Theme: “The Lord is the Rock We can Trust”
References: Acts7:1-16; Exodus 2-3; Hebrews 11
Scripture: Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. 2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. 4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God… 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.
In David’s psalms, the words “fortress” or “rock” are often used to symbolize the unwavering power of God, guaranteeing that God is the one he can trust. In times of pain and sorrow, David always turned to God, seeking His help, pouring his heart out to Him and proclaiming his faith in Him. Although the situation itself may not necessarily change, David’s perspective of the situation was broadened so that he can turn the sorrow in his heart into hope.
Acts 7:1-16 mentions Joseph, a man of great faith. His brothers sold him as a slave into Egypt, then framed by his master Potiphar’s wife, he was imprisoned. Nonetheless, he still relied on God, his rock, and eventually, God elevated him to be the governor of Egypt, and there was no one above him except Pharaoh. God also cleverly arranged for him to reconcile with his brothers in Egypt during a famine. Hebrews 11:22 shows the faith that Joseph had in God: “By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones”. Joseph had full faith in God. He was convinced that God would lead the Israelites to the promised and hence, willed that his bones be buried there.
After killing an Egyptian, Moses fled to Midian (Exodus 2:15) and tended the flock for his father-in-law Jethro. He led the flock to Horeb, the mountain of God, and there he met God. God asked him to return to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into Canaan, the promised land of milk and honey. Moses declined a few times before he finally obeyed God's order, returned to Egypt, experienced Pharaoh’s rejection of allowing the Israelites to leave ten times. Finally, after much hardship, he brought the Israelites out of Egypt. Exodus 2:15 describes Moses’s flight to Midian. The word “flight” has a negative connotation that is debatable. Let’s take a look at Hebrews 11:24-26. It describes Moses as follows: “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.” The word “regard” in Greek refers to “a calculated, well-thought-out decision”. Therefore, Moses was not forced to flee, but willingly left the worldly riches and entered the wilderness. And because of his steadfast faith and trust in the Lord, against all odds, he brought the Israelites to the border of the land of milk and honey.
There is no question that David, the author of Psalms 31, had faith in God. We can see it in many of the psalms he wrote. But whether it is Joseph, Moses or David, they are all human beings, and their faith is nothing compared to that of the Lord Jesus. Before Jesus’ death, He cried out confidently: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” This verse is classic! Here, the Lord Jesus not only denounced death, but also demonstrated to the world that “This is the truest kind of faith!” In fact, this sentence is from today's Scripture. The original translation of “committed into” may be translated as “deposit”. (Jeremiah 36:20). When Jesus said this, He “deposited” His spirit into the hands of the Father, with complete trust in God. This is the complete reliance in the Lord.
How will you entrust yourself to God? How will you learn to totally rely on Him at all times? We can find the answer from the Lord Jesus Christ. What will you deposit or entrust into the hands of the our Father God?