This picture makes me think of verses such as Psalm 18:2.
"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."
Or
Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
mightier than the waves of the sea,
the LORD on high is mighty!
(Psalm 93:4)
Then, if we turn the picture a different way, we might think of....
"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." (Matthew 7:24-27)
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I'm actually trying to prepare a lesson for SS on the passage from Matthew. I think it is important for us, as Christians, to realize that the storms will come and our foundations will be tested. If we are trusting in the Lord as our Rock and Refuge, then our house (faith) will stand. However, if we are counting on something else for our peace/refuge, then our house (faith in those things) will fail.
Praise God that He is our Refuge that will never fail to protect us.
Another verse this brings to mind:
"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe." (Proverbs 18:10)
(As an aside, I wonder if the guy in the picture got wet from that torrent...?)
Great one, NLB. I love that as well (surprise!).
Yeah, well, I was wonderin' about that apparent Proverbial omission on your part!
~8^P
What I love about these words is the concreteness of the ideas, and how the authors could see God in the most natural things.
A good lesson to take from these verses is that the storms and winds will come. There's no promise here of smooth sailing. But in the midst of the storms, our trust in God is a refuge from them.
I'm glad I clicked here today...takes care of my morning devotional.
Thanks, DJP. As usual...excellent.
It made me think of the verse:
Jesus, what a help in sorrow,
While the billows o'er me roll;
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my comfort, helps my soul.
Astoundingly beautiful thought and picture.
And Deuteronomy 32:4:
"The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He."
***
The Sermon on the Mount used to be one of my favourite parts of the Bible...that, and Jesus' parables.
Then I was saved, and discovered Jesus Christ as the eternal Word, the writings of Paul, the apostolic Gospel, eschatology, Calvinism, typology, redemptive history, grammatico-historical hermeneutics, the third use of the Law, and all kinds of other good things.
I need to keep anchored* on the simple stuff, though...so it's good to be reminded that Jesus Christs' warning to build one's house on the rock of "these words" are His concluding words to...the good old Sermon on the Mount.
*Metaphor intended.
"The name of the Lord is a strong tower...
ooowah, I like that
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