Gardening metaphors are great. Poker metaphors are plentiful. But I love the earth sciences, so my life metaphors usually involve rocks or volcanoes, and occasionally tornadoes. I love that Jesus told the parable of the house built on a rock vs. a house built on sand!
Jesus didn’t pull that idea out of thin air, though. He knew the Scriptures, which at that time were just the Old Testament. Several Psalms point out that God is our rock, including Psalms 18 and 40. I’ve been singing them and other songs lately to feel more grounded.
Another one, Psalm 46, doesn’t explicitly say God is our rock. Instead, it lists several end-of-the-world worst-case scenarios, yet reminds us that God is still in control. I don’t know about you, but I need this right now! Reading the news, I am terrified. But these verses reassure me. I’ll include the actual Psalm at the end of this post, but here is a short song I know from the church I grew up in:
God is our refuge and strength; He is our helper in trouble (repeat)
We will not fear, though the earth give way, and the mountains fall to the sea
We will not fear, though the nations roar and war continues to be
I love that this song/Psalm includes natural catastrophes as well as human atrocities. No power in the world is bigger than God. I also love the idea that He is our refuge. In addition to God being our rock, Psalm 18 also uses the metaphor of Him being a fortress. This recalls some of the castles and fortresses I saw while living and traveling overseas. Some were built in the low land or cities. But many were built on solid hills. The highest one I saw (and hiked up to) was the Red Fort/City (Shahr-e-Zohak) near Bamiyan, Afghanistan. This fortress was high and strong enough to defeat the hordes of Ghengis Khan’s grandson. Having a firm foundation on a huge solid rock can make a difference.
Our current world of politicians, policies, programs and others usually mean well. But they can be shifting sands: strong enough to walk on for a bit, like hiking at the coastal dunes. But that is exhausting, and the path can be confusing. I don’t want to be on those dunes if a tsunami or storm hits. I hope to stand high on basalt, that dark strong stuff made by volcanoes. My rock is Jesus, my fortress, my refuge.
Psalm 46:1-7
God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts His voice, the earth melts.
The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 18: 1-3, 19, 30-33
1-3: I love you, Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
19: I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.
He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
30-33: As for God, His way is perfect: the Lord’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.
For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He causes me to stand on the heights.
About the Author
Jessie is a novice writer, with several books in various stages and a blog about travel and the journeys of women. She is very excited to be a part of the CitySalt blog team. She has been blessed by a few communities of Christian writers that have encouraged her dream. She lives with her sweet husband, Chris, their 5 funny kids, and 1 fluffy cat in Springfield. She loves hiking and other outdoor and indoor adventures with her family.