Collapsing on the Rock

     Since childhood, the image of Jesus bent over a rock and praying with droplets of blood trickling from his sweaty being, profoundly touches me.   The Garden of Gethsemane might have been its geographic setting, but its purpose now settles deep within my faith.   As a young girl, I wondered how Jesus ever mastered the ability to endure excruciating physical death so I (and you) could eternally live.   With age, and God growing my wisdom, I understood.   It was not because Jesus mastered the ability but rather that Christ never doubted the ability of His Master, God His Father.   From then on, the stone upon which Jesus’s body collapsed, and prayed, was viewed by me as a focal point.

     Let’s define focal point.   “The focal point of a lens or mirror is the point in space where parallel light rays meet after passing through the lens or bouncing off the mirror.   A ‘perfect’ lens or mirror would send all light rays through one focal point, which would result in the clearest image.” (Definition: Focal Point – Amazing Space)

     Indeed, my clearest image came from the rock becoming a focal point.   I must also admit, I shook my head that it had taken so long for me to perceive this imagery of the Gethsemane rock.    Christ, when most agonizing over His impending crucifixion, collapsed His human body upon the only rock foundation that the weight of His greatest worldly tribulation would not crumble.   Jesus clung to God His Father, His rock and fortress.   Christ understood God the Father (and He and He alone) could carry Him through even the fiercest of storms.   “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.” Psalm 62:2 (ESV)

     Collapsing on the Rock – for Christ, it was the first and only way.   How sadly we humans often accept this only as a last resort.  

     God did not create us to be humanly strong.   He created us to place our human weaknesses into the hands of His divine strength.   The power to withstand, overcome and resurrect comes not from human force but from God as our source.  

     How many times do we try, with our own strength, to determine our steps and defeat our trials and tribulations?   Only after we are broken, do we place our pieces into God’s hands.   Again, God is not our first response but our last defense.   God can, and does, put our pieces back together; but He so longs for us to, instinctively and immediately, collapse on Him, our rock, and allow His (and His alone) strength to bring peace to all our worldly battles.  

     As our lives are besieged with one battle after the other, one question we should ponder.   How did Christ receive the strength needed to fulfill His battle for our redemption?   He collapsed on His rock – the strength of God His Father.   In the hours of our greatest needs, should we not do the same?   “Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; You have given the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.”  Psalm 71:3 (ESV)