Psalm 71:3  Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

In ancient Christian iconography, we see the manger at Bethlehem represented often as a cave carved from rock. This representation looks back to the Psalms and stories of Moses and others being sheltered and protected in a "rock of refuge." Moses is placed in a rocky crevasse so that he could catch a fleeting glimpse of God's glory as God passes by. Elijah, in a cave, is sheltered from the whirlwind but hears God in a still, small voice. The representation of the manger as a cave also looks forward to Jesus' burial - the manger anticipates the tomb.

Our God is a refuge to which we may continually return, says the psalmist. Just like Moses, Elijah, and David, and Mary and Joseph, we may count on God to deliver us, ultimately from that which threatens us. When the rock is the manger, the Lord attends the holy family with shepherds and angels. Even when the rock is the tomb, the Son is resurrected and the stone is rolled away. In God's righteousness, we are delivered.

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