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