Stand On THE ROCK

Last Summer, I went canoeing with my family in Missouri. I have fond memories of canoeing with the youth group over the years. Aside from an occasional dumping of a canoe—mostly on accident — and some lost twinkies and disposable cameras in ziplocks floating down the river — it’s really been a fun activity.

For some reason, though I grew up in the area, I had not canoed in the Ozarks. I did not know that this was an activity either for very good canoeing types or for the marines, mostly the second. Of course, once your in it, your committed! We went through some rapids several times — in one of them Kimberly and Austin tipped their canoe. They were caught in very fast water between a huge rock and their canoe. The stream was so strong, I couldn’t get to them—and I don’t know what I would have been able to do – had I gotten there. They managed to get righted—with only a knee injury—but I had that sinking feeling that things could have gone much, much worse. There is not a Christmas present on the planet that would have meant more than being able to stand firm on a rock and help. And God provided.

When I think of the battles our young people and their families are fighting, including my own—I see so many life canoes, if you will, caught in an unrelenting stream. Pressure from every side, it seems. That day, in the Ozark rushing river they call a small creek, I would have given anything for firm footing. Perhaps we see ourselves spiritually longing for firm footing. The wonderful news is that Christ is exactly that. I can’t bear to be silent, wishing life wasn't a gushing stream. Or wishing more people agreed. Grasp the ROCK—get a footing on Christ first — and everything else will work out. He paid a big price to be able to say so.

We are going to try something different for the first half of 2010. We are going to ask every student from third grade 12th grade—and perhaps beyond — with their families’ in their canoe—to anchor themselves to the ROCK, our Savior Jesus Christ. Use some Holiday time to pray and reflect on these three goals for every student. They do not come without effort or commitment.

** Take Refuge in God — connect to Jesus Christ our rock. If think about the spiritual battles we engage—and the river of the world that flows around us—we need a refuge — and Christ is our Rock.

** Reinforce our faith — connect with Christians to hold on to the rock. There are very few spiritual giants who go it alone in the entire Biblical history. We need to reinforce to connect—to strengthen our hold on the rock. We need fellowship with Christians to do so.

** Rescue people—connect others to Jesus, their rock. Our world is in incredible need, of the good news that Jesus is the trustworthy ROCK.

We have the ROCK to stand on, because of a baby in a manger. When I think about it, it makes Merry Christmas mean a lot more to me.

Rusty