Rock of Ages-Ascend the Hill

Cleft of the Rock
Exodus 33:22
and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by 

What exactly is the cleft of the rock. There are not many big rocks in Louisiana so the terminology seems strange to me. Not only did I not know what is was, but more importantly I did not know why it was important. That was until I took a trip to Hawaii. One particular Saturday I took a walk to see the water. There was no sand at this spot just rocks and a wall along the coast. The waves were especially strong this day. I stood in awe as I watched the water roll into waves and over the rocks. How majestic. How beautiful. How strong. I didn't get close enough to get wet because I knew these waves could knock me over and make me hurt myself. As I stood watching I noticed two crabs that the waves carried over the wall. At first they were fighting but as the water came over the wall they moved into the crevices or clefts of the rocks on the wall. As long as they stayed in those clefts they were safe no matter how strong the waves were or how much water came over the wall. It was in watching those crabs that I understood what it meant to be in the cleft of God's rock.

Ascend the Hill talks about the cleft of the Rock of Ages:
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
save from wrath and make me pure
Jesus bled and died on the cross so that we might hide ourselves in Him and His promises. As long as we rest in His protection we are safe no matter how strong the waves of life are. When we decide to leave the safety of God is when we get crushed and tossed around. So when the waves are high and strong seek safety in the cleft of the Rock.