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Bible Study with Missionary Carol Hall @ Word2day.com - home of Strombolis eZine “The heart shaped Rock” Reflections for the New Year nica Bible Study

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Missionary Carol Hall, Nagoya Japan

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www.NicaChurch.org

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The Heart Shaped Rock

Reflections for the New Year Nica Bible Study

 

 

carol.jpgWhen we had the memorial service for my Dad,  his great-grandson, about 8 yrs. old,  who was crying,  quietly, and quickly took something out of his pocket and laid one of his favorite possessions...a small, shiny, heart shaped rock, on the pillow beside my dad ...   It was a very touching gesture,  yet the small dark stone looked strange against the white pillow...usually people put flowers there........yet the stone made me think of another ROCK!

 

And, as I testified, my dad had given his total life to Christ just 5 months before.......So, I knew .My dad trusted in THE ROCK, Jesus, and that heart shaped rock, to me, represented the love of Jesus,  the ROCK of salvation. 

 

Though the Bible talks often of the LORD as our Rock, most people would rather think of the Lord as a Shepherd,  a comforter,  a healer, etc. but....A rock?...It is not a very comfortable thought..

 

.We don’t hug rocks.   We don’t like to sleep on them. ROcks don’t bring us comfort or talk to us.   Rocks can hurt us.  They are all around us but we don’t really notice them......yet, when we see a polished rock, we are amazed at the beauty inside!!!   But, mostly, the rocks we know are plain, brown, grey, and hard!!  Usually people don’t think about rocks at funerals.....we think of more comforting things.

 

But, as my dad’s great-grandson put the heart shaped rock by my dad... I also began thinking of another ROCK from a LONG TIME AGO under the water of Lake Fairview, in the Pocono mountains of Pennsylvania.

 

My dad & my brother spent all their summers at this small lake in the mountains.  Many guests would go there for vacation.   I was privileged to spend one month every year with my dad & brother & at that lake.   It was the best month of the year! He had speed boats,  row boats,  sail boats, and canoes. My brother and I played constantly in the water.    The lake was our freedom.    We would often swim out to a deeper part of the lake and jump off a small float.....We were small and couldn’t touch the bottom  so we stayed close to the float.........But sometimes we liked to swim out further.............

 

We had found a BIG ROCK on the bottom of the lake....If we stood on our toes,  we could stand there in the deep water and take a rest.   So, when we first got into the deeper water,  I would always,  always FIND THE ROCK FIRST to make sure we knew where it was. We would put our feet down  until our feet found the ROCK of rest, and we would say  “I FOUND IT!”...............

 

Sometimes we couldn’t find it, &  we would have to dive under, peering  into the dark, brownish color water down in the brownish dark water, until we would see a light colored SHAPE raising up, larger than the others.......IT WAS THE ROCK!!!!  It was fun to stand on it in the middle of the deep water, even when the wind made the waves big. Sometimes we would have a contest to see who could find it first.

 

No matter how old or how tall we got, each summer, we would look for that rock and yell out  “I FOUND IT!!!!”    It always made us feel like we were home after being separated all year.   This rock was OURS!    WE could depend on it, like a friend...no matter what wind or waves came into our broken family life........ This rock never moved, or changed its shape... YES...this was a rock of comfort,  safety,  and had a part of my brother Bob and I being together again.

 

It’s been 30 years or more since I’ve been to that lake and to that rock. I’m sure it’s still there.  Maybe some other children have discovered it.

 

 I just realized that thru all the years, in all the storms,  the fears,  the depressions,   and the lost feelings....... I understand now that in my prayers, and reading of the Bible, and searching and seeking the presence of the Lord........I was doing just as I did when I was a young girl.

 

I WAS LOOKING FOR THE PLACE OF SAFETY.   THE PLACE OF
SECURITY.....THE PLACE OF SALVATION.......The UNMOVEABLE, UNSHAKABLE ROCK.    And,  HE was always always there........waiting for me TO SEEK  so He could be found.    

 

We think HE is lost or has left us.....But in the dark...deep waters of your troubles and fears, HE IS THERE........Seek the ROCK....Rest your feet on that ROCK and you will not sink down. He will hold you up.   THE ROCK will embrace you, comfort you...... He will NOT MOVE. He will stay where He is, and expect you to find HIM THERE. Did the Rock move?  No.......you did!    Sometimes He seeks US, like a shepherd, if we get lost.    But when we are the ones who went away,....He just waits for us to Seek Him. 

 

 The Bible says, YOU SHALL SEEK ME AND FIND ME WHEN YOU
SEARCH FOR ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART.  Jeremiah 29:13

 

Often, up at the lake, our dad  & the guests  would be sitting on the dock,  watching us play in the lake.   They would see us swim out to the deeper part of the lake and look for the ROCK.   (we knew they were watching) So, when we found the rock, we would wave at them and  yell LOUDLY, “WE FOUND THE ROCK!”....and they would wave back and smile.

 

  As I thought over these things right after dad died....I remember him sitting on the dock, and hoping he would jump in the water and join us!   But he was with the guests,  watching us.....I thought of the Bible verses which tell us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses...those faithful people who have gone home before us.....cheering us on.  (Hebrews 12:1)

 

Heart_shaped_rock.jpgI thought of my grandma, my mom  and other faithful friends who have gone to Heaven and now my dad has joined them too! Can they see thru the dividing line of earth and eternity and watch us sometimes? Do they see it when we get lost down here on earth and have struggles and temptations? Do they wait to see us wave and yell out “I FOUND THE ROCK!”  and cheer us on?    It seems to be so. ..........and surely the angels   watch as  well...................For the Bible says there is JOY in Heaven over each one that puts their faith in Christ .... They laugh and wave as we say  “WE FOUND THE ROCK!  We’re Okay now!” For HE IS THE ROCK SHAPED LIKE A HEART,. 

 

 

ROCK verses:  2 Sam 22:3  22:32,  33,  34,   37,   47, 1 COR. 10:4 MATT.  7:24

 

 

In these changing times, the waves and wind will try to blow you far off course...many strange doctrines, and signs and wonders from the devil himself.   ESTABLISH yourselves ON THE ROCK!!!! The Rock is HIS WORD...Get it into your HEART!  Get it into your SPIRIT! He is the Rock shaped like a HEART! 

 

 

Pastor Carol, Nagoya Japan

 

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