Augustus M. Toplady (1740-1778) was twelve when he started preaching. He would preach to anyone who would listen. He began writing hymns when he was 14 years old. By age 22 he was ordained. Toplady was a staunch Calvinist. Around the time the Colonists in the New World were declaring their independence from England, Toplady and John Wesley were engulfed in a theological battle with each other.
In 1776 Toplady wrote his poem, Rock of Ages. He writes,

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 for sin the double cure, Save from wrath and make me pure.

The Rock of Ages is Jesus. When the soldier pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, blood and water flowed out (John 19:34). This is where we can hide. It is the blood of Jesus that saves us and makes us pure the moment we receive Him.
Jesus said in Matthew 7 that we are to build our lives on the Solid Rock. This means that we listen to the teachings of Jesus and then we follow Him. Jesus is our Solid Rock upon which we should build our lives.

I remember the first time I went to Universal Studios as a kid. I was able to pick up a huge rock and hold it over my head. A rock that looked like it weighed several tons. The truth is that the rock I picked up was from a movie set. Of course it was fake. Let’s make sure we are holding on to the Rock of Ages and not something that just looks like Christianity.
As we sing The Solid Rock, Rock of Ages (Two Versions), I Go to the Rock and He Hideth My Soul, I pray that it will turn into worship. I pray that each one of us will make sure we holding onto the Rock of Ages.

“I go to the Rock of my Salvation. I go to the Stone that the builder rejected. I run to the Mountain and the Mountain stands by me. The earth all around me is singing sand. On Christ the Solid Rock I stand. When I need a shelter, when I need a friend, I go the Rock!”