16th December

Written by Julie Hackney

Go, tell it on the mountain

‘Go, tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and ev’rywhere’

When my husband, Mark and I go on holiday with our Border Terrier, Fred, we like to be amongst the mountains and hills. The destinations we love are The Lake District and North Wales. Our favourite view in The Lakes is of the Cumbrian Fells as you travel towards Windermere and they suddenly loom before you. We have seen them in sunshine, and crowned with clouds. Sometimes you can’t see them at all but you know they’re there.

In Wales it’s the view of Snowdonia as you leave Anglesey via the Britannia Bridge. We have seen Snowdon against blue skies and topped with snow. Sometimes you can’t see it at all but you know it’s there.

Once we took the train to the summit of Snowdon. It was a beautiful day and we looked down with awe at the wonder of God’s creation.

Genesis tells us that it was on the third day that God created mountains and hills and there are numerous mentions of them in the Bible, more than five hundred, in fact.

Moses receives the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. On the Mount of Olives, Jesus prays before his crucifixion. Jesus’ transformation takes place on Mount Tabor. The Mount of the Beatitudes is where Jesus delivers his Sermon on the Mount.

My favourite Psalm is the King James Bible version of number 121, which begins: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help?”.

The hills symbolise the stability and constancy of God. We don’t get to see God himself but, just like the hills on a misty day, as Christians, our faith tells us he is always there.

There may be no mountains right on our doorsteps but that can’t stop us sharing the good news of Jesus’ birth with our families, friends, the people we meet in our daily lives and through our Christmas cards and greetings.

So, however you can, at Christmas and always, “Go, tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born”.