First Quarter, Rock of Ages

3/31/2019

I’m wondering how to sum up the first quarter of the year. Perhaps it’s best not to. We’ve had a great time with friends in fellowship, two Bible conferences which were joyful, and my daughter’s business (where I hang my hat a part of most days) was very good. That’s a pretty enjoyable 13 weeks. However, some things didn’t come to pass as we’d hoped. 

One family visit, usually in March, has been postponed till later (it will still be wonderful, just delayed.) As we all age, usual things sometimes cross over into exceptional things because of unusual sets of circumstances. So, we’ll just have a visit later. 

At the end of this quarter, Barb’s only sister passed away in Florida. She was 88. She will be missed, Barb loved her dearly. She was 12 years older than Barb and a “big sister” all the days of Barb’s growing up and young adult life. She and her husband had lived in Florida for close to 40 years. In the days of their mother’s decline, for more than 10 years (1980 to 1990), Barb, her sister, and one brother gave “mother” constant visits and stays with each so no one sibling had to care for her all the time. That gave us (Barb and me) the chance to visit more often with her family than in prior years. Many of those visits now live precious in Barb’s memories of all 3; mother, sister and brother.

But that was just the first quarter of this yet-to-come-momentous year! There should be great things to talk about in days to come. For instance, in less that two weeks, I’ll be going to Austin, TX for another bible conference (in Round Rock) and the opportunity to visit and fellowship with friends and loving people for 3 days. I’m looking forward to this trip. Changes are coming to the sponsoring group there and we’re praying for the Lord’s leadership in all that transpires, both at the conference and afterward. 

SIMH today is an old, old hymn: “Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee.” The Rock of Ages, of course, is Christ, as the verse goes on to explain the saving grace of the blood shed by Christ—the perfect sacrifice for sin—covering every sin ever committed by mortal man. Written by Augustus Toplady in 1776. How interesting is that? The year our nation was founded, Rock of Ages was written to be sung by millions and still continuing on today.

Here’s a very pitiful side note to the SIMH. When I googled Rock of Ages to find out when it was written, 4 and 1/2 pages of Google info, all about a rock and roll film by this same name and its appurtenances came up before this 243 year old song which has been known by billions of people as a foundational truth hymn! That’s about 60 items of rock and roll “extolling” prior to the recognition of the Lord Jesus Christ’s influence on the world! The Beatles have been proven right again: they said they were more popular than Christ, and it’s now obviously true. (I laughed at that statement back in the 60s and it just keeps getting more and more true.)

So, I’m thinking, let’s put one more copy of the words to this great hymn into posterity here in this blog:

1 Rock of Ages, cleft for me, 

let me hide myself in thee; 

let the water and the blood, 

from thy wounded side which flowed, 

be of sin the double cure; 

save from wrath and make me pure. 

2 Not the labors of my hands 

can fulfill thy law’s demands; 

could my zeal no respite know, 

could my tears forever flow, 

all for sin could not atone; 

thou must save, and thou alone. 

3 Nothing in my hand I bring, 

simply to the cross I cling; 

naked, come to thee for dress; 

helpless, look to thee for grace; 

foul, I to the fountain fly; 

wash me, Savior, or I die. 

4 While I draw this fleeting breath, 

when mine eyes shall close in death, 

when I soar to worlds unknown, 

see thee on thy judgment throne, 

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, 

let me hide myself in thee. 

 There. Take that, rock and roll!

Seriously, doesn’t it just irritate you a little bit, that the world’s pastime never includes a long look at Christ and His promise of immortality? Is there truly NO PLACE found in this world for a Saviour? One who said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest!” (emphasis mine.)

Putting the gospel into perspective, the Lord Jesus, from heaven, sent the Apostle Paul to “turn the world upside down” by saying to them, “..through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by Him, all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. 

Oh, friends, believe on Christ today. Not the world, rock and roll, nor even your own activity can save you eternally. but, Christ can and will, if you believe. Trust Him and His word today.

Thanks for reading, the Elder