Around parts of Sydney harbor are lots of rocky outcroppings and places to climb and explore. Not that I am into that kind of profligate wastage of heartbeats, but it happened to be a nice winter day (which was one good reason to escape to Australia from Dallas in July!) with a sparkling blue unblemished sky, and I just felt I had to climb a rock. At least for a picture. So I did. That’s me. On a rock. In Sydney. Great view of the harbor from there, too.
I kinda felt like the Psalmist.
Lifted high on a rock, above everything else. Great visibility. Easy defensibility. Stable on a rock, grounded, secure, fixed. Hidden in its clefts, protected. Solid, strong, and safe.
The rock-motif is a recurrent one in the Bible. Apparently, actual and literal rocks are few and far between in the Bible! (Well, almost!) Most of the biblical rocks are places of solidity, strength, and safety.
Not surprisingly, many of the biblical rocks are God Himself—solid, strong, and safe.
Solid, strong, and safe. Unshakeable, unsurpassable, and unassailable.
Everywhere, shaken we are, and often. Everything around us shakes. Everything! This is indeed a tremulous world we live, quaking and quivering, threatening to undo us, daring to unseat us. Lagging economy, nagging health, sagging relationships. Everything is jell-O, affording no strength, no solidity, no safety. We need a Rock! Yes, we do!
God alone can provide that strength, solidity, and safety in the shivering and shuddering world we live in.
Jesus talked about the strength and solidity and safety of living a life grounded upon God and His Word.
Ours is a living Rock—our God Himself. Solid, strong, and safe.
I kinda felt like the Psalmist.
For in the day of trouble
He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent
He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.
And now my head will be lifted up
above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy; …
I will sing praises to the LORD.
Psalm 27:5–6
He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent
He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.
And now my head will be lifted up
above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy; …
I will sing praises to the LORD.
Psalm 27:5–6
Lifted high on a rock, above everything else. Great visibility. Easy defensibility. Stable on a rock, grounded, secure, fixed. Hidden in its clefts, protected. Solid, strong, and safe.
The LORD is my rock and
my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, my rock,
in whom I take refuge;
My shield and the
horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:2
my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, my rock,
in whom I take refuge;
My shield and the
horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:2
The rock-motif is a recurrent one in the Bible. Apparently, actual and literal rocks are few and far between in the Bible! (Well, almost!) Most of the biblical rocks are places of solidity, strength, and safety.
He brought me up out of
the pit of destruction,
out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon
a rock making my footsteps firm.
Psalm 40:2
the pit of destruction,
out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon
a rock making my footsteps firm.
Psalm 40:2
Not surprisingly, many of the biblical rocks are God Himself—solid, strong, and safe.
For who is God, but the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God,
Psalm 18:31
And who is a rock, except our God,
Psalm 18:31
Solid, strong, and safe. Unshakeable, unsurpassable, and unassailable.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
My stronghold;
I shall not be greatly shaken.
Psalm 62:2
My stronghold;
I shall not be greatly shaken.
Psalm 62:2
Everywhere, shaken we are, and often. Everything around us shakes. Everything! This is indeed a tremulous world we live, quaking and quivering, threatening to undo us, daring to unseat us. Lagging economy, nagging health, sagging relationships. Everything is jell-O, affording no strength, no solidity, no safety. We need a Rock! Yes, we do!
Incline Your ear to me,
rescue me quickly;
Be to me a rock of strength,
A stronghold to save me.
For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name's sake
You will lead me and guide me.
Psalm 31:2–3
rescue me quickly;
Be to me a rock of strength,
A stronghold to save me.
For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name's sake
You will lead me and guide me.
Psalm 31:2–3
God alone can provide that strength, solidity, and safety in the shivering and shuddering world we live in.
From the end of the earth
I call to You when my heart is faint;
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I.
Psalm 61:2
I call to You when my heart is faint;
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I.
Psalm 61:2
Jesus talked about the strength and solidity and safety of living a life grounded upon God and His Word.
“Therefore everyone who hears
these words of Mine
and acts on them,
may be compared to a wise man
who built his house on the rock.
And the rain fell,
and the floods came,
and the winds blew
and slammed against that house;
and yet it did not fall,
for it had been founded on the rock.”
Matthew 7:24–25
these words of Mine
and acts on them,
may be compared to a wise man
who built his house on the rock.
And the rain fell,
and the floods came,
and the winds blew
and slammed against that house;
and yet it did not fall,
for it had been founded on the rock.”
Matthew 7:24–25
Ours is a living Rock—our God Himself. Solid, strong, and safe.
The LORD lives,
and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be
the God of my salvation,
Psalm 18:46
and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be
the God of my salvation,
Psalm 18:46
Rock climbing, anyone?
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2 comments:
Thanks for reminding us WHO keeps us from falling---Our Lord and Savior----I will climb THAT rock with you----
One mistake we can easily make - especially if we've been believers for a long time - is thinking that WE are the rock. Fortunately, God didn't allow me to keep that kind of stupidity up for long. But I had to be broken on the Rock first.
But it's better doing life His way, isn't it?
Steve
http://findgoddownunder.blogspot.com/
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