“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock” (Isaiah 26: 4 ESV).

Why does Isaiah use a rock analogy? Years ago, while working on my undergraduate degree, I gave thought to becoming a geologist. I was, and continue to be, fascinated by the movements of the Earth. Vanity steered me away from the field. Concerns with long term sun and wind damage on my skin ruled above my interest in rocks and tectonic plates. I’ll save the vanity discussion for another time.

Geology 101 is needed. There are three primary forces on rock: compression, tension, and shear. Forces create internal stresses. Compression is the pressure surrounding the rock squeezing it into deformation. This squeezing takes place above and beneath the surface. Tension tears rock apart. Think of pulling a bag of chips open. An earthquake generates the power to rip apart mountains above and below the surface, including mountains submerged in oceans. Last, is the force of shear. Imagine a train going northbound. On the tracks running beside is a train headed southbound. Put them in motion, allow them to barely touch, and you will observe shear as slices of metal come from both trains.

Notice the parallels between rock stresses and life stresses used by Isaiah. External forces create unbearable stresses in our lives. We feel immense pressure as our world tries to collapse around us. Perhaps life’s tensions are tearing our life asunder. And other times we are tossed directionally, struggling to hold relationships on the tracks. Life’s stresses seem overwhelming. Isaiah offers the comfort of God.

He uses the analogy of rock because there is no natural substance harder, denser than rock. Yet rock cannot withstand the same forces used to create it. Although it requires a great deal of force to change, it can be changed. Life stress often lead to crumbling, tossing us from firm footing. Our everlasting rock is Jesus. He is immovable, indestructible, He is alive! He alone is able to carry us through. No forces are able to weaken His resolve to secure our future. He is our everlasting, unchanging Savior.

Father, thank You for reminding us of Your power. Help us transfer destructive forces around us to You. “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly

shaken” (Ps 62:2). In Jesus name, Amen