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STANDING ON THE SOLID ROCK
Proven Trustworthy

A Commentary by Constance Vanides

"KEEP OFF ROCKS" said the sign. It referred to a sloping embankment of irregularly-shaped, slippery rocks leading to the waters of the marina below. The acceptable and safe way was to stay off the rocks and take a ramp leading to the docked boats. So it is with our spiritual life, except instead of keeping off Jesus, our Rock, we learn to trust and stay on Him.

As I looked at those rocks in the marina, I was reminded of two songs we've enjoyed in church. One is "The Solid Rock", a 19th century hymn by Edward Mote. I began singing its refrain:

"On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand."

Then another song came to memory, "Precious Cornerstone" by Andy Park, Mercy/Vineyard. It's a contemporary praise song:

"There is no rock like our God.
Precious Cornerstone,
I stand on You alone..."

Both songs speak of the Rock we are to stand on, Jesus Christ Himself:

Webster's Dictionary defines "cornerstone" as "A stone forming a part of a corner or angle in a wall...hence, something of fundamental importance." It is the foundation upon which the entire building squarely begins and rests. The Apostle Paul speaks to us today:
"God is building a home. He's using us all-irrespective of how we got here-in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day-a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home." (Ephesians 2:20 The Message)

We need to make sure our temple is ready, beginning with Christ, our Cornerstone. Hear what the Apostle Peter says under the anointing of the Holy Spirit:
"Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4)

Jesus Himself prepared His disciples by clearly explaining the bedrock significance of His messages:
"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock." (Matthew 7:24, 25)

We are being built as a spiritual house with Jesus Christ our firm foundation, precious Cornerstone, and the spiritual rock we can trust to stand on. Keep off slippery rocks, yes, but stay on The Rock!

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