All drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.
(1 Corinthians 10.4
NRSV)
It happened one February. Rains had been pounding southern California for most of two weeks. Rocks were falling down the slopes. Some of the homeowners who lived on one section of the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu looked up and began noticing a rock that had been located directly above them since the day they had built their costly homes. They saw the 116-ton rock, perched a little more than 180 feet above Pacific Coast Highway between Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Malibu Canyon road, and they began to perceive it as a problem--a major problem. They envisioned it sliding down onto their homes, causing great property damage and possibly injuries or death.
One homeowner sent a telegram to the California Department of Transportation, holding it responsible for anything that happened should that rock dislodge and come crashing down the mountainside. That, of course, put the department in action. The state ordered the owners of the property on which the rock balanced to have the rock removed immediately. The Iranian Import Company, which owned the land, declined to take action, and so the state hired a construction company to remove the rock. Bids were put out, and the lowest one was for $92,000!
The job was only supposed to take a few hours at the most. A net was going to be raised by helicopter and then fastened to the rock by a crew in bulldozers. Then the helicopter would gently lower the rock onto the highway, where a cushion of mud had been spread to break its fall and prevent it from rolling onto the houses. It all sounded simple enough.
Shortly after dawn, three Caterpillar D-9 tractors started up the hill. It was past noon before they were in place. Then workers had trouble getting the thirty-by-thirty-foot 2,500-pound net laced together. A twin-turbine jet helicopter picked up the net and draped it over the rock. The tractors, pulling in tandem, attempted to budge the rock from its perch. It did not move.
Crowds of people and reporters arrived to watch as the day turned to night. One news photographer got stuck on a ledge near the rock and had to be rescued by helicopter. The crowd cheered. The rock didn't move.
The next day, the rock was bombarded with 32,000 gallons of water from a 400-foot fire hose. The rock still didn't move. Someone said in exasperation, "The darn thing must be welded to a steel beam down the middle of it!"
Superman arrived at the party to promote one of his films. The crowds were enjoying the rock-moving party atmosphere. The rock became the most watched rock in the Los Angeles basin!
Just before sundown, three days after the assault had started, a herculean effort involving a one-inch steel cable and a skip loader caused the Malibu rock to come tumbling down, crashing through the net holding it, breaking chains, and shooting sparks as it fell 180 feet onto the mud cushion on Pacific Coast Highway. It took another three days for the road to be cleared of the rock and mud. All things considered--including loss of business revenue and salaries and per diem school funds because the road was closed--the removal of that rock cost nearly one million dollars!"
Jesus, our rock, is a gift.
Lord Jesus, thank you for being my savior. Amen.