Parable of the Rock

A few months back I walked along the beach and sat down at the cliff’s edge to watch the beauties of the ocean. I sat and watched the waves crash over the rocks. It was breathtaking!

While sitting and pondering I noticed a smaller rock close to the shore that was constantly being hit with waves; some small, some large.

I watched the waves hit this rock in irregular patterns and forces. The rock never knew the waves were coming and certainly not what intensity they would take. This got me thinking about our lives and how there will always be trials and tribulations that will come upon us when we aren’t expecting them. Sometimes they are tremendous and strike us with such force that we are completely covered by them and we feel as if we cannot breathe or even shout out for help. Other times we are buffeted by smaller trials that come upon us on a daily basis. Little things that bother, annoy, depress or tempt us. These come and we are not covered over by the crashing waves but rather hit with a smaller force that hurt none-the-less.

While I was thus thinking of the crashing waves I noticed something quite wonderful. Every time the waves hit the rock, the waves would subside and they would surround the rock completely before going back into the ocean.

I immediately thought of our savior. No matter how big or small our trials are He is always there surrounding us before, during and after every one of them. I watched as the bigger more intense waves crashed, the surrounding water stayed longer around the rock, and so it is with our trials. I believe that when life is the hardest and the trials come down and beat upon us with life altering force and pain; He is there surrounding us long after it is over. Reassuring us that we are never left unaided or alone, never forgotten or abandoned. We are His and His purpose for existing is to bring to pass our eternal life and our never ending happiness.