Turning a Mountain into a Mole Hill

If you listen to Christian radio at all – say K-Love or Air One – then you have no doubt heard Jason Castro’s latest hit single, “It’s Only a Mountain.”  Probably multiple times a day, in all reality.  At times I get extremely frustrated that the DJs play the same song over and over and over again.  Don’t they communicate with one another, or leave a list of the songs they played during their individual shifts, so as not to play the same song 13 times every single day?  I’m not a music expert or anything, nor do I follow any particular singer or band, but I would think that Jason Castro sang more than one song for his newest album. 

Upon further consideration, I realized a couple of things.

11)     Not everyone listens to the radio all day long like me.  (I just have it on in the house as we go about our day.)  And so, perhaps not everyone hears “It’s Only a Mountain” while they are feeding the kiddos breakfast, and then again when handing out the morning snack, or once more while making lunch, and yet again during the chaotic diaper-changing-eat-another-snack frenzy, or one last time when you’re trying to make supper.  (Funny, how my day seems to revolve around food! J)  And who can forget the middle of the night helping your child go to the bathroom or the frantic search for the lost blanket that simply must be found before said child can go back to sleep after waking up from a bad dream? (I also have the radio playing in Coralyn’s room, sort of like a noise-maker.)

22)     Perhaps, I NEED to hear the same song over and over and over and over again.  Maybe God is trying to tell me something, and He’s using that particular song to get His point across.

And so rather than get annoyed when “It’s Only a Mountain” comes on for the 8^th time, I just smile and start singing along, reminding myself that God is indeed able to do more than I can even begin to imagine.  That “big, huge problem” I am facing in life certainly seems like an impassable mountain to me.  Yet, there’s no way around it, and so I am left with no choice but to climb that steep, rocky path that has been laid before me.  Or am I?

According to Jason Castro, my “big, huge problem,” is ONLY a mountain.   

This is only a mountain
You don’t have to find your way around it
Tell it to move, it’ll move
Tell it to fall, it’ll fall
This is only a moment
You don’t have to let your fear control it
Tell it to move, it’ll move

See, simple.  No big deal.  JUST tell that mountain to move, and it will. 

Am I the only one who tends to think, “Yeah, riiiiight,” and let out a deep sigh?

Of course, I don’t want to say this out loud.  Oh, no.  I’m a good little Christian girl.  I’ve heard the Scripture Castro is referencing since before I could walk. 

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them.

“I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed,

you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move.

Nothing would be impossible. ” 

~Matthew 17:20

And yet, somehow, I still lack faith. 

I guess Jason Castro knew that about me (and many others too, I think).  He reminds me:

And I know it looks big
And I know you feel small
But just a little bit of faith can change it all
Change it all

Faith…it’s a funny thing, isn’t it?  The author of Hebrews tells us, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”

Well, I for one certainly can’t see how in the world we are going to be able to sell our house, have enough money to pay off what we still owe, and make a down payment on a new house.  That seems like a big, huge, steep, rocky mountain to me.  Maybe even a whole range of mountains. 

Castro just won’t let me give up though.  He urges me:

Ask like you believe it
Trust like you can see it
Take your fear and say
There’s nothing in your way, no oh
Even when it looks big
Even when you feel small
Just a little bit of faith can change it all

That reminds me of yet another passage I have known since childhood.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.

He will not rebuke you for asking. 

But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone.

Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty

is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 

Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 

Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

~James 1:5-8

Often, I follow up Jason Castro’s song with a more child-friendly rendition, complete with actions:

            My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty.

            There’s nothing my God cannot do.

            The mountains are His, the rivers are His, the stars are His handiwork too.

            My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty.

            There’s nothing my God cannot do FOR YOU!

As I sing to the kiddos, I have to tell myself to really, truly believe the words.

I guess that is what Lawrence and I are doing.  We are scared and unsure, as we have no idea how things are going to work out, seeing as how the situation is humanly impossible.  At the same time, though, we are excited and confident, as we trust God to take care of us, to provide, to come through as only He can. 

We feel as we simply MUST take this step of faith.  If we are going to be doers of the Word, if we are going to live in obedience to our God, if we are going to follow after Jesus with every fiber of our being, then we have no other option.  We may not know all the details, but we are certain that God has called us to move into the Kellybrook area.  We feel the burden He has placed on our hearts for the students (and their families).  We have seen God open doors and provide opportunities for us to reach out to these kiddos, to mentor and disciple them.  We cannot ignore the need for these boys and girls to not only know Jesus as their personal Savior, but to grow up learning how to live boldly and passionately for Him, no matter the cost.

And so, we are moving forward in putting our house on the market, officially.  Like NOW. 

Yes, there may be a “mountain” in front of us, but with God’s help (and yours…more to come on that later), we are going to tell this mountain to move.  Then, we are going to watch as our Mighty God turns this mountain into a tiny, little itty bitty mole hill.  And we will be amazed and give Him all glory, praise, and honor that is due His marvelous and majestic name!