Between a Rock and a Hard Place

WE all know the saying, "you're stuck between a rock and a hard place." Well, I was recently told this by a doctor-REALLY ENCOURAGING, right? Well, as I came home starting to get discouraged and down, I prayed to the Lord, voiced my complaint, as David did in Psalm 142:1.  The Lord spoke to my soul the encouragement I needed. It amazes me that our Lord can turn ANY situation into a blessing for us! I wanted to share what He spoke to me about.

He brought to mind Moses and the Rock at Mt Horeb. Exodus 17 & Numbers 20 gives the account of Moses smiting the Rock and water coming from it and doing it a second time in rebellion.  BUT Exodus 33:18-33 gives another account of Moses and the same Rock. Moses was discouraged and went to the Lord in prayer concerning WHOM would go with him in leading the people. He had forgotten the PROMISE OF HIS PRESENCE. The Lord had already promised Moses in Ex. 32:34 & 33:14 that HE WOULD. Moses had forgotten the Promise of the Lord to him, and in turn became discouraged. Don't we do the same thing? We look around at our circumstances and get our eyes off of the Lord, and FORGET the promises He has made to us to "..never leave nor forsake us." Heb 13:5.  

After the Lord reminded Moses of the Promise of His Presence, Moses asked to see the Lord in His FULL GLORY. The reminder of His promise gave encouragement to Moses, and he wanted to get closer to the Lord. The Lord granted his request. He reminded Moses of the Rock, which was a type of Christ Himself.  He was smitten for us on Calvary. When He was, water flowed from His side when He was pierced (John 19:34) just as it did from the Rock when Moses struck it. Once His side was riven, the wound stayed there (John 20:20), just as the Rock received the Cleft in it. (The picture above is the actual Rock on Mt Horeb, that is still standing today, in present day Saudi Arabia.) The Lord PROMISED A PLACE to show His Glory to Moses, BUT FIRST he had to HIDE IN HIM!! Exodus 33:21&22 says, "Behold, THERE IS A PLACE BY ME, and thou shalt stand upon a Rock, And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee IN A CLIFT OF THE ROCK, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by." When we are in trials or tests, we need to go to THE ROCK, climb in the CLEFT of HIS SIDE, and wait until He is done teaching us and showing us HIMSELF!!! Moses was literally 'BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE," but he was also STANDING ON THE ROCK!! No other foundation will do or sustain us in the hard times. Even though Moses may have felt he was "rock bottom" spiritually at the time, he WAS STILL ON THE ROCK!! WE NEED TO DO THE SAME and GO TO OUR ROCK FOR HELP!!!

Lastly, the Lord PROMISED PROTECTION to Moses. Ex 33:23 says the Lord would cover Moses from above with His Hand, so that His Glory would not kill Moses from  looking upon His face (Ex. 33:20). He would remove His Hand at just the right time, so that Moses could see some of the Lord's glory from His back parts. The Lord Jesus provides us with the same loving care. He knows what we can bear and what we can learn, and doesn't overload us with what we can't. He doesn't want to harm His Children, but HELP us and teach us HIS SPIRITUAL LESSONS! He covers and protects us in the time of trouble, shows us WHO HE REALLY IS, and how WEAK WE ARE without HIM!! At just the right time, the Lord will show US, as we look to HIM, what He desires to show us, and remind us that HE IS LEADING US! Just as Moses saw the hinder parts of the Lord, we will as well, to remember that HE GOES BEFORE US, and we should FOLLOW HIM AS WELL!!

Are you stuck "between a Rock and a HARD PLACE" today? STAY THERE!!! Rest on the PROMISE OF HIS PRESENCE, go to  THE PROMISED PLACE OF THE CLEFT OF HIS SIDE, and stay there for HIS PROMISE OF PROTECTION!!!  Let HIM PRESENT HIMSELF to you and show you what HE IS TRYING TO TEACH YOU!! 
"That I may know HIM , AND THE POWER of His Resurrection, and the fellowship of HIS SUFFERINGS, being made conformable to His death." Philippians 3:10. 

"He's my shoulder to lean on, when I am down, 
THE ROCK THAT I RUN TO, WHEN I'M OVERWHELMED,
The PLACE that HE HIDES ME, under HIS WINGS,
He's not just my SONG, He's the ONLY REASON I SING!
I have been blessed."  

**Notice the rocks that are smooth at the bottom of the Rock-where rivers of water flowed over them when Moses struck it-smooth water rocks in the middle of the desert land! God Can!!***