IMAGES OF GOD - #2

The previous thought for the week looked at the image of God as 'Shepherd'. This focused on his tender, compassionate care.

This week we look at quite a different image: that of God as a 'Rock'.

In Australia we have Uluru - a massive landmark in the Northern Territory, claimed to be the largest rock in the world. It stands alone, unique, immoveable. It dominates the landscape, rendering everything else insignificant and puny.

The Bible refers to God as 'my rock ... my fortress', 'my rock in whom I take refuge', 'the Rock', 'my Rock ... my Saviour', 'my Rock and my Redeemer', 'my rock of refuge', 'my rock and my salvation', 'the Rock my Saviour', and 'the Rock of our salvation'.

The significance of God as 'Rock' is clear: this image focuses on security, safety and shelter. God is our Rock: the one place where human beings can find a strong, stable, unchanging, dependable refuge in a world of constant change, threat and insecurity.

We were not created to 'go it alone'. We were created to live in a relationship of trust in and dependence on him who calls himself 'the Rock'.

Scriptures: Deuteronomy 32:3-4; 1 Samuel 2:2; 2 Samuel 22:2-3, 32, 47; Psalms: 18, 19, 28, 31, 42, 62, 71, 89, 92, 94, 95, 144; Isaiah 26:1-4.