God is my rock
“‘…If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.’”
Isaiah 7:9 (NIV)
Now that the snow is melting, I ventured out with my little dog to see if we could take our walks again, exploring the world, looking for treasure, getting our exercise. We soon met the water from the melting snow, it covered everything. Thinking of taking to the higher ground near the fence, I soon found that it was deceptive as my feet sank in the soggy soil. The water infiltrated the soil and took away the firm footing. It was like walking on a sponge. So, we turned around and headed back home to solid ground. It reminded me of the time a neighbour, who was flood irrigating at the time, had forgotten to shut off his irrigation before leaving for the weekend. I went to walk out in my garden that was next to his field and sank to my knees, a very scary situation.
We are to stand firm in our faith, as Isaiah reminded King Ahaz. We are to stand on solid ground with a sure and safe foundation that can only be attained, laid, stable, and found in God: ‘The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.’ (Psalm 18:2 NLT). It is in Christ that our faith is built and made sure and strong. In Hebrews 12:2 it tells us that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith, and we are told in Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:48-49 of the importance of building on a firm and solid foundation.
If we walk with this world as our footing, we will find that we are walking on unstable ground and soon to sink to our knees. This world can never be the source of a firm foundation; that is only found in God. To stand firm in our faith, we need to stay close to God, to trust him, to walk where he walks, to take his hand and allow him to lead us, for ‘there is no Rock like our God.’ (1 Samuel 2:2).
Prayer
Merciful God, as Psalm 18 reminds us, you are our rock, our place of safety, our firm foundation. It is in you that we stand firm in our faith. We come to you for guidance, we look to you for the right example to follow. As the prodigal, we come running back to you where love and forgiveness resides. Teach us your ways, Lord, that we may stay close to your side where we were meant to be. In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen.
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Study by: Anne Gillam About the author: |
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