Shelter in the Storm

A young man named Gus was taking a walk through the English countryside one day in 1753 when a sudden storm swept across the landscape. Running for cover, he spotted a wide rock formation with an opening where he sought shelter until the storm passed. He had been fortunate to find this hiding-place so quickly, and he began to muse on the connection between his shelter and God’s help in life’s storms.

And as he contemplated this scenario, the words for a poem began to form in his mind, but he had no paper on which to write them. Looking down on the floor of the cave-like structure, he saw a playing card -- considered a sinful thing by the young cleric. Nevertheless, he picked it up and began to formulate his thoughts and write them onto the card.*

The life of the writer of those words, Augustus Toplady, was cut short by tuberculosis, and on August 11, 1778 he passed from this life. He was buried in Tottenham Court Chapel in London. A “memorial stone” was erected in his memory. And on this stone was inscribed the words that he had jotted down on a playing card some years before;

Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

These words are part of a poem that has become a beloved Christian hymn: “Rock of Ages.”  Toplady took his experience of finding shelter in a storm and made application to the Shelter that provides salvation from sin…

Just as Gus found shelter under a rock formation, even so you and I may find “shelter” (forgiveness and life) from the “storm of sin” in the Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ.

Jesus endured Gods wrath (storm) against sin on our behalf by dying on the cross.  He paid the price for our redemption (Ephesians 1:7).  Through Him, we receive the “double cure”: through His blood we are cleansed from the guilt and dominion of sin.

We find shelter in the Rock of Ages when we: place our faith and trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26-27).

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto You,
When my heart is overwhelmed:
Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.”
-- Psalm 61:2

Won’t YOU find shelter in the Rock of Ages by trusting and obeying Him today?