Monday October 7, 2024

Today is Monday, October 7, and for this week, as we continue to explore the reality of Christ as our cornerstone and firm foundation, I want to explore five pillars of life with Christ: Trust, Growth, Refuge, Alignment, and Unity. Today, we will talk about trust.

O good and gracious God, as I meet the day, in this moment with you, speak to my heart. Open your holy word to me and let it’s sound echo in my heart and memory. Use this moment, I pray, to continue your work of transformation in me, help me to see the brand new mercy that is promised to us each day, and give me the grace to receive the gift of your love. Speak, Lord. I am listening.

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts. Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith. You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 26:1-4

This particular excerpt from Isaiah 26 belongs to a larger context of the 24^th through the 27^th chapters of Isaiah. It foretells of the day of the Lord’s judgment of wickedness and moves into a song of celebration of the end of God’s justice. We could hear that in a rugged and difficult sense, but I think the key is God is actively in process of making right the wrong we experience of a broken world, and one day, that process will be fully consummated. In other words, one day, it’s going to all be alright.

We long for that restoration, because we live in the throes of the devastation of sin. But on that day, there will be singing and rejoicing. The text said salvation will be the walls and ramparts of the city of God. It may not be obvious given the language, but when the bible speaks of salvation, it oftentimes includes the idea of wholeness. What is broken will be repaired, what is shattered will be restored, what ailments we experienced will be healed.

In other words, there is hope. The prophet Isaiah reminds us, therefore, to trust in God. Trust in the Lord, not for a minute or a moment. No! Trust in the Lord forever. Why? Because He is the “Rock eternal.” Notice “Rock” is capitalized. He’s THE Rock. The imagery of God as a “Rock eternal” reflects the ancient Near Eastern understanding of rocks as symbols of strength, permanence, and refuge. In Israel’s arid landscape, a rock was often a source of shade and protection. Here, Isaiah is exhorting us to trust in the Lord because He is a solid, eternal foundation—unlike human structures that are temporary and fragile. Isaiah speaks to a people in turmoil, reminding them that God’s stability is unmatched. As the Rock, God is unshakable, unaffected by time, and able to withstand the most severe conditions. When we place our trust in Him, we’re building our lives on something that cannot be moved, no matter the chaos around us.

Ask: Are there any areas of my life that I am not bringing before the Lord? What areas of my life can I bring under the refuge and stable shelter of the Rock eternal? How can I trust God more with more of my life?

Pause and Pray

You, O Lord, are my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; it is in you that I take refuge, for you are my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will trust in you. You are worthy to be trusted, and your promise to me is to keep me in perfect peace as I keep my life focused toward you. Grant me grace to do just that on this day. Amen

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