by Alyssa Hage

This is the final in a five-part weekly series; we pray it has been a blessing to you! Thank you to our guest writer, Alyssa, for sharing these gleanings from your times with the Lord.

“The LORD is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge.”
{Psalm 94:22}

Our heart, like a greenhouse, is suited for growing, fertile, ready to produce good fruit, and has to be managed. Your thoughts are like seeds—some become flowers, some become weeds. As you are selective in the seeds you allow into your greenhouse, even more importantly you must be careful about what thoughts you allow to grow in your heart. The more selective you are with seeds, the more delighted you will be with the fruit. Stand watch as a trained soldier at the gateway of your heart. Guard your heart and deny wrong thoughts entrance. Submit your thoughts to God’s authority. Your mind is your heart’s doorway, where you determine which seeds to sow and which seeds to discard. The Holy Spirit helps you manage and filter thoughts trying to enter by standing at the threshold with you.

Transient squirrels and migrant birds pausing on a rock illustrate how rocks are resting places for the weary. In the same way, we find refuge in God. Rocks speak to us of strength, permanence, and stability. God is dependable, immovable, all-powerful, and always present during grievous times and gladsome times. God, the Rock of Ages, is always near, ready to provide safety and solace. 

“Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from Him cometh my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense;
I shall not be greatly moved…My soul, wait thou only upon God;
for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation:
He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory:
the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him:
God is a refuge for us.”
{Psalm 62:1-2,5-8} 

Alpine plants grow very close to a rock, enjoying extra water from runoff and a bit of shade from the rock’s shadow. We also ought to live continually very close to our Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ, daily taking in the water of His Word and seeking to bring glory to Him.

“And the LORD said, Thou canst not see My face:
for there shall no man see Me, and live.
Behold, there is a place by Me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
and it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by,
that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock,
and will cover thee with My hand while I pass by:
and I will take away Mine hand, and thou shalt see My back parts:
but My face shall not be seen.”
{Exodus 33:20-23} 

Throughout the Old Testament, when people found themselves in trouble of many kinds they would seek refuge and relief in physical rocks, i.e. mountains and caves. David especially came to see this from a spiritual perspective as the Lord became his refuge and strength for every trial he faced. 2 Samuel 22:2-3: “And he (David) said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; the God of my rock; in Him will I trust: He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; Thou savest me from violence.”

When going through any kind of trouble, look to the Lord as your rock and refuge and thus be able to say with David, “God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

Tips for Your Garden

For an alpine rock garden, select porous rocks such as limestone, sandstone, and shale. These rocks absorb water, keeping roots cool and moist. Impermeable rocks such as marble, basalt, and granite are preferable rocks for desert rock gardens.

God’s blessings to you sisters, as you plant healthy seeds in your hearts, that the fruits of God’s spirit will be able to take root in fertile soil!

~Alyssa K. Hage
{Guest Writer}