Rock of Refuge

At the campground, I got into a game of tag with the kids--my two nieces and the two children in the Yurt next door. After some initial conflict between families, my brother's family had settled in the incorrect Yurt, matters chilled out. Thus the children came out to play.

Somehow the game of tag turned out so that all the kids were chasing me. I decided to book it down the road and through the woods which caused great consternation with the parents. They no longer had the kids in sight. So, the parents began to chase the kids chasing me. It was quite the scene.

As I ran through the wooded area, I came upon some campers eating dinner at their site and I ran by them and through the tent compound like I was on a jail break. Having a 6'8" dude coming out of nowhere huffing and puffing probably was a little disconcerting.

I peered over to my right and saw that I had a clear line to the Rock of Refuge, the place of safety from the deadly tags. I turned on the after-burners and was able to out-distance the kids. The kids were disappointed that through the cunning use of intelligence and athleticism, I had bested them. The little next to us Yurt boy's name was Noah kept trying to punch me in the groin. It was at his eye level.

As I talked with his mom later, I found out that she was a Jewish rabbi or worked in some official vocational capacity with Jewish youth to help develop their identity in Jewish culture through experiential activities. I was reminded in talking with her of the Jewish foundations of the Christian faith. She was really smart and had been going through some trials with being a mom, employee, and student. You can do two of the three but not all three without consistent triage.  

She said that Jewish kids tend to drift away from Jewish culture if there are not intentional efforts to inculcate them into the traditions and history of their people. There is tension in Jewish culture about the assimilation versus distinctiveness ethos. Be too different and you become an easy target and scapegoat for the monstrous tyrants of the world (i.e. Hitler), be too much the same and you lose your past. It is a crushing dilemma.

The Rock of Refuge, Jesus, was 100% a Jew as were all of the Disciples. Our faith was hewn from that Jewish quarry. The Blue Eyed and Blondish Aryan Jesus has no historical authenticity. One Rock of Refuge for all, unto salvation, for both the Jew first and then to the Gentile.

2 Sam 22:3

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence.