Sisters, you probably sing many religious songs during your lifetime.

 I would like to share with you a series of five songs that mean a lot to me. The first one is a special song because it reminds me of my father. 

It was his favorite song and each time I try to sing it at church I wind up

crying instead.

Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

let me hide myself in thee;

let the water and the blood,

from thy wounded side which flowed,

be of sin the double cure;

save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labors of my hands

can fulfill thy law's commands;

could my zeal no respite know,

could my tears forever flow,

all for sin could not atone;

thou must save, and thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,

simply to the cross I cling;

naked, come to thee for dress;

helpless, look to thee for grace;

foul, I to the fountain fly;

wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,

when mine eyes shall close in death,

when I soar to worlds unknown,

see thee on thy judgment throne,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

let me hide myself in thee.

 Very seldom does my congregation sing this song all the way through but I could not resist including all of it.

 The rock, of course, is Jesus.  How often do you wish you could
just fold yourself into His arms and hide away from this world? 
I know I find myself wishing that I could do that.  How I wish that
I could be perfect for Him.  When I realize that I am not perfect
and have sinned once again, my heart cries out to Him in frustration
and I ask if He can forgive me one more time.  His soothing arms
encompass me and He whispers, “I no longer remember your sin”.

Then I realize that as long as I try to follow His commandments He can read my heart and know that I am truly sad that I failed Him.  When I ask
for His divine forgiveness, He erases the sin from His mind and I am
cleansed once again. 

 The second verse shows that I could work forever doing good but
those good deeds would always fall short in His mind.  No matter what
my sin is, my actions alone cannot erase them from His eyes. 

The third verse shows that I cannot give Him anything material in order to bribe Him for His forgiveness.  He has to give everything to me. His grace cleanses and saves me. 

The fourth verse shows that even when I die I belong to Him
and that He will take me into His arms and present me before the Father. Are you brave enough to face God all by yourself with all your sins?  I know I am not!  Jesus is my rock and I want Him to stand with me when it is time to face God!  You see why I cry each time I try to sing this song? 

His forgiveness and love are so awesome that I find I can face each day with a smile on my face!  I need His forgiveness because each day I think, hear, say, or do things that are sins in God’s eyes. 

Every time you hear Rock of Ages, think about the words and know that no matter what sins you have committed, Jesus is a rock and He can bear those sins for you before the Father!

Psalm 31: 1-8: “ In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.  Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.”

May God grant you peace this day!  Wanda