Rock Steady

Last summer my family drove to South Dakota. It was thrilling to experience a part of the United States that I had never seen before and there were many fascinating things to see on the journey. We stopped to see the Corn Palace in Mitchell, an Indian burial ground and dig, walked through a petrified forest and visited Wall Drug. We drove through the Badlands National Park which was amazing! You just don’t get landscapes like that here in Western Kentucky. We drove the flat land almost across the entire state on Highway 90. But then we turned to follow the signs to the Badlands National Park, drove a few more miles and suddenly the ground on either side of the road dropped into chasms of jagged rock, striped with the sediment of past eras. The shear precipices and spires that were formed from eons of erosion mesmerized me. (Click here for the official website of the Badlands National Park http://www.nps.gov/archive/badl/exp/home.htm)




We stayed outside of Keystone, South Dakota a short distance from Mount Rushmore in the middle of the black hills. One of my favorite parts of the trip was the day we went to Mount Rushmore. I know we’ve all seen pictures of this monument, but there is nothing like seeing it in person. A picture cannot capture the majesty of the carvings in the mountainside. From the first glimpse of it in the distance as we drove through the “hills” to walking the Avenue of Flags leading to the plaza and overlook, it was awe-inspiring. I am a bit of a nerd, but my heart was full of patriotism and love for my country when I saw that remarkable achievement. The sculptures were larger than I had anticipated, dwarfing even the tall trees down below.

When we left the park we drove Iron Mountain Road, a scenic byway through the mountains. The views were spectacular whether we were in the middle of a pine tree forest, or winding around hairpin curves with just a guardrail between our car and the side of the mountain. The road was planned around views of Mount Rushmore. Every so often we would round a curve, and there it would be, facing us in the bright sun. After leaving a particularly dark tunnel the road took a sharp turn to the left while the park service had cut a path through the trees straight ahead. The result was a scene of Mount Rushmore in the distance, perfectly framed by the mouth of the tunnel as we drove through.

The mountain was omnipresent that day, it seemed to be everywhere we turned. In our perception Mount Rushmore moved with us, however we know without a doubt that it remained firmly fixed and secured.

Isn’t that the same with God? The Bible refers to God as a Rock and it is easy to see why. God, like a mountain, is vast. He is a fortress, and a shelter against the storms of life. God is faithful and unchanging. He has been watching over us since the beginning of time. God is strong and will not shift when we lean on Him.

When I reflect on our day at Mount Rushmore I see similarities between the mountain and God. You can hear about God all your life, but until you experience Him personally you cannot capture His absolute majesty. From the first tentative steps as a believer, throughout your journey as you draw closer and learn more about God you see how awesome He is. He dwarfs even the most magnificent of earthly things.

Every where I turn God is there with me, through time spent in shadowy “forests” with tall trees of doubt looming over me. He is there when I feel I am on the very brink of the mountain’s edge and during the white knuckle hairpin turns of life. And, when I am in the blackest tunnel of despair I find His Light in the center dispelling the dark.

My heart swells with thanksgiving and praise when I realize how God loves me and how He saves me every day. I find mutual assurance with David as he sang:

Psalm 18:2 (NIV) The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:31 For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?
Psalm 18:46 The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!