The Rock Higher Than I

Psalm 61:2 KJV

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

This verse has been very prominent in my life lately. We sometime find that with verses. They almost seem to “pop” up in different areas of our lives. We may think this is a coincidence, but we know that there is nothing happenstance about our God. His word is a living Word.

During a recent stressful stretch at work, I sat down at my desk with a feeling of anxiety. Problems seemed to abound everywhere I turned, and many people were looking to me for answers. As I sat there wondering where to start, this verse came into my mind very clearly. It shocked me at first because I wouldn’t say that I necessarily have a great memory for Scripture. As I repeated it in my mind, tears began to flow. I had to bend down behind my computer screen to avoid the questions that would undoubtedly come from coworkers when they saw me. “Are you alright?” That would be the inevitable question. I was definitely alright, even more than alright. My heart was rejoicing that God had provided the answer even when I hadn’t asked it directly to him. Paul writes in Romans:

“Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

My heart was overwhelmed but in being shown the Rock that was higher than I, I saw my help. A savior in Jesus Christ who had walked that road before me and carries my burdens for me. These burdens can be the natural ones that we all have to carry such as I was experiencing that day at work, or they can also be those spiritual ones. Sins that we struggle with or temptation. No matter what they are we can be assured that Jesus cares. The songwriter wrote the question, “Does Jesus care?” And followed it right up with “Oh yes he cares”.

Some days later, Anna showed me that my mom had posted this same verse on social media. A couple days later it showed up in my daily reading. Then again, my uncle Brian sent it in his daily scripture that he sends via text. Each time reassuring me of this care that Jesus has for us.

When I was a child, my Maternal grandmother had an extensive surgery on her leg, and we were going to the hospital to visit her. My siblings and I each wrote out a card to hand to her. As she read mine, she burst out into tears. I wanted to run out of the room thinking I had made her sad. Consoled by my parents, they explained it was all ok. I had chosen to write the words of a plaque that hung on our wall at home. It read” The Will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you”. I learned that day that her tears were not sadness but rather tears of joy such as I had just recently experienced. Coming out of a very long surgery and not going to know until later how successful it would be was weighing on her mind. This I’m sure would have been overwhelming. She was comforted by the words I had copied down. Not scripture but written by someone who knew scripture someone who had the knowledge of a God who cares so deeply about us that he has sent his only begotten son to bear our burdens. He is that one that is closer than a brother as the writer of Proverbs says. Oh, what love!

As this season of Lent is upon us we are reminded again of the wonderful work of Salvation wrought on that center cross of Calvary where Christ was lifted up higher than us. Suspended between Heaven and Earth so that the wrath of God against our sin would be poured out upon him and not on us who so rightly deserved it. In his humanity, that must have been a most overwhelming situation, but in his deity, it must have been such a joyful experience as the writer to the Hebrews tells us that it was for the joy that was set before him that he endured the cross and despised the shame. When we are overwhelmed not only can we turn to him, but as our verse says we can be led to the Rock. That stable sure place where we can feel secure in Him. We can trust that indeed his won’t lead us where his grace cannot keep us.

Praise God for His unspeakable mercies towards us in Christ!

Hans Lampinen

Submitted by Pastor Stan