1 00:00:38,001 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched 2 00:00:41,501 --> 00:00:45,181 Speaker 1: something new. It's called The Good Word, our free weekly 3 00:00:45,241 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: newsletter built for people who want to go a little 4 00:00:48,161 --> 00:00:54,011 Speaker 1: deeper in their faith. Think devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcast recommendations, 5 00:00:54,191 --> 00:00:57,311 Speaker 1: and a little community all in one place. No ads, 6 00:00:57,651 --> 00:00:58,651 Speaker 1: just good content. 7 00:00:58,871 --> 00:01:00,091 Speaker 2: This one means a lot to us. 8 00:01:00,491 --> 00:01:03,271 Speaker 1: We built The Good Word based on the audience survey 9 00:01:03,491 --> 00:01:05,671 Speaker 1: so many of you filled out a few months back. 10 00:01:05,991 --> 00:01:08,571 Speaker 1: You told us what you wanted and we listened. So 11 00:01:08,611 --> 00:01:11,541 Speaker 1: thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to 12 00:01:11,580 --> 00:01:14,161 Speaker 1: the link in the show notes and join our community today. 13 00:01:14,481 --> 00:01:15,421 Speaker 1: We'd love to have you. 14 00:01:15,441 --> 00:01:30,250 Speaker 3: Hello, thank you for listening to Your Daily Bible Verse, 15 00:01:30,571 --> 00:01:33,470 Speaker 3: the podcast that examines one verse each day. 16 00:01:33,711 --> 00:01:35,990 Speaker 2: To learn more about God and His will for us. 17 00:01:36,751 --> 00:01:39,931 Speaker 2: I'm your host, Grace Fox, author of Names of God 18 00:01:40,051 --> 00:01:43,731 Speaker 2: Growing Strong. And after this short word from our sponsors, 19 00:01:44,191 --> 00:01:47,711 Speaker 2: we'll dive into today's Bible verse, Isaiah 26, 4. Today's 20 00:01:47,751 --> 00:02:04,721 Speaker 2: Bible verse is Isaiah 26, 4. Trust in the Lord forever, 21 00:02:04,821 --> 00:02:08,481 Speaker 2: for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the rock eternal. 22 00:02:10,041 --> 00:02:13,630 Speaker 2: Have you ever noticed how quickly life can change? One 23 00:02:13,831 --> 00:02:20,091 Speaker 2: phone call, one diagnosis, one unexpected conversation. In a matter 24 00:02:20,131 --> 00:02:23,671 Speaker 2: of seconds, the solid ground beneath our feet shifts and 25 00:02:23,711 --> 00:02:26,530 Speaker 2: we're thrust into the unknown or down a path we 26 00:02:26,671 --> 00:02:30,751 Speaker 2: never expected to walk. A life transition, even one we 27 00:02:30,810 --> 00:02:35,411 Speaker 2: might consider good and exciting, can do the same. Several 28 00:02:35,451 --> 00:02:38,111 Speaker 2: years ago, my husband Gene and I experienced one of 29 00:02:38,151 --> 00:02:41,900 Speaker 2: the biggest transitions of our lives. Instead of packing our 30 00:02:41,921 --> 00:02:44,941 Speaker 2: belongings for another move, as we'd done many times before, 31 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,241 Speaker 2: we began giving those things away or selling them. We 32 00:02:49,300 --> 00:02:52,821 Speaker 2: sold our living room furniture and dining room set, my piano, 33 00:02:53,421 --> 00:02:58,331 Speaker 2: our kitchen appliances, and more. Watching strangers drive away with 34 00:02:58,431 --> 00:03:03,740 Speaker 2: pieces of our history felt surprisingly emotional. In our early 35 00:03:03,821 --> 00:03:07,651 Speaker 2: 60s at that time, we weren't downsizing into a smaller home. 36 00:03:08,531 --> 00:03:14,611 Speaker 2: We were moving aboard a sailboat. Everything familiar disappeared. Suddenly, 37 00:03:14,770 --> 00:03:16,941 Speaker 2: I had to learn how to cook and bake using 38 00:03:17,011 --> 00:03:21,541 Speaker 2: a tiny propane stove, organize a refrigerator that opened from 39 00:03:21,601 --> 00:03:24,521 Speaker 2: the top, and walk a city block to use the 40 00:03:24,561 --> 00:03:29,251 Speaker 2: public showers and laundry. Even more challenging was adjusting to 41 00:03:29,291 --> 00:03:33,441 Speaker 2: an entirely new community and way of life. Some people 42 00:03:33,471 --> 00:03:36,161 Speaker 2: thought we were living the dream. For me, it was 43 00:03:36,481 --> 00:03:41,101 Speaker 2: anything but that. We were following God's obvious lead even 44 00:03:41,121 --> 00:03:44,421 Speaker 2: though it didn't make much sense at the time. Now, 45 00:03:44,661 --> 00:03:49,220 Speaker 2: I understand that by removing all things familiar, God was 46 00:03:49,301 --> 00:03:52,871 Speaker 2: giving us an opportunity to grow in our faith by 47 00:03:52,991 --> 00:03:58,611 Speaker 2: experiencing Him in a new way as Yahweh Sarai, our rock. 48 00:03:59,931 --> 00:04:04,511 Speaker 2: This Hebrew name for God, Yahweh Sarai, literally means the 49 00:04:04,601 --> 00:04:09,031 Speaker 2: Lord is my rock. Yahweh refers to the creator God 50 00:04:09,071 --> 00:04:13,571 Speaker 2: for whom nothing is impossible. He is self-sufficient and self-existent. 51 00:04:14,011 --> 00:04:17,711 Speaker 2: He's the great I am, always relevant and wanting relationship 52 00:04:17,751 --> 00:04:22,971 Speaker 2: with his creation. This name is mentioned more than 6,000 53 00:04:22,971 --> 00:04:28,051 Speaker 2: times in the Bible. The Hebrew word sur refers to 54 00:04:28,071 --> 00:04:36,681 Speaker 2: a massive rock, towering cliff, or immovable foundation. It pictures strength, stability, protection, 55 00:04:37,281 --> 00:04:42,131 Speaker 2: and refuge. Unlike the shifting sand beneath our feet, a 56 00:04:42,251 --> 00:04:47,130 Speaker 2: great rock stands firm through every storm. The name Yahweh 57 00:04:47,231 --> 00:04:51,631 Speaker 2: plus the word Tzur form the compound name Yahweh-Siri to 58 00:04:51,691 --> 00:04:55,580 Speaker 2: help us understand that the God who created and loves 59 00:04:55,701 --> 00:04:59,001 Speaker 2: us is our safe place and source of security when 60 00:04:59,061 --> 00:05:03,381 Speaker 2: chaos surrounds us. He is our stability and eternal rock 61 00:05:03,901 --> 00:05:09,301 Speaker 2: when change rocks our world. David had an intimate understanding 62 00:05:09,341 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 2: of this name. He first experienced God as his rock 63 00:05:13,701 --> 00:05:17,841 Speaker 2: while fleeing from King Saul. For years, David lived as 64 00:05:17,901 --> 00:05:22,261 Speaker 2: a refuge, hiding in caves, separated from family, never knowing 65 00:05:22,301 --> 00:05:26,861 Speaker 2: where danger might appear next. Yet in the middle of instability, 66 00:05:27,261 --> 00:05:31,031 Speaker 2: he declared, Praise be to the Lord my rock, who 67 00:05:31,091 --> 00:05:36,091 Speaker 2: trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. Psalm 68 00:05:36,091 --> 00:05:40,991 Speaker 2: 144 verse 1. Rather than allowing fear and uncertainty to 69 00:05:41,051 --> 00:05:45,731 Speaker 2: dictate his behavior and determine his outcome, David anchored himself 70 00:05:45,891 --> 00:05:51,811 Speaker 2: in God's unchanging character. His faith foundation remained settled even 71 00:05:51,871 --> 00:05:58,340 Speaker 2: though he faced unsettling circumstances. Hannah also experienced the reality 72 00:05:58,380 --> 00:06:02,101 Speaker 2: of God as her rock. After she endured years of 73 00:06:02,201 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 2: infertility and heartbreaking ridicule, God answered her prayer by giving 74 00:06:06,801 --> 00:06:11,801 Speaker 2: her a son, Samuel. Then came the unimaginable task of 75 00:06:11,921 --> 00:06:15,801 Speaker 2: bringing Samuel to the tabernacle and leaving him there to 76 00:06:15,841 --> 00:06:19,221 Speaker 2: be raised by the priest and trained for God's service. 77 00:06:20,341 --> 00:06:25,101 Speaker 2: Before walking away, Hannah declared, There is no one holy 78 00:06:25,141 --> 00:06:27,981 Speaker 2: like the Lord. There is no one besides you. There 79 00:06:28,061 --> 00:06:34,781 Speaker 2: is no rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2.2 This 80 00:06:34,801 --> 00:06:38,021 Speaker 2: woman's confidence didn't come from knowing every detail about her 81 00:06:38,061 --> 00:06:43,421 Speaker 2: son's future. That was impossible. Her courage and confidence found 82 00:06:43,481 --> 00:06:48,031 Speaker 2: its source in her relationship with God. Living from the 83 00:06:48,091 --> 00:06:51,911 Speaker 2: truth of his character held her steady in the storm 84 00:06:52,031 --> 00:06:56,950 Speaker 2: of leaving her little boy behind. David and Hannah experienced 85 00:06:56,991 --> 00:07:00,681 Speaker 2: situations that shook the ground beneath their feet, Rather than 86 00:07:00,921 --> 00:07:04,821 Speaker 2: allowing challenges to shake their faith in God, they embrace 87 00:07:04,861 --> 00:07:09,421 Speaker 2: those challenges as opportunities to know God more intimately, to 88 00:07:09,501 --> 00:07:14,141 Speaker 2: know Him as their rock. Their stories encourage us to 89 00:07:14,181 --> 00:07:19,301 Speaker 2: do the same. My friend, experiencing God as my rock 90 00:07:19,911 --> 00:07:23,511 Speaker 2: gave me peace when everything familiar fell away from beneath 91 00:07:23,551 --> 00:07:28,701 Speaker 2: my feet. The same can be true for you. Perhaps 92 00:07:28,781 --> 00:07:33,331 Speaker 2: today you're navigating a difficult diagnosis, grieving someone you love, 93 00:07:33,831 --> 00:07:38,091 Speaker 2: watching a child make painful choices, or facing uncertainty about 94 00:07:38,131 --> 00:07:42,511 Speaker 2: the future. Maybe you're simply feeling overwhelmed by the rapid 95 00:07:42,571 --> 00:07:48,961 Speaker 2: changes in our world. If so, take Isaiah's invitation to heart. 96 00:07:49,881 --> 00:07:53,821 Speaker 2: Trust in the Lord. He is the rock eternal who 97 00:07:53,861 --> 00:07:58,611 Speaker 2: remains steadfast. and he will help you remain steadfast too. 98 00:07:59,571 --> 00:08:04,101 Speaker 2: Let's pray. God Almighty, we praise you for revealing your 99 00:08:04,141 --> 00:08:09,361 Speaker 2: character to us through your name, Yahweh Sari. We acknowledge 100 00:08:09,401 --> 00:08:13,161 Speaker 2: you as the eternal rock, our rock. Help us turn 101 00:08:13,201 --> 00:08:16,621 Speaker 2: to you when life as we know it shakes. Help 102 00:08:16,691 --> 00:08:21,091 Speaker 2: us find our stability, our security, and our peace in 103 00:08:21,171 --> 00:08:25,211 Speaker 2: you alone. In Jesus' name, amen.