You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. —Matthew 5: 14-16
Americans have faced serious trials in the last ten months that may or may not have tested their faith in God. However, when a survivor of the Holocaust can say “I believe in God” even when enduring the horrors of genocide and the systematic persecution of their race, I know I want to have that same kind of faith. My own journey of faith has grown and faltered over my lifetime. Since the shutdown, due to the coronavirus in March, my candle has been flickering, growing stronger as conditions improved but then weakening again due to the political climate, racism, and the natural disasters of hurricanes and fires. Innocent lives have been snuffed out, homes and properties destroyed, and Americans have displayed a profound hatred toward others of conflicting political views. My faith was tested. What was happening and how could it be stopped? I know the answer is FAITH, faith that our God is always with us and will provide. I keep looking for simple words I can fall back on in difficult times to keep my faith strong and alive. Sometimes those words for me can be found in a song. Songs and hymns are often a source of comfort in times of need. As I remember the songs of my childhood, I feel my faith come alive and grow. One of those is a gospel song, called God on the Mountain, made popular by Lynda Randle.
The lyrics are so true and simple:
Life is easy, when you’re up on the mountain
And you’ve got peace of mind, like you’ve never known
But thing change, when you’re down in the valley
Don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone.
The second verse continues:
We talk of faith way up on the mountain
But talk comes easy, when life’s at its best
Now it’s down in the valleys, trials and temptations
That’s where your faith is really put to the test.
The beautiful chorus finishes with:
For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley,
When things go wrong, He’ll make them right
And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times
The God of the day, is still God in the night.
We thank you God for the gift of music and the way in which it can refresh us when we are discouraged. Remind us that whether we are up on the mountain top or down in the valley, you are with us, we are not alone. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Bobbi Marino
Read other Advent 2020 Devotionals or download the book as a PDF.