Built on the Rock

 "I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." ~Psalm 18:1-2

David sang to the LORD the words of this particular song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. I came across it while doing a search on what the Bible has to say about God being  'a fortress of salvation'.  The phase the Lord is my rock has always caught my attention.  What does that that mean anyway? When I was a kid we moved into a new housing tract that was built in an area that was very rocky.  I remember these rocks making hard to grow things.  They had to be removed from the yard to make way for a lawn and shrubs.  It was backbreaking work to make anything flourish in the hard environment.  Rocks were a nuisance.   Mom made the most of them by mounding them up to create a rock garden and planting it with cactus and flowers. But no amount flowers made those rocks less rocky.

It wasn't until I visited the Middle East did I get what ROCK the psalms were talking about.  On our travels we visited many sites that included castles or fortresses. They were always found at the highest point in the city and that high place was usually made of rock. Structurally sound, impenetrable, unmovable rock. A perfect place to build a place of safety.

A good example of a fortress built on a rock is the Zenobia's Castle in Deir Ez Zour (Palmyra), Syria. The ancient city of Palmyra is built on a plain with the fortress itself built on a high mound of solid rock. An access road to the top of the rock was carved out of the side of the hill and  a bridge was built to reach the entrance. The gates were even offset to prevent the use of a battering ram to sedge this stronghold. Once at the top of the rock it was possible to see in every direction. This fortress on flat land alone would have offered protection to its occupants but the rock underneth raising it up into the air made it an extraordinary place of refuge.

With this picture of a ROCK firmly etched in my mind I now understand the references to God being a Rock. Samuel states that  "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior--from violent men you save me." [2 Samuel 22:2-3] Samuel's ROCK was a place of great security. 

The Psalmist repeats over and over Samuel's description of a rock being a safe place from the enemy. Then, in Psalms 40 he adds the idea of God actually setting our feet on that ROCK, placing us out of harm's way.

"He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." ~Psalm 40:2

God provided a firm place to stand but the actual standing will depend on us. We will need to choose to do it. In Matthew, Jesus ends a long message on Christian Living with these words-- "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."  [7:25]  Whether a house or a person, a firm foundation is essential for standing strong and the words of Jesus provide that very solid, safe, secure place for us to live.  But take heed lest we forget, building or standing on a foundation other than the ROCK will always lead to disaster and ruin.  We will find ourselves overcome by disaster.

"But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." ~Matthew 7:26-27

Maybe this blog should just be named Want a Good Life then Know the Word of God. Each time I write I tend to focus on the how important it is to know God's word.  Each day, I find that my life does depend on God's word for everything. It brings discernment, pleasure, understanding, encouragement and insight. I can't think of an instance when God's word does not apply to what I am doing or thinking. It guides my actions and checks my thoughts. It is always with me and never fails me. And every day I discover a little more about who God is. Yes, The Lord is my ROCK, my firm foundation. He has provided a place of safety and I plan to keep my feet and head and heart securely fixed on it.

"For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights."

~2 Samuel 22:32-34