commitment that strong? That woman had built her life on the solid rock of commitment. She trusted God's promises, and when the storm came, that rock-solid commitment served her well.
Second, There Is Rock- Solid Trust
This, too, is a prominent theme in the Sermon on the Mount: "Don't be anxious. Don't be fretful. Don't be afraid. Just seek first God's Kingdom and righteousness. Let God rule in your life. Trust God, and things will fall in place for you." What a promise!
The artist Rembrandt once painted a canvas titled "Storm on the Sea of Galilee." It's a remarkable work of art for two reasons.
1. After all, it's a Rembrandt, a priceless masterpiece, a portrayal so real you can almost feel the spray of the waves and the movement of the boat.
2. But this painting is striking for another unique reason. As you study the detail, you notice something unusual: There are fourteen men on the boat. Now, wait a minute—weren't there twelve disciples? You count again, and yes—there are thirteen men, plus Jesus, on the boat—a total of fourteen.
Gradually, your eyes focus on one particular figure. He is holding on for dear life. Suddenly, you recognize the face. It's the face of Rembrandt! The artist has painted himself into the scene. He is experiencing the storm, and it's frightful—but the good news is: Jesus is there! Jesus is in the boat with him. Jesus will save him from the fury of the storm!
The Apostle Paul expressed it like this: "I am ready for anything, for Christ is with me and he is my strength." Do you have that kind of faith? Do you know that kind of trust?
William McElvaney once described an interesting happening during the communion service in his church one Sunday morning. It was a small church, and the congregation had been instructed to pass the elements down the pew, with each person saying the words of administration to the next: "John, this is the body of our Lord given for you; John, this is the blood of our Lord shed for you."
But on this day, one man in the congregation who was not especially liturgically minded turned to his neighbor, handed him the bread, and promptly forgot what he was supposed to say. He just went blank. After a brief but agonizing pause, he finally blurted out these words: "Harvey—Hang in there!"
I've seen a number of different liturgies for the Lord's Supper over the years, and I don't really think the words "Harvey, hang in there" are in any of them. But the truth is that I can't think of any better words to say when we are remembering Christ's gift to us, his presence with us, his care over us. What better words could you say than those—"hang in there!" You can "hang in there" with rock-solid commitment, and rock-solid trust, and he will see you through. You can count on that! It's a divine promise.
Third, There Is Rock- Solid Love
Jesus calls for love in a powerful way in the Sermon on the Mount: "Love your enemies . . . pray for those who persecute you . . . be perfectly loving, as God is."
John and Margie were married back in 1941. Both of them were rugged people, raised on the farmlands of America. Together, they had big dreams, high hopes of becoming the most successful farmers in the United States.
However, four years after they were married, and after two children were born, Margie was struck down with polio. She spent the rest of her life in an iron lung. Still so young—they were just in their twenties—their life dreams were shattered. There was no one to keep the house going, no one to raise the children, no one to be a real partner with John, no one to share his bed.
John had to give up his lifelong dream of farming and devote his life to taking care of Margie and the children. Many years later, when John and Margie celebrated their fortieth wedding anniversary, someone asked John how he had done it all those years. John answered simply, "I'm a Christian, and we try to keep our promises. And besides, I love her."
A few years later, after Margie died, their son asked John how he had done it all those years. Again, John's answer was simple: "I never thought about doing anything else. You just do it, and God helps you."
(Thanks to Don Shelby for this illustration.)
You know where John learned that kind of sacrificial love, don't you? He learned it at the church. He learned it in the Scriptures. He learned it in the Sermon on the Mount. He learned it at Golgotha. He learned it from Jesus, the King of Love.
If you and I will just do it—just build our lives on rocksolid commitment, on rock-solid trust, on rock-solid love—then God promises to help us. God promises to be with us and give us strength. God promises to hold us together, to enable us to withstand the treacherous, dangerous storms of life. God will be our firm foundation. That's a promise on which we can stand, tall and secure and confident.
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