Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope

Joni Eareckson Tada: When Ken and I turn off the 118 freeway and drive towards home down Topanga Canyon Boulevard, the traffic always slows a bit near Stoney Point. It's an outcropping of massive sandstone boulders that form this huge hill. It is but a stone's throw away from the boulevard, and so sometimes we pull over, we park, and watch weekend climbers testing their skills at bouldering. There are plenty of crags and clefts in which they can tuck themselves, catching their breath before tackling the next big rock.

While watching people bouldering up that lofty monolith of ancient stone, it's no surprise that our thoughts turn to that old hymn "Rock of Ages." I love that first verse: "Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee." Sitting in the car and admiring Stoney Point, it is easy to think, "Yes, Lord, please hide me in Your cleft, just like one of those climbers."

With my senses so engaged, of course this hymn has always been a favorite. It became even more meaningful when I connected Stoney Point to what the Bible says about God being our Rock. There was that fascinating passage in Exodus 33 where God is answering Moses' request to see His face. The Lord said to Moses, "There is a place near Me where you may stand on a rock. When My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with My hand."

Then there is 2 Samuel 22, where David praises God saying, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress." And in 1 Corinthians 10:4, Christ Himself is referred to as the Rock. Reflecting on these words, a picture begins to take shape of the safety and security we have as God hides us in the cleft of the Rock of Ages. We are hidden; we are tucked away in Christ. Just thinking about a place carved out for me in the side of my Savior brings comfort.

So, it was with these ideas that I pulled out my watercolors and pastel pencils to paint an ancient-looking mountain, a Rock of Ages, as it were. I wish you could see it. Well, actually, you can view it at joniradio.org today, where I posted an image of the painting. I created compositional lines that draw the eye of the viewer up. Like when we worship Jesus Christ the Rock, we tilt our heads up and our gaze lifts heavenward.

Now, I rendered my painting, the "Rock of Ages," many years ago, and although I cannot rock climb, I still find myself hiding in the cleft of my Jesus, my Rock. He's my hiding place, like those climbers at Stoney Point, a place where I can rest, catch my breath between my trials.

And though the trials may feel overwhelming at times, no injury can come to our soul when we are hidden in Jesus. We are out of harm's way. He will hold us fast, so we will never fall. We will resolutely climb from boulder to boulder to boulder; we'll scale the heights until we reach the top.

Guest (Male): Oh, Joni, thank you. You know, I'll clamp my carabiner to your rope any day. And like you, I don't live too far from Stoney Point, either. When you drive by it, you just can't help but look for climbers.

Listen friend, you can see this landmark by Googling Stoney Point, Los Angeles, California, and be sure to visit joniradio.org today to see a short video in which Joni explains exactly how she painted her "Rock of Ages." We've also posted the image of her artwork so you can examine it more closely. It's all there for you at joniradio.org.