| “I love you, O Lord, my Strength. The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress and my Savior, my God, my Rock in whom I take refuge, my Shield, and the strength of my Salvation, my Stronghold.” Psalm 18:1-2 Many years ago, while on a mountain top overlooking the Sea of Galilee, it was easy to imagine David there with his sheep. Still quite “untouched,” you can see the carved-out rock troughs from ages past, rain-catchers for thirsty sheep remain on that grassy, high pasture. I noted a boulder that had a wide crevice, and decided to wedge myself into it, having always been curious about Bible passages of David’s songs about, being “hidden in the cleft of the rock.” I wanted to know how that would feel. It took some courage, as I don’t like bugs, and imagined there would surely be some hiding in that “cleft.” As I settled into my little ‘cleft of the rock’, I noted how much more narrow my vision became, defined by the rock around me. Then, I began to notice this rock that surrounded me, seeing tiny little green seedlings. . . even some brave little blossoms. They had found enough grains of dirt to take root and even blossom, clinging to that solid rock. The little bugs there didn’t even bother me . . . they were busy with their own tiny lives. I began to realize how very, very safe I felt within that great rock, which was the exposed top of a mountain covered by green pastures. I knew that no danger could come to me as I sat in that safe crevice. I was protected within the cleft of my rock. My vision also narrowed. All I could see was “my rock”, and only what lay directly ahead of me. As I sat there looking at the narrowed view before me, I began to realize that there were other parts of my mountaintop in front of me, which also had the same crevices in line with mine. It was like a great wound on that mountain top. The breaks were perfectly aligned. Something earth-shakingly powerful must have happened long, long ago to create the “wound” in which I sat. Only a God-sized power could create such an earth-shaking split. The God-sized Scar was clear. Then it struck me that Jesus is called “the Rock of my Salvation” . . . and that He was willingly wounded for my sake, for the world’s sake. The ‘cleft of the rock’ which was becoming my dear Safe Place had been formed by some powerful, earth-changing Event ages ago. I was reminded that when Jesus breathed His last on the cross, the earth itself shook. And His wounds made it possible for me to find my own safety within His scars of Love. I was surrounded by this great rock. I was safe. He was there. Nothing could touch me without first going through the cleft open before me. My Rock was beginning to feel like my Salvation. My safety was in that cleft-wound. It was becoming the sweetest, dearest place on earth. I wanted to stay there and memorize the safe place it had become. But it was time to go. The sweetest thing was that I didn’t have to leave my beloved Rock on that mountain top. He is with me wherever I go. |
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