Of all the beauty God created in nature, there are few elements on this planet that move me like rocks. I’m not talking about the pebble variety, though these little rocks can be beautiful or completely exasperating if wedged in your shoe. But the rocks that resonate with my spirit are the boulder to mountain-size varieties—the kinds that have weight and strength—the kinds you can climb and stand on with certainty. The kinds that cannot be ignored because of their sheer enormity.
My love of rocks probably began in my early childhood as my family took regular camping outings to the St. Croix River area where rocky cliffs line the rushing waterway and roaring rapids below. We would hike to the rock’s edge and often picnic on the overhangs. I remember once as a young girl gazing over the steep precipice into the swift-moving river and asking my dad what he would do if I fell in. His answer to me was prompt and sure. He said, “I’d jump in right after you!” It was then that I began to realize that rocks were not to be feared, but symbols of a father’s great love instead.
- My Dad and me at the St. Croix River, 1959 -
Today I love rocks that rise up out of the earth into impressive pinnacles where constant winds erode or snows adorn their heights. These massive sculptures display their endurance amidst the elements season after season. They withstand without crumbling. They are the solid giants of nature.
Then there are the the rocks that plunge into the earth’s surface creating craggy canyons that channel tremendous rivers and gorges. Their mighty walls reverberate with echoes that rise up to the heavens. They are the mammoth engravings of the Master’s hand.
These are the rocks that capture my attention, swell my heart, and turn my thoughts toward the Creator. It is impossible for me to look at a mountain or gaze into a canyon without jolting from my narcissistic vantage point into a humility that asks, “God, what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?” (Psalms 8:4). It is no wonder the Bible repeatedly refers to God as our “Rock.” He is our solid foundation. Immovable. Unshakable. Faithful. God is our source of strength.
It is no small blessing that God led my husband and me to a piece of land where we live today with a rocky hill for a backyard. Our house is literally built on bedrock—a practical and symbolic significance that is not lost on me. The rock beneath my dwelling place and the rocks I look out on through my windows offer me constant reminders of the true foundation my faith is built on. My loving Father—my Redeemer—my Rock forever.
“I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” Psalms 18:1-2 NLT
