"And this mountain that's in front of me can be thrown into the midst of the sea."
It Is Well With My Soul is probably my favorite hymn. Several years ago, I sang it to audition for the music department in college, so the song itself has sentimental value to me, but the lyrics are an absolutely beautiful reminder of the Lord's promises and the peace they bring. I can appreciate some attempts to bring the truths in classic hymns to modern audiences and church congregations, but there is one line from the song "It Is Well" (Bethel? Hillsong? I honestly don't know.) that makes me a bit uncomfortable whenever we sing it in church. The line is "And this mountain that's in front of me will be thrown into the midst of the sea."
That's it. A simple line that sounds really encouraging, right? A declaration of God's strength. Well, yes, but this one line seems to me a bit like telling God what to do. I could be wrong in my interpretation, and one line (or one word) is not enough to throw the whole song out, so I usually sing "And this mountain that's in front of me can be thrown into the midst of the sea."
Because sometimes God doesn't move the entire mountain. Sometimes He moves relatively small boulders and rocks. Sometimes we have to climb the mountain with Him. Sometimes He forms a mountain pass or a tunnel. But He has promised that we never have to traverse the mountain alone.
And the scenery is always beautiful.
