When I wrote the poem, That Rock, I was drawing upon the two verses that appear below. They both offer a great foundation (pun intended) for how to live in continual recognition that I am nothing without the mercies and grace of God.
And a man shall be . . . as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. ~ Isaiah 32:2
The Lord is my rock. ~ Psalm 18:2
But these two verses are only a couple of the many places in the Bible that use the rock analogy. Further review of scripture reveals our Lord Jesus as the “Rock” by showing He is:
- The rock of refuge from the storm [see Song of Solomon 2:14].
- The rock of Horeb; giving water to the thirsty [see Exodus 17:1-7].
- The rock of foundation to the Church [see Matthew 16:18].
- The rock of offense to unbelievers [See Isaiah 28:16 and Psalm 118:22 with Romans 9:33, I Corinthians 1:23, and I Peter 2:6-8].
- The rock of ages [See Isaiah 26:4 that says, “Trust ye in the Lord for ever; for the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” The Hebrew phrase translated “everlasting strength” is “THE ROCK OF AGES.”
Of course, having drawn all this out, we could go deep into study. But, for now at least, let’s keep it simple and evoke a little Simon and Garfunkel. Yes, Simon and Garfunkel. Specifically, I am thinking of the lyrics to their one of their most well-known songs.
I Am a Rock
A winter’s day; In a deep and dark December; I am alone; Gazing from my window to the streets below; On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow. I am a rock; I am an island.
I’ve built walls; A fortress deep and mighty; that none may penetrate. I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain. It’s laughter and it’s loving I disdain. I am a rock; I am an island.
Don’t talk of love; But I’ve heard the words before; It’s sleeping in my memory; I won’t disturb the slumber of feelings that have died. If I never loved I never would have cried; I am a rock; I am an island.
I have my books; And my poetry to protect me; I am shielded in my armor; Hiding in my room, safe within my womb. I touch no one and no one touches me; I am a rock; I am an island.
And a rock feels no pain; And an island never cries.
While being a rock or an island may sound like a good defense, the strategy alienates us from God and deprives us of a refining life. Here’s why.
This song oozes with defensive affirmations and can easily become an anthem for the desperate, the broken-hearted, and/or anyone who is suffering. It suggests a stone cold heart and mind can protect us from feeling the gripping pain that life sometimes dishes up.
We are not rocks. We are Not Islands. Photo Credit: K. Sawyer Photography via Compfight cc
When faced with monumental darkness and the perception that light will never again shine in life, we people can easily do exactly as the song suggests. We’ve all built walls around ourselves to protect personal fortresses of the heart in hopes that nobody may enter. And for a bit, that may seem like a viable answer to pain.
But experiencing pain is part of the refining life!
As we build walls and mortar our souls to avoid pain, we also push away friends and loved ones. We fixate and root ourselves in our pasts. We may even delight in misery because it validates said direction. By being a rock, as the some suggest, we feel no pain.
But we are not rocks
We’re people. . . and the Lord is our Rock. Rocks have lonely and unmoving existences. A human “rock” makes itself an idol by refusing to change and grow into the being that God has planned. No – there is no other rock. He is our shelter, our refuge, our foundation. He quenches our thirst. He brings comfort to our pain. He turns our stone hearts to flesh and blesses us with our life’s experiences to refine us.
And we’re not islands
We’re people . . . and we cry. As people, we flock to and thrive within community. Let us rejoice that we have HIM to be our rock as we witness the crumbling of thrones, kingdoms, old establishments and other worldly institutions.
JESUS is THE ROCK yesterday, today and all the days that ever shall be.
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