lord blesses His people with peace." 

Psalm 29:11