LEAD ME TO THE ROCK

SCRIPTURE READING: Psalm 61

KEY VERSE:
Psalm 61:2 ‘From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.’

INTRODUCTION:
– This psalm was written by David at a difficult time in his life.
– He was facing things that he had not anticipated or expected.
– This Psalm is a cry to God from a desperate person who was in a place of transition and the outcome was not certain.
– Although, in the end, David would be able to look back and see how God had restored him, the place he found himself in was challenging.
– This Psalm gives us a very personal insight into David’s life and what he was facing and the struggle within himself.

1. DAVID FOUND HIMSELF IN A PLACE HE DID NOT WANT TO BE
– At this time in David’s life, he was living in exile.
– He was removed from what he was accustomed to and had enjoyed.
– There had been a change in his situation, and he found himself in a place or position that he did not want to be in.
– He called that place ‘the end of the earth’!
– Psalm 61:2 ‘From the end of the earth…’
– He felt utterly removed from what he had hoped for or expected.
– Instead of being in the center of the universe of God’s blessing and plan, he felt he was in a place that was removed from his rightful place, and it seemed like the remotest and most inaccessible place on earth by comparison.
– Have you ever found yourself in a place or a situation where you never imagined you could end up, and in a place where you did not want to be?
– Perhaps that place could be called unemployed, broke, divorced, alone, unfulfilled, sick, depressed, frustrated, or disappointed.
– Just because you find yourself in a place or a situation that you never imagined possible, does not mean that that place is your final destination.
– Years ago, we used to travel on a small, narrow, winding tar road to get to our farm. One day a sign board went up advising us that a new road would be built. My family was very excited about this development. What we did not realise was that the new road would be built more or less in the place of the old road. The result was that we had to spend several years on detours and gravel sections of road that were far worse than the existing road. But a day came when the new, completed, wide road was opened, and we could enjoy travelling in comfort and safety.
– You may find yourself in a place that you do not wish to be, but it is not the end of the road!

2. DAVID FOUND HIMSELF FEELING OVERWHELMED
– When we are going through difficult times, we can feel overwhelmed.
– Sometimes we face situations that can feel overwhelming.
– These are times when we feel out of our depth or desperate.
– David spoke out about the way he was feeling.
– Psalm 61:2 ‘When my heart is overwhelmed…’
– The original word for the word ”overwhelmed” is the idea of being enveloped or completely covered by the magnitude of the situation.
– It is never a pleasant experience to feel overwhelmed.
– I have often had to deal with people who struggle with anxiety. When they experience acute anxiety, it is called a ‘panic attack’ and they become awash with fear. It often effects their ability to function and to see things clearly.
– When we feel overwhelmed it feels like waves that wash over us and it can even leave us feeling like we are being pushed under and are being drowned by the situation.
– This situation can affect our thinking and our feelings.
– But David knew how to handle this.
– Let’s look at what he did in the middle of this situation, and let’s learn from him so that we will know what to do when we face such times.

3. DAVID CRIED OUT TO GOD
– Psalm 61:2 ‘I will cry to You!’
– When we feel overwhelmed and removed from our rightful place and destiny, we must not become consumed or overwhelmed, but we must shift our focus.
– Our focus needs to shift off the situation and onto God and His strength and ability.
– When things seem overwhelming, we must overwhelm them with prayer.
– At such times we can call on God to lift us up as only He can do.
– The Lord offers us His security that only His divine help can bring us.
– It’s hard to pray and call on God when situations are overpowering us, but it’s the best thing to do.
– If you are in such a situation, just begin to call on the Lord and if that is too hard, just speak the Name of Jesus over yourself and your situation.
– Don’t let what you are going through stop you from calling out to God, rather let it encourage you to call on Him even more.
– David cried out to God. It sounds like he made some noise and shouted out to God.
– Even though He felt overwhelmed and felt utterly removed, he knew that no matter where he found himself nor what he was facing, he could call out to God.
– Your situation is not greater than your ability to cry out to God.
– The situation and the circumstances may not be good, but God is there with you.

4. LEAD ME TO THE ROCK
– David knew one thing for sure and that was that God was the Rock on which he could rely and stand firm.
– He may have been shaken and rattled by the magnitude of his situation and circumstances, but he knew that there was a Rock.
– He knew that God was faithful, and he knew that God was a Refuge in the time of storms.
– Our family comes from the Eastern Cape of South Africa. At a particular spot on the coast there stands a large rock that juts out into the sea. Legend has it that years ago a ship ran aground in the area. The survivors decided to walk back to Europe following the coastline. Fortunately for them they spotted a passing boat and climbed up this exposed rock and managed to alert the boat to their presence and they were rescued. In the process they were spared what would have been a certain death trying to walk back to Europe. Had it not been for this rock they probably would never have been noticed and their fate would have been sealed.
– Had it not been for the Rock we have in God, we too would be lost, without hope.
– The problem is that sometimes in the storms of life that want to overwhelm us, it can be difficult to find the Rock we so desperately need.
– Our own doubts and fears can cloud our judgement.
– The Rock (God Himself), which we so desperately need in our lives, would be of little use to us if the Holy Spirit had not showed us which way to go and gently pushed us in His direction.
– We are so prone to rely on ourselves and our own thoughts and plans that we need to be led to the Rock on Whom we can rest secure.
– Even if we are overwhelmed and can’t see the way clearly, His Holy Spirit can lead us to our Rock of refuge.
– So, David prayed this prayer: ‘Lord, lead me to the Rock!’
– In essence he was saying: ‘Lord, I cannot do it on my own, help me to get to You and to be able to find my security and hope in You!’
– Regardless of the storms that may be overwhelming you in your mind and in your heart, you can do what David did. You can cry out to the Lord from wherever you may find yourself and you can ask Him to bring you to that place of confidence and hope in Him and in His endless love and power.
– Psalm 18:2 ‘The LORD is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Saviour; my God is my Rock, in Whom I find protection. He is my Shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.’

By Andrew W Roebert
These notes may be shared with others