Though the Mountains Fall
Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer
On November 10, 1975, an American cargo ship, the Edmond Fitzgerald, sank in Lake Superior. Her fate might have been a footnote in the history of the Great Lakes except for folk singer and songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. His hit song, “The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald,” was released on his Summertime Dream album in August of the following year, and the shipwreck became part of late 20th century pop culture. A line from the song goes, “The searchers all say they’d have made Whitefish Bay/ If they’d put fifteen more miles behind her.” That’s how close the ship came to refuge from the storm.
The word “refuge” means “a place, condition, or feeling of safety, shelter, or protection from danger, trouble, or distress.”[2] The definition implies the need for escape from something. In general terms, I suggest that “thing” can be summed up in one word, “chaos.” In its basic modern meaning, chaos is confusion, disorganization, and unpredictability.[3] Our word comes from the Latin with its roots in the Greek. Both the ancient and modern philosophical implications of the word are far deeper than the basic definition suggests. Over the centuries much has been written about the tension between chaos and order covering such diverse fields as the physical sciences, psychology, sociology, and religion. While in religion much has been discussed about the dichotomy of order and chaos, we want to narrow our discussion to Christian theology.[4]
Broadly there are four main theological areas of discussion: the creation where God spoke order out of primordial chaos (Gen. 1 and 2); the fall where human rebellion introduces both moral and natural chaos (Gen. 3); redemption where Jesus experienced the chaos of sin and death in His crucifixion and order in His transformed person in His resurrection (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:13-14; Heb. 9:12); and the new creation to be revealed in full as described in Revelation where chaos is eliminated and harmony is restored in the New Jerusalem.
While there are overlaps in the Christian view of chaos and order and the Jewish one, there is much that is different. The following is an extremely simplified comparison. Jewish thought focuses on the chaos of our world turned to order as a joint project to be completed by humans working with God in obedience to Torah. Christian thought sees chaos as a distortion of perfect order that God will restore with the elimination of the chaotic. This difference between Christian and Jewish thought is important in our understanding of the Book of Psalms. The imagery of chaos in the Psalms is seldom abstractly philosophical but addresses the terrifying reality of the chaotic nature of the world the writers encounter through vivid imagery and deep emotional distress. Referring to the Jewish understanding of God helping them bring order out of chaos, the Psalms also present an absolute trust in God, their provider and protector, to overcome and restrain chaos with His perfect order, power, and timing. The authors implore the Lord for His aid to fulfill the Law and Covenant promises He has given them so they may live with Him in “…the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells” (Ps. 46:4).
In the conflict between order and chaos let us come back to the first verse of Psalm 46, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” As we look at this promise of refuge from the chaotic reality of our world through a Christian lens, we find the same hope of protection and help the author envisioned. We do not need to fear even though “…the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” or in any other chaotic calamity (Ps. 46:2). We can come to the God of Order and know all is well for, as Jesus said:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:1-3
And we know that even now through prayer we can be in that ultimate refuge.
Reflection Questions:
1. What do you identify as chaotic in your experience? What is orderly?
2. How do you deal with both chaos and order in your life? If we think of prayers about chaos as petitions and prayers about order as praise, do you regularly address prayers to both conditions?
3. How does knowing you can seek refuge in prayer change the way you face our chaotic world? Are you encouraged to know you are not helpless in a hapless world? Are there changes to your prayers you should make to take advantage of the refuge available to you?
(Photo description and credit: Considering God’s original design for creation was one of order, we should see glimpses of orderly beauty and balance in the imperfect world we know. I find those qualities in this photo. Credit: R. A. Stites, Native flower garden, Visitor’s Center, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Kentucky, July 2025.)
[1] Quote from the wreck of the edmund fitzgerald lyrics – Google Search, source is Lyric Find.
[2] Quote from definition of refuge – Google Search. The definition comes from the Merrium-Webster online dictionary.
[3] CHAOS Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster.
[4] If you would like to follow my research outline on chaos and order, it is summarized in the following: chaos verses order – Google Search.
