Rock solid promises

(stay tuned all the way to the end for a brand new idea…)

podcast link below:

https://anchor.fm/beth-madison/episodes/Rock-solid-promises-e1b87vq

2 Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us tohis own glory and excellence,by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire

Cherty soils are soils formed from and full of pieces of a sedimentary rock type called cherts and flints. These rock pieces can be most beautiful and distinctive in their speckled coloration. Cherts and flints can almost be a rainbow of colors, especially when shiny wet and glistening in the sun. Since they are sedimentary rocks, they can be a myriad of patterns from having being transformed in the processes of eroding, dissolving, transporting, depositing, and reconsolidating from other types of rock. These formation processes also cause the cherts and flints to be especially dense and hard. This is why we often think of flints as fire-starter stones.

Cherty soils can be challenging to farm because of the rocks in them and the type of soil that forms from these types of rock. (Think broken farming equipment, higher fuel requirements for tillage, or the need to physically dig out some of the rocks prior to farming). Yet with proper management choices, these soils can be quite productive because of the rocks in them. This is because the cherts help with drainage in the primarily clayey soils in which they are often found. Cherts can also be good stabilizers in holding soil together against erosion while being a readily available source of micronutrients for the plants grown in these soils.

Believe it or not, cherty soils remind me of the strength that the solid and trustworthy promises of God give to the soil of my soul. These promises hold me together on days like today when my soul feels like it could be eroded away by the temptation to give into to defeat or despair. These promises nourish me on days like yesterday when the soil of my soul needed an extra good source of truth-nutrients for a replenishment of hope, courage, and faith…

Some of the cherty promises of God holding the soil of my soul together now include:

Exodus 14:14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.

Zechariah 4:6 Not by might nor by power but by My Spirit, says the Lord.

Hosea 6:3 Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord, His going out is as sure as the dawn; He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.

Psalm 23:3b He leads me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s Sake.

Matthew 6:33 Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

I have all of those verses (and many more) written out and posted at eye-level above my desk where I can see them every day. These cherty promises keep giving steady, rock-solid hope when my feelings say otherwise. Even the reading of them again now brings a fresh shot of strength and bolus of truth to my soul. And these promises bring strength in their sustaining truths, every single time I read them…

Better yet, these cherty promises won’t degrade, decay, or disappear over time. They are as strong as they were when they were given thousands of years ago. And when I choose to claim them as hard truths for my days, fear dissolves while faith is nourished in my life. Much grace can be found in these beautiful rainbow promises that always appear after the rains and remain during the night shimmering in a hope wet with tears and trusting obedience.

For these cherty promises all point to their fulfillment in Christ Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, as seen in 2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

So now I can say “Amen, Jesus, Amen!” in this day as I dig out these cherty promises and place them on the surface of the soil of my soul to collect, consider, and cherish the joy unearthed with these promises.

Reflection prayer:

Dear Father God,

Thank You for all of Your promises and that You are always true to them and to me. Thank You that Your promises are made Yes and Amen in Your Son, Jesus. Thank You that You remind me of Your promises just at the right time when I need them most, like today. Please help me to stop and say these promises aloud as truth for my life and for others in my life. Please help me to trust that these promises will bring strength, faith, courage, and joy as I hold fast to them while holding fast to You.

In the strong Name of Jesus,

Amen.

Idea to ponder:

Have you ever thought about collecting some rocks you think are beautiful and using them in your home or office as paperweights or bookends? For me, rocks are tangible reminders of the strength and faithfulness of God and all of his promises. Thus, my office is full of rocks, including the cherts I just brought home this past week from the family farm. The picture for this post is one of my favorite cherts – isn’t it beautiful with its pinks and patterns?

Written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2021.

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