Have you ever walked along an ocean beach, exploring a rocky coastline. The waves crash and surge over rock platforms, as you see cliffs and fascinating rock formations at every turn. A strong wind is blowing off the sea, and salty spray strikes your face. As you walk over rock pools and seaweed you round a corner and discover a cave carved out by the endless pounding of the waves. The tide is out, so you walk inside, curious to investigate. The sound of waves and wind goes quiet, and somehow you feel safe in this coastal hideaway.

It reminds me of walking into a large city cathedral entering through large thick wooden doors. Outside are the sounds of a city, but as you enter, all is suddenly quiet and peaceful, a place of retreat within a vaulted structure of stone.

In the Bible Jesus is often likened to a rock, one on whom we can depend for security and protection. Our heavenly Father has provided his Son as a rock in whom we can find a place of refuge. There is a famous Hymn written by Fanny J Crosby (1890) which has the following chorus: –
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
That shadows a dry thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of his love,
And covers me there with his hand,
And covers me there with his hand.
Its inspiration comes from an incident recorded in Exodus 33: 21-23 where God wants to encourage Moses that his presence would be with him and the people he was leading. He shows him a rock which is nearby, and which has an opening or cleft. God places Moses there and covers him with his hand to prevent him seeing the face of God, yet still able to see his glorious presence pass by.

God our Heavenly Father wants us to see that there is a special rock he has placed close to each one of us. Of course, that ‘ROCK’ is none other than Jesus Christ. There is a space in that rock where we can stand and whilst we may not see God, his hand will still be there revealing himself to us through his Son!