I normally do really intense and in-depth studies of God’s Word…if you’ve been in one of my small groups, you know this to be true. But lately, I keep sitting down at the table to where my Bible is flipped open in the Psalms and don’t get any further. I’ve been rubbing the Psalms in like a balm on my soul.

Here’s one of the verses I keep reading, over and over-

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26

Because I like to dissect words, I looked up the words “fail” and “strength” in my Blue Letter Bible app.

Fail- To be at an end, to be spent, be used up, to waste away, be exhausted, to be finished.

I’ve had a lot of flesh and heart failing lately. Losing my husband and best friend has been beyond my human capacity to handle. Trying to navigate my own grief, while newly single parenting my grieving kids and dealing with house things and being thrown into doing all of the things that Guy took care of for us…I feel at an end, all of the time…I feel spent, exhausted, finished.

Yes, my human flesh and heart are failing.

{BUT}

“God is the strength of my heart.”

He is literally my life support.

Strength here is translated as “Rock”.

I am sitting here looking at cross-references to Rock in the Bible…there are so many. Here are just a few…

“and when my glory passes by, I will put you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.” Exodus 33:22

The Rock is a place of safety, a place where we are covered by the hand of the Lord.

“He led you through the great and terrible wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty land where there was no water. He brought water out of the flint rock for you.” Deuteronomy 8:15

“He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as abundant as the depths.” Psalm 78:15

“He made him ride on the heights of the land and eat the produce of the field. He nourished him with honey from the rock and oil from flinty rock.” Deuteronomy 32:13

The Rock knows our needs and supplies them all. Abundantly. He is our Nourishment, our Provider. He is the Creator of all resources.

“The Rock-His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A faithful God, without bias, He is righteous and true.” Deuteronomy 32:4

The work of the Rock is perfect. ALL of His ways are just. He is faithful, unbiased, righteous, and true.

“He said: The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock where I seek refuge. My shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, you save me from violence.” 2 Samuel 22:2-3

The Rock is my fortress, my deliverer, He is where I seek refuge…He is my shield, my salvation, my Savior.

“He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure.” Psalm 40:2

The Rock is my firm place to stand…He is the One that lifted me when I was sinking and made my steps secure in Him.

“Trust in the Lord forever, because in the LORD, the LORD Himself, is an everlasting rock!” Isaiah 26:4

The Rock is trustworthy and everlasting.

When my frail, human flesh and heart fail, the Rock is where I land. He is “my portion forever”…He is exactly what I need whenever I need it…and He is ALWAYS enough.

He is the strength of my heart.

“My flesh and my heart may fail (be spent up, exhausted and just finished), but God is the strength (ROCK) of my heart, my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26

Father, thank You for being my perfect portion and my strength. Thank you for always being the Rock at the end of my rope. Thank you for your Word that reminds me of who You are…who You always have been, and always will be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Blessings,

Nicole Dotson

“Search for the LORD and for His strength; seek His face always.” Psalm 105:4