Romans 9:33 (NKJV)

“As it is written: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’”

Jesus is that Rock that has many shades and many sides. For all who trust in their religious abilities and their personal spirituality, Jesus becomes a stumbling block and a stumbling stone. Every time such people think they have managed to meet heaven’s moral requirements, their spiritual decadence is made bare and they are forced to look again at Christ. Christ is a rock of offense to many because they have determined to find solutions to their problems outside of Christ, and they genuinely feel upset that we have tied all of God’s blessings and solutions to Christ.

But we have done nothing. Christ is the Rock set by God to bring freedom, hope, deliverance and salvation to humanity. This was not a human agenda. As NLT put it, “anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” This is the verdict of God. Outside Christ is disgrace and shame. Failure and frustration awaits those who look to religion or human mechanism for solutions. Jesus is the final solution, the Rock that does not fail. When will we learn to put all our hopes in Him so that we can enjoy all that God has prepared for us? When will we give up on human effort and human systems?

“Lord, I give up on myself and on other human pillars. I put all my hopes and trusts in You and You alone. I know that this is the only key to my sustenance and You will preserve me from shame. Amen.”