Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:4 NIV)

Firmly rooted into the rocky cliff, a tenacious windblown and weatherbeaten tree braves the harsh elements. As long as the rock cliff remains, the tree stands. Yet, without the rock, the tree will not survive.

The advertising of a popular truck manufacturer makes the claim; "like a rock." The ads seek to give us an assurance of dependability and strength. Throughout His Word, when He speaks about His strength and His solid love and support for His children, God uses the image of a rock. Such imagery is used to impress upon us the fact that He truly is our only sure source of strength, dependability and security.

The Psalms tells us; "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...For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?...The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!" (Psalm 18:2 & 31 & 46 NIV)

Jesus Christ is the Lord, the Rock of whom Scripture speaks. The Lord Jesus lives and is truly exalted. Through faith in His suffering, death and resurrection, we are delivered from the harsh consequence of sin in our lives, the consequence of total separation from our Creator. Jesus brings salvation and forgiveness for our sin. There is no God beside the LORD. There is no Rock except Jesus, who is God Himself in human flesh. Also, the solid confession of the Gospel in Jesus Christ alone, is the Rock of the church, its most vital feature. "... and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." (Matthew 16:18 NIV)

The familiar hymn states; "Rock of Ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee." ** Each person seeks something solid and secure, especially when troubles in life beat and blow against them. Jesus referred to Himself as such a rock. "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock."(Matthew 7:24 - 25 NIV)

Jesus also gave His description of the person who faithfully looks to Him, who hides in Him as their Rock. "He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built." (Luke 6:48 NIV) Every person who believes in Jesus Christ is laid upon, built upon, the rock of God's redeeming love for Jesus' sake. Through faith, Jesus comes to us. Jesus' love for us is a tenacious love. Unlike the tree pictured above, which must cling to the rock to survive, Jesus our Rock comes and clings to us. Through faith we are joined to Him.

Thousands of years ago, the prophet Isaiah, in looking forward to that time when God would send His Rock to all people, stated the very thing, the only thing, that a life of faith needs. "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn..." (Isaiah 51:1 NIV)

The Psalms declare the confidence that Jesus gives through faith. "He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge." (Psalm 62:6 -7 NIV)

Jesus is the Rock who is with us always, in all our times of need. He is with us to give His strength and His peace, so that we might live deeply rooted in Him. He urges us to look to Him, to pray to Him, daily, for all we need to truly live.

"Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me...Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress." (Psalm 31:2 and Psalm 71:3 NIV)

"Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation." (Psalm 95:1 NIV)

** "Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me" Text: Augustus M. Toplady, Tune: Thomas Hastings