Reflecting the Image

Scripture:

Psalm 18:1–3

1  I love you, O Lord, my strength.

2  The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
    my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3  I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
    so I shall be saved from my enemies.

Deuteronomy 32:31 

Indeed, their rock is not like our Rock;
    our enemies are fools.

Observation:

The Psalmist gives praise to the Lord who is his strength. His words flow from a heart filled with love and gratitude:

“I love you, O Lord, my strength.”

God has been with him throughout the ordeals he has faced, and he breaks out into a song of thanksgiving.

The Lord is his rock.

The Lord is his fortress.

The Lord is his deliverer.

The Lord is the One in whom he takes refuge.

The Lord is his shield.

The Lord is the horn of his salvation—the symbol of strength and power, the One under whose protection and provision he lives.

The Lord is his stronghold.

And if the Lord is all these things, then He is most worthy of all praise.

David gives us image after image of the strength and security he has found in God, and it all comes pouring out of a heart full of gratitude.

Then we turn to Deuteronomy, where one little line caught my attention:

“Indeed, their rock is not like our Rock.”

Our Rock is the Lord.

Any other rock is simply foolishness in light of who God is and what He has promised to His people.

Application:

There are a couple of things that struck me in today’s Scriptures.

First, I love the way David praises the Lord for all the ways in which He is our Rock.

I have the privilege of praying with an incredible group of women. I love learning from those who have become real prayer warriors, and one of the things they continually remind us to do is pray the Psalms.

During your prayer time, open your Bible and join with the Psalmist in praise to God.

Psalm 18 is a good one.

As I read it this morning, my heart became full as I joined the Psalmist in praising God. Each line is a beautiful reminder of the ways God loves and cares for us in all the circumstances of life.

So I encourage all of us to open the Psalms and allow the Scriptures to become prayers within our hearts.

And today, may we be reminded:

The Lord—He is our Rock!

Thanks be to God.

But then comes that little line in Deuteronomy.

It stopped me.

“Their rock is not like our Rock.”

After the joyful praise in my heart came another thought.

Not everyone knows the Rock that I know.

But maybe everyone has a rock.

We all have something or someone upon which we are tempted to build our security. Something we believe will protect us, provide for us, or rescue us when life becomes difficult. Something under whose banner we are tempted to live.

So the Scriptures lead me to some soul-searching questions:

Who is my fortress?

To whom do I look for deliverance?

In whom do I take refuge?

Who is my shield?

Who is my provider?

If God is not the Rock of all these things in my life, then what am I depending upon?

And is that rock really strong enough to hold me?

Their rock is not like our Rock.

Our Rock is the Lord!

He is our strength, our protection, our provision, and our salvation.

And trusting ultimately in any other rock is foolishness.

Prayer:

Lord, I thank You and praise You, for You are my Rock! Help me each day to keep my eyes fixed on You, trusting in You as my fortress, my deliverer, my refuge and shield, my strength and my provider. May I live under Your banner and place my confidence in You alone. I am grateful. Amen.