“Panic or Peace” is September 24’s entry from Dr. David Jeremiah’s ‘Turning Points with God: 365 Daily Devotions’.
"From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Psalm 61:2
Rumors of financial disaster flew through the YMCA convention in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and a sense of foreboding gripped the delegates. Telegrams began arriving with alarming reports of banks and financial institutions failing across the country. Many of those attending the conference were businessmen, and their fears were soon confirmed–it was the beginning of the financial panic of 1871.
One of the delegates, Erastus Johnson, was deeply troubled and looked to his Bible for comfort. He bathed his heart in the words of Psalm 61:2 and turned them into this hymn, which was sung repeatedly by the YMCA delegates in their sessions. It soon spread across the nation. Titled “The Rock That Is Higher Than I,” the chorus is a simple prayer: “O then to the Rock let me fly, to the Rock that is higher than I!”
Perhaps you’re in a state of panic yourself, overwhelmed by family concerns, financial needs, or failure. When your heart is overwhelmed, flee to the Rock that is higher than you are–the Rock of Ages.
To end, a quote from Erastus Johnson, “O then to the Rock let me fly, to the Rock that is higher than I!”
