Lead me to the rock

I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I
(Psalm 61:2)

I have never been one of those people who enjoy extreme situations. Some people love them, adrenaline junkies who thrive in thrill seeking, but not me. I enjoy a good roller coaster, but I don’t see the point of seeking out scary situations. Life throws enough of them at us as it is.
 
David, the writer of Psalm 61, knew his fair share of dangerous and difficult circumstances. He faced bears and lions as a shepherd and ran for his life from a murderous king Saul who tried to kill him. His personality was not faint-hearted but he knew what is was for his heart to grow faint.
 
We might not face down lions and bears as David did, but we also know what it is to be faint of heart. There are situations and circumstances that come along that cause us to fear: perhaps it is a medical diagnosis, or a job uncertainty, family complexities or broken relationships. At different times and in different ways our hearts can grow faint.
 
So what should we do when our hearts grow faint? David turns that question on its head, and asks what God does when we are faint-hearted. Does God ask us to suck it up and get on with life? Does he see troubles as a teaching opportunity? Does God leave us to our own devices?
 
No, God leads us. When his heart grows faint, and he faces fear, David asks God to lead him to the rock that his higher than himself. He emphasises the word ‘lead’ as he cries out to God: To the rock higher than I, lead me. It’s a word that not only recalls God leading his people through the wilderness by a pillar of fire and cloud, but also of a parent gently leading a child to safety.
 
When David’s faith meets fear, he looks to where he can plant his feet. He needs a rock to stand on that is bigger and higher than he can achieve by himself. He need a safe and steady place to stand. God leads him, and us, gently by the hand to that higher place and solid rock - leading us to stand secure in God himself.
 
Photo by Sead Dedic on Unsplash