Wind, Waves and
the Rock
Man is
characterized by the fact that he is fickle and prone to
many changes in mood, attitude and love. He is compared
to the flower of the grass which only lasts for an hour
or so (Isaiah 4:8) and as a vapor which is but for a
moment (James 4:14). Many scriptures compare men and
nations to the sea in its instability and
tempestuousness. One of the things that is certain about
the ocean is that it is never the same. It can literally
change from one moment to the next as many a sailor has
discovered to his peril.
Off course this
kind of instability is more pronounced in those who are
immature. Just as children can be laughing one moment
and be crying the very next, so young believers are very
erratic. They love the Lord with a great zeal one moment
and the very next they fall madly in love with some
earthly thing or person and the Lord is forgotten. One
cannot depend on them as they run hot and cold. One
moment they will be your best friend the next they
hardly know you or may even turn against you. James
writes about such people who are like waves of the sea
that are driven and built up by the wind and then the
next moment come crashing down. They have two minds and
two hearts – one for God and one for the world. James
says that such people are unstable in all their ways
(James 1:6-8). This instability flows through to every
relationship, commitment and task that such an
individual touches.
When a church is
made up of a majority of such people it will know
tempestuous times as attendance, giving and service ebbs
and flows. Peter warns that unstable people are the
prime target for false teachers (2 Peter 2:14). This is
exactly what we see happening today as thousands of
believers flow from one church to the next, following
the latest fads and hottest personalities. In marketing
terms this is referred to as “churn”. Interestingly
enough, Peter also classes these false teachers as
unstable as they twist and torture the Scriptures to
suit their needs and agenda (2 Peter 3:16). Paul uses
the same imagery when he speaks about the immature being
“tossed to and fro… with every wind of doctrine”
(Ephesians 4:14). Jude speaks of those who, “are
clouds without water, carried about by the winds… raging
waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame” (Jude
12,13). Thus the instability of man is a recurring
theme, not only in the New Testament, but in the Old
Testament also, especially as epitomized by Israel and her tempestuous
relationship with the Lord.
But praise God, He
is not so. As man is symbolized by waves, water and
clouds driven by the winds of circumstances, fashions
and passions, God is symbolized as a rock. It is
interesting that both rocks and waves can be found along
the seashore. As the waves crash about the rock hour
upon hour, century after century, the rock remains
steadfast, immovable and unchanged. No amount of wind,
water heat or cold move the rocks – they are sure, even
to the end of this age. It is wonderful to have this
security in our Rock amidst a world of uncertainty,
people who are forever changing and circumstances that
would seek to blow us away.
As David faced
Saul’s changing moods, the rock of Adullam provided a
wonderful sense of refuge and security. Whenever Saul’s
demons would arouse his anger against David, David could
flee to that cleft of the rock that was a sure,
unchanging and dependable fortress. But David knew that
his security did not lie in a geological feature but in
the Lord for “He only is my rock and my salvation; He
is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my
salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my
refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you
people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge
for us” (Psalm 62:6-8). David was certainly well
acquainted with the unpredictability of man as his own
sons turned against him and his wife deserted him to
side with her father. But he says “I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that
is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A
strong tower from the enemy will cry to You, When my
heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the Rock that is
higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A
strong tower from the enemy.” (Psalm 61:2,3). In
fact, the Psalmist refers to the Lord as the Rock 26
times. Moses, Isaiah, Habakuk, Paul and Peter all spoke
of the Lord as the Rock.
Oh, how much we
need to seek out, know and build on that one surety we
have in this ever changing world. As we place our lives,
hopes and desires in the Unchanging One, we will find
that same rock-steady dependability in our lives. How
futile it is when we build for ourselves houses of straw
on shifting sands by putting our trust in men, money and
machines. When will we ever learn that there is only one
who is the same yesterday, today for ever – He who said
“I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6).
Against the
instability of man, James juxtaposes the “Father of
lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of
turning.” (James 1:17). This creates such an
excitement in my heart to know He is not variable. In South Africa
the weather forecasters speak of winds that are “light
to variable”. But our father is not like the wind and he
does not vary from one century to the next, he is ever
gracious, kind and compassionate. How I praise Him that
I don’t have to catch him at a good moment or in a good
mood – he is ever-stable and ever-faithful. How
marvelous that I don’t have to try to read His face to
determine his mood. No, He is just the same as He was
when he restored Israel time after time. He has not
changed since He cried, “Father forgive them for they
know not what they do”. His love, grace, compassion
and all His wonderful attributes remain undiluted and
unaffected by time or man’s unfaithfulness.
He remains “a
hiding place from the wind, And a cover from the
tempest… As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land”
(Isaiah 32:2). Let’s flee to Him and exalt His glorious
name forever.
Anton Bosch
antonbosch@sbcglobal.net
www.abcd.co.za/offi
www.abcd.co.za/plumbline
Tel 818 846 5520
Fax 818 846 4357
3310 West
Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, California
91505-2907
USA