Journal Entry ~ 04/02/19
3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. - Isaiah 26:3-4
I’ve loved being in this passage for a week - there is such peace in resting my mind on Him, and in trusting His sovereignty through my daily struggles. The second verse gives us the reason why we can trust in Him - because He is our rock, our ever lasting strength.
Once again, it helps to uncover the message in the passage if we dive deeper into the meaning of the words. Rock is used multiple times throughout scripture, and carries with it multiple connotations. It is equated with the idea of strength. Rock was used to build walls, fortresses, and towers in many stories from scripture. God is our source of strength and our protection in times of distress and danger. God is also our refuge. Like Moses, we can hide in the cleft of “the Rock.” God will care for us. “Rock” represents something about the nature of God. He is solid and unchangeable. God is faithful and we can trust Him. Moses had this in mind when he spoke of God’s ways and justice in Deuteronomy. The “rock” symbolism continues in the New Testament with reference to Christ. He is the foundation, the chief-corner stone. He is the rock of offense to those who reject Him, but the spiritual rock for those who obey Him.
It took me a number of years as a Christian and great number of deep valleys to truly understand this scripture, but God has finally brought me to the place where He really is my rock and my fortress. There were so many times when I thought He was my everything, then He would reveal yet another place in my heart where something else was placed first - my family, my children, even my home.
The thing is He knew my desire was to place Him first, but I was blind to see when I had other things on the throne, and the only way to show me that was to take me through a trial I never imagined I could live through. In His infinite wisdom and love for me, He allowed me to walk through some incredibly difficult things because He wanted me to know Him deeply. Those valleys were so hard and so deep, but there is such peace on the other side. That's where the peace that surpasses all understanding lies, and that's where we truly begin to understand how He is our rock and our fortress.
Press on ~ you are loved 💗
Comments
Post a Comment