Stay on the Rock
The world is living in fear and
panic. Covid-19 is sweeping the globe. There seems to be nothing we can do
about it except wash our hands till they bleed and buy all the toilet paper on
the shelves. If ever there was a time to show Jesus’ love and comfort to those
around us it is now. And we are going to have to get creative as to how to do
it in a way people can receive it. Physical contact is forbidden. Large group
meetings have been cancelled until further notice. We are no longer free to fly
on a jet plane to wherever we desire. If you have so much as the sniffles many
places of employment will not allow you to come back to work until you have a
note from a doctor saying you are well enough to do so…just a few weeks ago one
could not be excused from work unless you had a doctor’s note saying you were not
fit to work.
Covid-19 is no respecter of persons.
It does not discriminate regarding age, race, or position. Some are more
susceptible to death from this disease than others, but no one is immune to
contracting it. It seems unpredictable. Where is it going to crop up next? It’s
not a matter of if but when it will find you.
As Christ followers how can we
demonstrate unshakeable hope in the midst of chaos and fear? Or perhaps our
hope is not quite as unshakeable as we once thought it was. Why is this taking
so many so-called Christians out at the knees? Check out Facebook if you don’t think
it is. If we the Church are going to get sucked into fear, the watching world
will not believe that Jesus is all he claims to be. They will see that our
faith is weak and lacks substance.
In 2012 my husband and I were
facing some pretty tough times. Much of what we held dear was being threatened.
We were on the brink of one of the greatest losses of our married life.
Some dear friends of ours own property
in Palm Springs and offered it to us free of charge for some much needed RnR.
Before we went, the Lord seemed to be telling me that he had a message for me
on the coast somewhere. So, we looked on Google earth to examine the coastline
somewhere within driving distance of Palm Springs. We spotted the perfect location.
Point Dume in Malibu Beach. It boasts a large outcropping of rocks and a
wonderful sandy beach. I knew immediately that this was the place I was to go
to hear the message the Lord had for me.
In the afternoon sun we spread our
denim blanket on the sand and brought out our snack. As we sat, enjoying our
food and each other’s company, the tide started coming in. Those waves were
huge and powerful. We could feel the ground shaking beneath us as each one took
its turn hammering the shore. Just to the left of us was a huge rock that was
beckoning me to come sit. It seemed that was where the Lord was going to speak.
As I sat atop that boulder I looked
around as the waves swirled around the rock. Anything not tethered down was
picked up and carried out to sea. Wave after wave slammed into the rock but I
noticed something. Whereas out on the sand I could feel the ground rumbling
beneath me, here I felt not the slightest vibration. The waves were just as
huge, just as powerful. But they had no effect on the rock on which I sat. Then
I heard the Lord speak:
“It’s
going to get ugly but stay on the rock and you will be okay.”
I sat waiting for the rest of the
message. What was going to get ugly? Lord, what do you mean? But I heard no
more words from him.
For the next 2 years things did in
fact get ugly. We lost our son-in-law, leaving our daughter a 25-year old widow
and single mom of 3 boys. We lost my stepdad to cancer. Our house sustained
major damage in a vicious hailstorm. My closest friend was instantly killed in
a car accident. Our son received the final divorce papers in the mail from his
wife.
Yup this was ugly.
For the next year or so I
experienced what it felt like to have nothing left except the presence of Jesus
to comfort me. It was tough but it was glorious at the same time. Though life
around me was falling apart God was so very close to me. When he said, “Stay on
the Rock” he meant, “Keep your eyes on me, girl. Don’t despair. I’ve got you. But
you will have to stay focused on me and don’t climb off and allow yourself to
get sucked into the fray.”
“[King David]
said: “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. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent men you save me. I call to the Lord,
who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. The waves of death
swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. In my distress I
called to the Lord; I called out
to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.” (2 Samuel 22:2–5, 7 NIV84)
I can’t count how many times I have
clung to the message I received on the rock that day. I thought it would just
pertain to that 'year from hell', but it turns out that message is timeless. And
it’s not just for me. It is for you too, for any of you who know Jesus and are
walking in relationship with him. It’s going to get ugly on this side of heaven,
but our hope was never meant to be in the stuff and people around us.
“Even when I walk
through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you [God] are close
beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4, NLT)
I
am in no way trying to minimize the threat of the corona virus. I don’t believe
it is a good idea to stick your head in the sand like some ostrich. It is real,
it is serious, and it is frightening. I believe we need to respect our authorities
and do what they are asking us to do. We don’t want to put ourselves or others
in jeopardy. But we don’t have to give in to fear. If we have ever received Jesus
Christ’s gift of salvation, we dare not give in to fear. Fear discredits the
very message we are called to bring to our world. When everyone is ducking for
cover, we need to step up and bring the help those around us need.
Earlier
today as I scrolled through FB, I came across an article that seems very
practical for the Church to follow. Even as I read it, I found myself moving
from a place of fear of the unknown to developing a plan in the face of this
threat. As I read, I was struck by how my attitude changed from one of discomfort
to one of hope. It’s called “Covid-19 Checklist for Followers of Jesus”
This
is not the first time a crisis has swept the known world and it probably won’t
be the last. Let’s be Jesus’ hands and feet and bring hope to those who are within
our power to help.
I
love how Eugene Peterson says the following verses in The Message:
“I’ll never
forget the trouble, the utter lostness, the taste of
ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed. I remember it
all—oh, how well I remember— the feeling of hitting the bottom. But
there’s one other thing I remember, and remembering,
I keep a grip on hope:
God’s
loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful
love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How
great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God
(I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left.” (Lamentations
3:19–24, The Message)
Even if you are
afraid there is no condemnation from Jesus. He invites you to stay on the Rock.
He will never leave you.
My story "Stay on the Rock" can be read in its entirety in CARRIED: 10 Stories of Finding Supernatural Peace in the Midst of Pain and Confusion. Ten Canadian authors contributed to this book. If you would like to order a copy message me here or on Facebook.
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