The Rocks is a suburb of Sydney near the famous harbour bridge. It is named such because of the sandstone outcrops that dominated the landscape. These were quarried, filled and terraced over the centuries to conform with what the European vision of civilisation. Now it is a maze of alleys and terraced housing with chic boutiques and expensive restaurants – all serving the tourists, many of whom arrive on massive cruise ships from all over the globe.
The European settlers were a mix of pioneers, seeking their fortune in the gold mines of Australia, and convicts transported for serious crimes, but also for petty crimes such as stealing a loaf of bread to feed a starving family, or for stealing amounts as small as over one shilling.
We use the term, being “on the rocks” when a relationship, a business or enterprise is failing and about to hit disaster, alluding to a ship about to break up after hitting the rocks. (It’s also used with relation to a drink – but I wouldn’t know about that!)
Sometimes we may feel that we are about to hit the rocks – hopefully not like the rock in the photo, (taken from the bases of The Rocks, Sydney). Perhaps we do feel flattened, the load too heavy to bear.
However Jesus tells us if we build our faith on him as our solid rock, we can face the storms of life. He is our firm foundation. He will never give us a load that is too heavy to bear.
Those early settlers wanted to shape the land to what they felt was the correct way, ignoring the ways of the first nation peoples who were there long before any Europeans.
We may think we know best how to carve out, to shape our lives; however it is Jesus who came for all people, his message of love is for all people, we are to love God and to love our neighbour, whoever our neighbour is.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus that we have you as a solid rock on which we can build. Thank you that there is such diversity in this world. Help us to learn from each other. Thank you that you are our firm foundation when we feel like we are about to “hit the rocks”, and that with you the burden is lifted from our shoulders and nothing is too heavy to bear. Amen