Jesus Is Our Rock

-January 10, 2023-

Good morning, happy Tuesday,

“And the Lord said, ‘Here is a place by Me; and you shall stand on the rock.’”

(Exodus 33:21).

More than anything in the world Moses wanted to see God. The problem is looking directly at God could be deadly just like looking directly into the sun. We have same issue still today because we are still in our mortal bodies and are still sinners, but sinners saved by grace. God did make a way for mankind when He sent His only begotten Son to be born into the world as God manifested in the flesh. For Moses it was the greatest day of his life. God put him the cleft of the rock as He passed by. Moses saw His back but not His face.

The Lord is our Rock. There is a rock formation that stands in the water at Morro Bay in California. It is huge and stands some 576 feet. My family and friends spent many summer vacations in the nearby city of San Luis Obispo. We took the short drive to Morro Bay to a restaurant right on the water, and would see this massive rock each time. It served to remind us that Jesus is our Rock. When Joshua and the army of Israel was attacked by the Amalekites in the wilderness, Moses stood on the rock and when he raised his hands heavenward, Israel prevailed, but when his hands got tired and he lowered them, Amalek would prevail. So Aaron and Hur stood with him on the rock, holding up his hands until Joshua and the army of Israel won the victory.

When we hold each other up in prayer, God gives us the victory. No victory is possible in our own strength. David wrote in Psalm 61:2, “From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” There are times when the enemy attacks us, our circumstances seem unbearable, and we don’t know what to do: Jesus is our Rock that is higher than us. He is our shelter in the time of storm, our Rock of Ages.

There is a beautiful hymn entitled, “A Shelter In the Time of Storm.” It says, “The Lord’s our rock, in Him we hide, a shelter in the time of storm; Secure whatever ill betide, a shelter in the time of storm. A shade by day, defense by night, a shelter in the time of storm. No fears alarm, no fears affright, a shelter in the time of storm. The raging storms may ‘round us beat, a shelter in the time of storm; We’ll never leave our safe retreat, a shelter in the time of storm. O Rock divine, O Refuge dear, a shelter in the time of storm; Be Thou our Helper ever near, a shelter in the time of storm.” The chorus says, “O Jesus is a rock in a weary land, a weary land, a weary land; O Jesus is a rock in a weary land, a shelter in the in the time of storm.”

We all go through storms, some spiritual, some physical, some mental, some emotional, and some financial; let us stand on our Rock, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. He will see us through and never fail us. Another hymn says, “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

Have blessed day standing on Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.

Resting and relying on the Rock,

Dean