The Dome of the Rock is built right on top of one of the most hotly contested pieces of real estate on the face of the earth. The Muslems call is Mount Moriah. The Jews call it Mount Zion. The outcropping of rock under the dome is believed to be the site where Abraham offered to sacrific Isaac. It is a place of great historical significance to Jews, Christians and Muslems. The Muslems completed the Dome of the Rock in A.D. 691. According to their tradition, it was the place where Mohammed ascended to heaven. However, long before the Dome of the Rock was constructed Solomon's temple was built on that same rocky outcropping. Archeologists believe the rock was used to slaughter the animals for temple sacrifices. They point to channels that have been hewn into the rock to carry the blood of sacrifices away from the temple to a valley below the temple mount. Because of its historical significance, Muslems, Jews and Christian crusaders have fought over this rock for more than a thousand years. Ironically, the more these religious groups have fought over this sacred place, it has become less and less sacred. If you go there today, the temple mount is swarming with soldiers carrying machine guns.

Jesus made it clear that there is only one rock worth holding on to. He said, "Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock," (Matthew 7:24). Rather than fighting to hold onto a piece of rock, let's build our lives on solid rock. There's only one way to do that: Hearing the words and doing the will of Jesus. Several years ago, Tony Campolo was invited to speak at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptists. At that time they were quite divided over what a proper Southern Baptist should believe about the authority of the Scriptures. Campolo said, "I don't know why you baptists are fighting over what you believe about the Bible when you don't do what the book says anyway!" Right on Tony! If people of faith would stop fighting over what we believe and start to actually put what we believe into practice, the world would be far less aflicted by the insanity of religious zealots. The ancient song writer wrote, "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever." Trust in the Lord... that's where I'll try to make my stand... all other ground is sinking sand. -- Bob