God alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. Psalm 62:6
After reading this I decided to look up the term fortress. It means, "place which is fortified, secure place, stronghold." I went on to read about fortifications.
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defense in warfare. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs. The term is derived from the Latin fortis ("strong") and facere ("to make").
In looking at my life I can see that I have built many fortresses for myself. Places that I felt were safe and strong, whether they be internally or externally. I have accumulated what I have needed to build safe places for myself and I have encouraged others, when I speak and write, to do the same thing.
But the verse above does not say "God is ONE of my rocks, one of my fortresses." The Psalmist didn't even leave it at "God is my rock and my salvation." He said, "God ALONE is my rock and my salvation, my fortress." That statement really had an impact on me this morning.
If I want to live in a world where I am not shaken, then God ALONE must be the fortress I turn to. I can not run to my own constructions.... I must rely on God.
And I can imagine, that when I get to that place, I will notice that things are a lot less shaky for me internally than they have ever been, regardless of external circumstances.
