rock – Moment to Moment (Bible blog)

Lead me to the high rock that is so difficult for me to reach. (Psalm 61:2, New Japanese Translation)

That translation really struck me.

The translation I’m used to reading is,

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. (ESV, NIV, NASB)

But what the Japanese translation brings out is that the rock is not just higher than I am, but it seems impossible for me to reach.

In David’s case, this “rock” represented not just physical safety, but peace of mind. In his words, his heart was “without strength” or “faint.”

I know that feeling.

Peace of mind in this messed up world can be hard to find at times.

And so I’m praying with David today,

Lead me to that high rock that is so difficult for me to reach.
You have been a refuge for me,
a strong tower in the face of the enemy.

I will dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge under the shelter of your wings. (Psalm 61:2–4.)

Sermon on the Mount: What we build our lives on

And so we come to the end of the Sermons on the Mount and the Plain.

Both end the same way, with a challenge. Essentially, Jesus sums it up by saying,

Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46)

In other words, if you call me ‘Lord,’ but don’t do what I say, can you really say I am your Lord?

One person put it this way, “Either Jesus is Lord of all in your life, or he isn’t Lord at all.”

And it’s very true. Jesus is either Lord of your life, or he isn’t. There is no in-between.

Jesus then gives his very famous illustration of the house built on rock, and the house built on sand.

He tells us that if we hear his words and do them, we are like the person that digs down deep into the ground and lays their foundation on rock. And because we do so, because we have a stable foundation, when the storms of life come, our house will stand.

But if we hear his words and do not obey, we are building our lives on sand.

What is sand like? Always shifting. That’s what the thought patterns of this world are like. Always shifting.

Morals and values in this world are constantly changing. Things that were considered abominable 50 years ago are being celebrated as good. Things that were considered good are now considered passé.

But when we build our lives on shifting sand, our foundation is not stable, and when the storms of life come, our house will collapse.

How about you? Are you building your house on rock? Are you not only hearing the words of Jesus, but putting them into practice?

Or are you instead being conformed to the pattern of this world?

Are you building your house on rock, or on shifting sand?

In short, is Jesus truly your Lord?