1. 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.
2. While I draw this fleeting breath,
   When my eyes shall close in death,
   When I rise to worlds unknown,
   And behold Thee on Thy throne,
   Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
   Let me hide myself in Thee.

Hear now the Word of the Lord

1. Psalm 62:8
   Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah

   Isaiah 12:2
   Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He also has become my salvation.”

   Isaiah 30:29
   You will sing as on the night of a holy festival, and your heart will rejoice like one who walks to the music of a flute, going up to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel.

   Isaiah 44:8
   Do not tremble or fear. Have I not told you and declared it long ago? You are My witnesses! Is there any God but Me? There is no other Rock; I know not one.”

This is the Word of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

Let us pray: Father God, we come to You today, acknowledging that there is no rest, no peace, apart from You. May we find the place of perfect rest as we allow your word to penetrate our hearts and our minds. Transform us today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Today we live in precarious times. There is fighting on every hand. It seems as though many people do not even know the reason for the fighting, but yet we continue to fight. We use words that hurt and wound, and when we think words are not enough, we pick up sticks and stones, guns and knives. When will it end?

I would like to share with you today that as Christ followers we must remember that “… we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph 6:12

Even as Christians, we have become so much a part of this world that we can get caught up in the political and religious battles of our time. But let me ask you: Do you really want to die on the battlefield of politics or religion? If we are to live in hope, then we must allow God to be a place of refuge for us, and we must understand that the battle is fought on our knees, not against our brothers and sisters, but against the enemies of the cross.

Receive now this blessing:  God is our hiding place, and it is in Him that we have our rest, and our peace. Take the name of Jesus with you, and share Him with all you meet. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.