Idiom Images
Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly; be to me a rock of strength, a stronghold to save me. Psalm 31:2 NASB
Rock of strength– Yes, Lord, that’s what I need. A ROCK! An impenitrable place of safe-keeping. I need this:
because of this:
ṣûr māʿôz. Think about that.
Topical Index: rock, strength,
The picture of the man submitting himself into the rock
is worth a thousand words. Is that not what God is asking
us to do?
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Submit yourselves, then, to God.” James 4:6-7
Gen. 3:19
2 Chronicles 7:14
If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Acts 2:21
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
“An penetrable place of safe-keeping.”
Yes, I guess we could say it is a “place” we need. I know I need such a “place”. I find myself having to deal with a certain chronic, grievous situation that is stressful, distressing, and disappointing. I feel frustrated, sad, exasperated, angry, and even enraged at times. I try to do all I can think to do that might change my situation or to try within myself to transcend it, or even just cope with it as peacefully as possible, but this “place” I try to create in my situation is never impenetrable or safe.
I greatly desire my situation to be better, more safe, more peaceful, more reliable, more secure, more enjoyable. However, I don’t seem to be able to make it happen, control it, change it, or avoid it. I feel trapped, helpless, and powerless sometimes. Sometimes I even feel like giving up, getting out, or acting out, but I know I can’t, or shouldn’t, or don’t want to. I do want my situation to change, and I suppose I will sometimes continue to try to control it, change it, or avoid it. But what I know I really need to want to do is to overcome it. I need to want to be delivered and saved from it by being made strong enough in it and through it that it no longer distresses me or disappoints me as it does. I want to run the race. I want to finish the course set before me. I want to win the prize. I want to be conformed to Messiah and I want Messiah to be formed in me.
But to do that, I still need “an impenetrable place of safe-keeping”. I do need a “place”. However, it’s not a mere relocation of a place that I need. It’s more than a mere situational rearrangement that I need to find a way to make happen. And I don’t think I can even just expect YHVH to change my situation. I need a “place” that I can go to even while in this situation of stress, distress, and disappointment, even while in this situation of being trapped, helpless, and powerlessness. I need a Rock. I need a Rock that is higher than I. I need a place on the Rock to stand. I need a cleft in the Rock to hide. I need a Rock that is a “place” of refuge. I need a Rock that is a fortress and a strong deliverer. But I need something that is more than just a “place”. I need a Person and a “place” in right relationship and intimacy with that Person. I need THE Person who is THE Rock! That’s what I need. I need Messiah Yeshua, and I need Abba, my Father, who is in heaven. I need YHVH, my Elohim, the Almighty One! THE Rock!
“Send forth Your light and Your truth—let them guide me. Let them bring me to Your holy mountain and to Your dwelling places.” [Psa 43:3]
“And He raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Messiah Yeshua—to show in the olam ha-ba the measureless richness of His grace in kindness toward us in Messiah Yeshua.” [Eph 2:6-7]
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” [Jas 4:8]
“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” [Mat 11:28-30]
SELAH!
Maybe we can think of ourselves as the person pictured in the sculpture, as actually in that “place”, figuratively in the cleft of the Rock symbolized in the first picture, despite the apparent distressing situation in the second picture. Same situation. Different “place”. That is where we find rest. That is where we find strength. That is where we are delivered. That is how we overcome!
“So there remains a Shabbat rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered God’s rest has also ceased from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest…” [Heb 4:9-11]
Have been thinking of you and Lisa all day, There are times to say anything becomes just words on a page so I won’t . Wanted you to know your heartfelt plea was heard by me today.
Heartfelt indeed. Even in my sometimes hardened heart I can hear a cry from afar. I can’t say, as some, that my prayers are always answered, but tonight I hope they will at least be heard. If there is any comfort in knowing you are not alone, be then of better cheer. Shalom Jerry and Lisa. Shalom.