The Cleft of the Rock

by | Jan 8, 2023 | Great Commission, Provision

“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 18:2 NIV)

I was watching an episode of the game show, Jeopardy, when Dr. Sanjay Gupta was the guest host. One question was about the famous hymn, “Rock of Ages”, written by Augustus Toplady (1740-1778):

“Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood
From thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.”

Mention of the rock brought to mind a great hymn by Fanny Crosby (1820-1915).

“A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord,
A wonderful Saviour to me.
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
Where rivers of pleasure I see.”

Regular television programming doesn’t usually have such a strong spiritual emphasis. Perhaps the script writers realized that we are living in tumultuous times, particularly with the pandemic that is affecting everyone in all parts of the globe and in every walk of life in one way or another.

I also recalled the story of a painting depicting peace.

A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice; viewers could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray. In addition, black clouds exploded with lightning from a storm that was lashing out in all its fury. But in the lower centre of the painting, there was a little bird that had found refuge in the cleft of the rock. Safe and secure in the midst of the turmoil of its surroundings, it rested content and undisturbed.

Perhaps, like me, you feel weak and helpless like the little bird in the middle of all the things that are happening today.

As I pondered this, I realized that the rock is symbolic of God Himself. God is omnipotent, and it is so reassuring, with the current turbulence surrounding us, to know that we have a rock in which we can safely hide.

I also know that I am not forced to stay in the safety of the rock. I am always amazed that while God gives us the opportunity to seek safety in Him by accepting the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, we always have the choice to accept or reject that gift.

Like the little bird in the picture, let us choose the safety of the rock. Every day, let’s pray that God will keep us faithful and safe in the cleft of the rock!

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for Your provision for us. Help us to choose to follow Your plan for us and to share that good news with others. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Vincent Walter <vwalter@bell.net>
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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