Do You Have a Rock?

Do you have a Rock?

Do you have a Rock? Have you ever wondered what does it mean to have a rock? This question does not refer to the earth element that one finds outside ones backyard or on a construction site. But the are similarities are in what the rock can tell us by its very nature.

A rock is a “relatively hard, naturally formed mineral or petrified matter; One that is similar to or suggestive of a mass of stone in stability, firmness, or dependability” (The Free Dictionary). These qualities of the rock, from our definition, has been used in the bible to denote a very important part of our spiritual life. It shows that in our life we should have, it is important to have a rock. Below are some of scriptures that refer to the symbolic use of the rock:

“The Lord is my rock…” 2 Samuel 22:2

“Blessed be my rock…” 2 Samuel 22:47

“For you are my rock…” Psalm 31:3

The religious and spiritual context of the use of this metaphor/analogy can and does hide the fact that each one of us is already using and has a rock (some several rocks) in our daily lives.

Let us look at it from a different angle and then we will loop back to the rock in spiritual context. Each and every one of us have things that we will not say or do. It does not matter what it is. Peer pressure, no amount of money, or any attempts at seduction will ever change our minds or break our will. The question is “what is it that make us remain steadfast in our decision?” We could say that it is our will and our strength that give us the fortitude to resist. But upon a deeper analysis it is because somewhere along the line we have either consciously or unconsciously created a rock in our mind. Not a physical rock but a mental rock that is hard, solid, firm, and dependable. Since we have moved to the realm of mind/psychology we do not use spiritual terminology and metaphors. What we now have in the mental realm is a PRINCIPLE (not to be confused with principal). Let us bring it down to an even more concrete level. You have been invited to the tracks to bet on horses. You don’t want to go because you do not believe in gambling. You go because your friends invited you. They enjoyed themselves. You are bored but you met an acquaintance that share similar interest. It was an interesting day at the tracks for you not because you bet on a horse but because you stood by your PRINCIPLE, spent time with your friends and you got something out of the trip by meeting someone with similar interests. In other words your principle guided you and even connected you with someone else besides your friends.

You see your principle is your rock and your rock is your principle.

So let us loop it back to scripture. What this is teaching us is that God is our principle. With God as our principle we will be guided and fortified (spiritually and mentally) because we are taking as our principle that which is the foundation of existence itself. Remember, it was the house that was built on the rock that stood in the end. But let look even further at the word rock as a verb. To rock is to go back and forth; “to move back and forth or from side to side, especially gently or rhythmically.”(The Free Dictionary.) Here the idea is that our principle will cradle us in the bad times as we constantly refer (go back and forth) to it, drawing strength and fortitude from the pearls of wisdom in it.

Do you have a rock? Do you have a Principle?