As I worshiped this morning, the Lord surprised me by speaking through the words of a classic hymn. I was singing William Bradbury's familiar song, "Solid Rock," penned in the 1800's and recently revamped by Hillsongs as "Cornerstone." Here are the words:
I love the rich texts of the hymns, and I grew up singing many of them. learning about Christ from these musical masters. Today, the "Master Builder" spoke and reminded me of the stability He offers us in the midst of storms. When we build our lives on the Chief Cornerstone, we stand strong on His love and support, no matter how weak we may feel. Like the first stone set into a building's masonry, our alignment with His Word stabilizes and establishes our lifelong direction. No "sweeter frame" will be trustworthy enough to lean on in the coming storms. His Name alone is our strong tower, our anchor and our protection. All the hope we have is founded upon His loving sacrifice at Calvary.
How Do We Build? By Hearing Him!
The hymn's text derives from Matthew 7:24-27, the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders. What interested me this morning is the connection Jesus makes between our building and our hearing. In order to build correctly, we must hear His Word and act on it. (Or be a hearer and a doer). A sensible person realizes the wisdom of founding his life on the sure words of an experienced and omniscient Builder. A foolish person might hear the Builder's instructions yet fail to follow through with them. His house will eventually collapse. My favorite lines from the hymn are in verse two. What if, in the darkness, His face is hidden? There are times when we feel we cannot hear or see Him. The storms rage too ferociously. Darkness surrounds us, threatening to extinguish our meager light. In those times, He reminds, we REST on the unchanging nature of His grace. The world will react to storms in fear. Our faith allows us to respond in peace. Knowing that we have built on the Rock; knowing we are prepared for the storm, we cuddle close to the "hearth" of our home in Him. We can rest in the firelight of His love until we hear new instructions to go out. We stay close to what we know, and He protects us. Such a sweet comfort! I am attaching a YouTube link to Hillsong's rendition of "Cornerstone." I'm praying He will speak to your hearts through the music as He did to me this morning! Click here to listen. Deborah c.Deborah Perkins, 2014 
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Deborah Perkins is passionate about connecting people with God. She writes about knowing God and hearing His voice at HisInscriptions.com. |
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November 2023
AuthorA severe hearing loss from childhood caused Deborah Perkins to develop what she now calls her secret weapon: tuning in to God's voice. A Wellesley College graduate and an award-winning writer, Deborah is now a wife and mother of 3 boys. Deborah has devoted over 25 years to professional and lay Christian ministry in New England and beyond. Her passion is inspiring people to cultivate greater intimacy with God. 
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