It turns out that we humans reason largely by means of our hearts and not by our heads. As French mathematician and theologian Blaise Pascal noted long ago, "The heart has reasons that reason does not know."

Poets, singers, storytellers, and artists have always known this. They use symbols and metaphors that speak to our hearts rather than to our minds. That's why their ideas penetrate where everything else has failed. And that's why we say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Images remain in our minds when all else is forgotten.

David wrote, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress, . . . my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" (Psalm 18:2). He was thinking of physical elements that convey spiritual realities. Each picture expresses a deeper thought, linking the visible world to the invisible realm of the Spirit. David doesn't wander into definition and explanation, for explanation can blunt imagination. Each picture is left hanging in our minds—images that evoke mystery, arouse our imagination, and deepen our understanding.

David wakes up what is hidden deep within us. It's good to think long thoughts about it. What does this mean to you: God is my rock, my fortress, my shield?
  — David H. Roper