Safe in Your Arms - A Reflection

'Cause nothing can move me
The mountains crumble at your feet
I'm safe in your arms
In your arms

This stanza is from a song by an amazing worship leader whom I love. For a long time, I had liked it - something about it always moves my heart. This morning as I huddled with my guitar in the warmth of my lil' room, with my windows all fogged up from the cold, wet air outside, I sang it again like so many other times - but I felt something different.

The mountains crumble at your feet...

You know, reflection is a tricky thing. Think 'mirror'. Without light, you can hardly see anything. You need a source of light somewhere near you. Near enough to have light rays bounce off the glass surface, like a prism, and colors come in to play. Or imagine a desk lamp right next to your laptop in front of you, adjustable for wherever you want more light to fall. On your notes. On your keyboard. On your book.

But have you ever pointed a spotlight right into a mirror? It gets too strong you have to turn away. Just a bit of light, and you get enough illumination in the darkness. Too much light, and you have to turn away 'cause it hurts to look into it.

So I reflect.

I like light. I like being able to see. I like illumination at the right spots, and beauty that comes from sparkles, glitter and brilliance. I like painting with light - photography. I like the dance that a candle flame does when a slight breeze slips in to its space. Question: does light ever fall on the wrong places? We may not like what it reveals or illuminates...

I reflect this morning on the fact that what I consider "mountains" in life - they can crumble. In fact, they don't just crumble, but they crumble at the feet of my Mountain-Maker. It hurts as I step into the light of this truth. Because what becomes highlighted is my self-reliance and independence and prayerlessness. I move from the shadows into the spotlight of truth. It feels almost unbearable to come to terms with our humanness sometimes (or should I speak only for myself, and say 'my humanness'?) I'm faced with this realization that I've been wanting mountains to crumble at MY feet, not Yours, Lord. They're not even MY mountains, so how dare I? At that, I turn away, afraid to look. My eyes squint in a pained frown, because my heart still faces You, though my eyes are turned away. God, Your truth drowns my heart in too bright a light, yet it refuses to blink.

'Cause nothing can move me

Sometimes, in moments like this, I squeeze my eyes shut and cover my lips. What can be said? What can be prayed? Except...it is in verbal silence, where the heart remains unsilenced, the unspoken is unspoken no more. And I ask without words, "Would You have the mountains crumble at Your dear feet, my Lord? I cannot have it any other way, or I would die trying."

I want to KNOW I'm safe in the arms of my Maker.
Though I know, I want to KNOW.
Not only shall my ears hear of You Let my eyes see You also.
The eyes of my heart.
The eyes of my heart.
The eyes of my heart that refuse to be blinded by Your light.

Reflection, with You, is undeniable beauty,
I want my independence, God, to flee;
Today I come and fall at Your feet,
Where me and these mountains meet.
May Your brilliance crumble them all,
Let them crumble, Lord, let them fall.
Oh, but though I too crumble, let me remain humbled, chided,
In Your arms where I am sheltered, forever carried.

I'm safe in Your arms
Safe in Your arms...