The Rock
To be honest, it was disappointing. Just beyond a historical marker in the waters at Plymouth, Massachusetts was a rock that could barely be seen above the water. Being a lover of the first Thanksgiving story, I expected a huge rock where the early settlers anchored their ship after a long and arduous journey from England. I later learned that, because of the historical significance of the rock, parts of it had been chiseled away and taken to museums in past centuries, and that partially relieved my disappointment.
Before finding that rock in Plymouth, the Pilgrims knew the Rock. Anchored in their faith, they sought a place of refuge, a place to worship freely. They understood God to be their rock, their protector. Martin Luther knew their struggle, and he, too, found protection in the Rock. In 1529, nearly a hundred years before the Pilgrims set sail, he wrote, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” the God who never fails in the turmoil of our lives. A little over two hundred years later, Fannie Crosby composed “He Hideth My Soul” where she described being protected in the cleft of the rock, covered by His hand. Blind from birth, Crosby depended on the Rock to hide her from the dangers of this life.
Throughout the Psalms, we see God the Father pictured as a Rock. In one of many Psalms where we see Him portrayed as a rock, the psalmist says, “The Lord is my solid rock, my fortress, my rescuer. My God is my rock— I take refuge in him!— he’s my shield, my salvation’s strength, my place of safety (Psalm 18:2, CEB).
That verse says it all: fortress, rescuer, refuge, shield, and what gives us strength. He is the answer for whatever we need. He’s the Rock that will never disappoint!
-TH –