The Rock: August: 14, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY AUGUST 14, 2013.

THE ROCK

DEFINITION:

A foundation; strength; a large stone or cliff symbolic of shelter or safety.

SCRIPTURE:

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength, in whom will I trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my Savior. II Samuel 22:2-3

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

II Samuel 22 is David’s song of praise to God on the day that God delivered him from his enemies and from Saul. David was the greatest king of Israel, but he is remembered for his deep devotion to God. God called David a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22). David’s faith in God never wavered. He always acknowledged that the Lord was his rock and fortress and that it was God who gave him his victories.

Most families down through the ages have had one person who has stood out and was considered the "ROCK" of that family. Usually it was a grandfather, a grandmother or a mother or dad. It was this person that was always available in time of trouble, in times when counseling and advice was needed and always available just to show love.

Many times we have heard friends say that they miss someone who has passed on because they were always there for them. This is the role for a "ROCK" in a family. We look back in our past and the "Rocks" in our family were our parents. Our prayer today is that we will be the "ROCKS" that our children and grandchildren need in their lives. One thing is certain, and that is to always live a Christ honoring life and be available.

The believer has his or her rock and that is Jesus our Lord. The Psalmist prayed to God in Psalm 31:3, "For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore for your name’s sake lead me and guide me." When we put our complete trust in Jesus, He will be our rock and will lead us and guide us every day through our valleys and over our mountains.

Jesus is our "ROCK" and He is always there. In Ezekiel 35:10 we read, "Whereas the Lord was there." After Israel and Judah had been destroyed by the Assyrians and the Babylonians, the Princes of Edom saw this whole country desolate and felt that they could easily conquer the land. But they ran into difficulty that they did not count on. This land was the Promised Land that God had chosen for His people, the Children of Israel. God was there and Edom met up with God's judgment for their arrogance in taking what was God's. God's judgment brought about Edom's total destruction. There are no Edomites today.

When the world seems to be against us we who are believer’s can take heart from this illustration. We belong to God and because of this He is always there for us. He is our comfort in times of trouble, our rock in times of insecurity and our strength in times of spiritual conflicts. We are constantly opposed by evil in this world we live in and yet we are preserved because He is always there for us.

We can live victorious lives because our Lord - our Rock - is there. It is the Lord that is with us so we need not fear. Praise be to God, our feet will stand on the "ROCK OF AGES" when time is passing us by.

We can still hear in our heads our children singing a song about the wise man who built his house upon the rock and the foolish man who built his house on sand. The song went that when the rain came down the house built on the sand crashed but the house built on the rock stood firm. It is a simple little song but has a mighty message. It is based on the teaching of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 24:27.

This little song taught our children that they needed to build their life on the solid rock of their faith in Jesus Christ. Make sure your life is built on the Lord who is our rock and then teach your children the same and bring them up knowing the Word of God. The rains and the storms of life will surely come, but if your life is built on the Lord, you will come through the storms of life standing firm on the rock.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

PRAYER:

Thank You for being my "Rock" and my strength as I walk through my valleys and over my mountains each day. Help me to rely more on You each day so that you can use me to the fullest. Give me the strength and commitment to be the "rock" in my family. Bless my family and help us as a family to praise You daily.