The Lord is our rock.

Looking at Moses' second song (Deut. 32:1-43) alongside the first song (Exod. 15:1-18),

Moses sang praises to God, saying, "He is the Rock, his works are perfect" (Deut. 32:4).

When mediating on this,

I wondered what thoughts came to Moses' mind

when he confessed that "the Lord is the Rock" and sang praises.

The verse that comes to mind is Numbers 20:10:

"Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock

and Moses said to them, 'Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?'"

This incident occurred at Kadesh when the Israelites quarreled with Moses due to lack of water.

God instructed Moses, "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.

You will bring water out of the rock for the community

so they and their livestock can drink" (Num. 20:8).

In this context,

Moses might have reflected on God's provision and faithfulness,

even in moments of difficulty, when he declared, "the Lord is the Rock."

At that time, Moses followed God's command and took the staff before the Lord.

He gathered the Israelite community "in front of the rock,"

and said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?"

Then, "he raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff" (Num. 20:9-11).

But God said to Moses and Aaron,

"Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites,

you will not bring this community into the land I give them" (v. 12).

Ultimately, because Moses did not trust God and failed to honor God's holiness

in front of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah (v. 12),

he was unable to enter the land of Canaan promised by God.

Before his death and before blessing the Israelites,

Moses sang a song, confessing God as "the Rock" (Deut. 32:4).

As I meditated on this word,

I recalled the promise given by the Lord to Victory Presbyterian Church,

where I serve, in Matthew 16:18: "And I tell you that you are Peter,

and on this rock I will build my church ...."

The Lord, who is the head of the church, promised to build His body, the church, "on this rock."

And as I reflected on this word, another Scripture that came to mind was 1 Corinthians 10:4:

"and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock

that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ."

Additionally, I remembered the words from Matthew 7:24-27:

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice

is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  … 

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice

is like a foolish man who built his house on sand."

Reflecting on these words in connection with Deuteronomy 32:4,

I couldn't help but confess: "'The Lord is the Rock, and I am the sand.'

To me, who hears the word of the Lord but does not act upon it,

like sand building a house on sand, the Lord is my rock."