Capital R Rock vs. Little R Rock

Deuteronomy 32:31 For their rock is not as our Rock; our enemies are by themselves.

What a picturesque way to express the vast difference between the godly and the ungodly!  We who are the family of God have a Rock (capital “r”) that is our refuge; one who fights for His people, who guides them, who protects them, who guards them, who delivers them, who answers their prayers (all these characteristics are found in Psalm 91). 

In comparison, the ungodly have a rock (little “r) upon which to rely.  In this version (the ESV), the verse says that the enemies of God and His children have only themselves upon which to rely.  In other versions that phrase talks about the fact that those enemies are judging for themselves or conceding that yes, indeed, the Rock of the children of God is more reliable, better, and stronger than they are.    

We must always remember in humility that the ungodly who surround us are trying to rely on their own wisdom and power because that is all they have while we, on the other hand, have a Rock (capital “r”) upon which to rely.  In these days of frustration with government at all levels, this is such a powerful reminder to me to be humble in my response to decisions and actions taken by politicians and other leaders when I do not agree with them.  This does not mean that I compromise the way of truth but rather that I recognize that there are many leaders who are "by themselves" because they have only a little-r-rock to rely on.

Moving on

 I have written so much and made so many cards since last August yet somehow I had lost myself in terms of keeping up on this blog.  I regret that in many ways, but at the same time I recognize that we all go through stages and this has been one of those times when I just did not have the heart for it.  That stage in my life seems to be coming to an end so I think I'll just pick up where I left off and move on.

Speaking of moving on, that is exactly what I saw in my devotional reading and study this morning.

Joshua 3:7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so will I be with you.”

 Our dear friend Billy passed away last week and all week long it seems like almost every activity has reminded us of something related to him.  Many conversations bring him up as we continue to mourn his death.  The first three chapters of Joshua seem to have that same kind of thing in them.  Almost everything that happens has Moses in the conversation.  We know Moses’ death played heavily on Joshua’s mind in those early days of his new leadership role.  God Himself as well as the Israelite tribal leaders told Joshua that they would support his leadership just as they had supported Moses.  Joshua in turn reminded the leaders about things that Moses had said.  Then, here in this verse, for one final time, God tells Joshua that his leadership is going to replace Moses’ leadership.  It looks like this is the last time Joshua’s leadership is spoken of in terms of Moses’ death.  Joshua has apparently been able to move on from living in Moses’ shadow and is able to be a confident leader on his own and even those under his leadership recognized that fact.  I am certain that Joshua never forgot Moses but he would remember Moses in terms of memories rather than in mourning.  That is how I see God work in my own experiences of mourning.  It is how, with God’s help, we move on even though we have lost a dear fiend or relative.