Joy in EnduranceSample

“Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me. Let Me Hide Myself in Thee.” That beloved hymn reminds us of two Scriptures: 

• God telling Moses in Exodus 17:6 to strike the rock, and then water flowing out for the thirsty Israelites. God is often called our Rock in Scripture. Jesus Christ our Rock was broken for us, and from Him, we receive living water. 

• It also refers to Exodus 33:21-22 when Moses wanted to see God’s glory. God hid Moses in the cleft of the rock so that he would be protected from the overwhelming weight of His glory.

Jesus died in our place, sparing us the just punishment for our sins. Hiding in Him we are protected from the attacks of the enemy, and enjoy peace, joy and adventure, even in this sin-sick world. We are also protected from God’s judgments. Hidden in Him, we are safe. We need to stay there, enduring till the end, when we will see Jesus in all His glory and live with Him forever.

Philippians is often called the book of joy in the Bible, and it is joy despite circumstances because Paul wrote it from prison where his only crime was telling people about Jesus. In Philippians 4:4, we find that we can rejoice in the Lord – ALWAYS. But our rejoicing is always “in” the Lord, and it all falls apart when we cease enduring and abandon His protection and presence.

Yes, this world is a chaotic mess because of sin. But if we live our lives hidden in Him, we can rejoice every day.