Rock #1 Rock of Salvation

As I've pondered the various rocks that I might like to collect on my journey, one rock stands out above all the others.  This is the rock that must be placed in the jar first before all others.  It is the rock that all other rocks will rely on throughout the seasons of life.  I find that first place is the only place this rock belongs.  This is the rock of Salvation.  More specifically this rock is my relationship with Jesus.  God made it clear in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  There is no question of my sinfulness or my desire to follow my own will and not God's will for my life.  Romans 6:23 tells me "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Fortunately for me and all other sinners God provided a way of escape from the certain punishment that I deserve as a result of my sin. God made it simple to come to Jesus and to accept him as my Savior.  We find the simplicity of our escape in Romans 10:9-10, "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."  God does not want to stop at delivering me from my sinful state.  He desires to be Lord of my life.  He desires for me to put away my desires and to follow Him.  He desires an active and personal relationship with me each and every moment of my day.  


I've recently heard the "Sunday school answer" referred to as PB&J (prayer, bible and Jesus).  So if you would like, think of this rock as your PB&J rock.  This is the rock that will hold everything else together even if the jar crumbles around it.  I did a brief search on one of my favorite Bible websites:  www.biblegateway.com and typed in the words: rock of salvation.  It returned six verses that refer to God as our rock and our salvation.  Here is the list:

1. 2 Samuel 22:3
   my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent men you save me.2 Samuel 22:2-4 (in Context) 2 Samuel 22 (Whole Chapter)
2. Psalm 18:2
   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.Psalm 18:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 18 (Whole Chapter)
3. Psalm 62:2
   He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.Psalm 62:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 62 (Whole Chapter)
4. Psalm 62:6
   He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.Psalm 62:5-7 (in Context) Psalm 62 (Whole Chapter)
5. Psalm 62:7
   My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.Psalm 62:6-8 (in Context) Psalm 62 (Whole Chapter)
6. Psalm 95:1
   Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.Psalm 95:1-3 (in Context) Psalm 95 (Whole Chapter)

Did you notice anything while looking over this list?  The one thing that I noticed most was that three of the six references come from Psalm 62.  Not only did three of them come from this passage, but two of the three are almost identical.  From my experience in motherhood, I can speculate why David felt the need to repeat this verse.  I speculate that this is something important that he wanted to make sure we remembered.  I also speculate that the book of Psalm, being a book of poems and songs, that maybe this is the "chorus", the part that we all know in the song even if we don't remember the rest of the verses.  Then again, maybe even David had to remind himself of the biggest rock in his jar and repeated it for his own benefit and confidence in God.  

I had a privilege to grow up in a Christian home and to learn of God's love for me at a young age and to accept Him as my Savior.  While I have known Jesus as my Savior for years, I'm still daily working on allowing him to be Lord of every area of my life.  In my journey to becoming a mother of meaning, I want to make it my goal that each day be more surrendered to His will than the day before.  I'm touched by the confidence David elicits in Psalm 62:6 as he says, "I will not be shaken."  David's realization in verse 7, "My salvation and my honor depend on God" is a reminder to me that God is in control and there is nothing this world can offer me that is bigger or better than what God has already done for me.  

As I look at these verses, it is verse 8, that I am drawn to in my desire to become a mother of meaning.  "Trust in him at all times...pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Selah"  In my hurry to pen my words, I almost left out the "Selah" of verse 8.  This is a term found many times in the book of Psalm.  Scholars believe this to be a musical term meaning to pause and reflect.  Let us not forget in the busyness of life that we must take time to pause and reflect, to rest in God's refuge.  My hope is that in all the good times and the not-so-good times that my children will see the reality of verse 8 lived out through me.  I desire for them to see me trusting God, pouring out my heart to God, living for God and resting in God.  That I might say what I mean, do what I say and believe in what I do.  My prayer is that one day I will witness my children turn to Jesus and take hold of their own Rock of Salvation.

Psalm 62:6-8

 ⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation;
       he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
 ⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God ^[a] ;
       he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
 ⁸ Trust in him at all times, O people;
       pour out your hearts to him,
       for God is our refuge.
       Selah

Big Rocks

          I began my journey of motherhood just over 8 years ago.  Today, I continue on this journey and I realize that it is much more difficult than I ever imagined it to be. I realize that there are moments that I scream with excitement, cry with sorrow, smile with joy, pull out my hair with frustration and then there are those moments when it seems as though I can elicit all emotions at one time - talk about confusing. A few years ago while my church was participating in the 40 Days of Community campaign I encountered a devotion that led me to realize how much my words can influence the lives of those around me. As I read that devotion and began talking to God, I realized that at this point in my life, my words have the most influence on my children. My beautiful girls, Haley age 8, Aspen age 4 and Faith age 20 months, are young and innocent, desiring to learn and to model the behavior they see around them. The more I think about this, the more I realize just how much influence I have on them. Sadly enough, I also realize that this point in each of their young lives, I may have the most influence I will ever have in their lives; therefore, it is necessary for me to become a Mother of Meaning. I believe that a Mother of Meaning must say what she means, do what she says and believe in what she does.

I want to leave a lasting legacy, not of riches and worldly possessions, but a legacy that will carry my children to eternity. A legacy that will teach my children to love when they feel unloved, a legacy that will teach my children to stand up under adversity, to turn from evil and do good. This seems like such a large task at hand. I am not perfect yet I want to raise the perfect child. That's kind of like saying I don't do dishes or floors, but I want a clean house! I think what I am beginning to realize is that being a mom, isn't about being perfect or raising perfect children. Being a mom, is about letting the love of God fill you and move you in your daily life so much that your children will see His reflection each time they watch you do the dishes or put away the laundry.


           There is an illustration used by many about a speaker who took out a large wide mouth jar and placed several big rocks inside the jar and asked the class if the jar was full. The class concluded that the jar was full. The speaker then reached below and pulled out some smaller gravel and began to pour the smaller rocks into the jar, filling in the empty spaces. Once again he asked if the jar was full. Next he took out a bag of sand and filled in the remaining spaces asking again if the jar was full. Then he pulled out a pitcher of water and proceeded to pour the water into the jar until it reached the top. Now the jar was full. Many students believed that the point the speaker was trying to make was that there was always room to add more to a busy life; however, the speaker corrected the class. The point is that you must first put in your "big rocks" or you will never have room for them in your jar.

On my journey to becoming a M.O.M. I've got to make sure that my "big rocks" are in the jar first. In other words, my priorities and my values must be solid. If I fill my jar with the smaller grains of sand and water first I will have no room for the "big rocks" in my life. I've got to make my words match my actions and I've got to make my actions align with what I believe and that all starts in one place…at the feet of Jesus. In Proverbs chapter 31 we find the story of the wife of noble character. In the beginning of the chapter we learn of all the wonderful and prosperous things she accomplishes in her day. In verse 28 we learn that "her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her." But we can't stop there because if we do, we may miss the reason she is praised. This wife is not praised for her clean house, her lush vineyard or her financial successes. Look at verse 30, it reads, "Charm is deceptive, beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." This wife of noble character is praised because she got the "big rock" in the jar first.

This world has so many things to "offer" our children. My goal on this journey to become a mother of meaning is to teach my children about the "big rocks" that God has already freely given to them. I want my children to realize that the best things in life are free. So please join me on my rock collecting journey…