Rocks Cry Out
I have always loved biology. I’ve memorized most of the major bones in the body. I love learning about plants (even if I kill those I try to grow). I enjoy watching animal documentaries, and if you know me well, you know my love of God’s littlest critters, especially the 8-legged variety. Lately, my love of nature has expanded into geology, and I caught the rock hounding bug. Rock hounding is also known as rock hunting in case you were wondering. Most of my life, I’ve literally walked right over these neat stone creations, paying them very little mind and never truly appreciating their beauty.
Recently, a new friend of mine from church (thanks A, and yay to new sisters in Christ!) who is a seasoned rock hounder, gifted me a big bucket of rocks! If you’re old enough to remember the Charlie Brown Halloween cartoon, poor Charlie would look into his bag after trick-or-treating and glumly proclaim “I got a rock”. I think many people, who don’t understand how stinkin’ cool rocks are, might share Charlie’s sentiment over my friend’s gift, but I was so excited!
Yesterday I dug in (pun intended?) and started washing off some of the rocks and looking them up in my rock identifier app. As I admired the neat banding and colors of the stones, I thought God must have had so much fun creating rocks. But really, he must have enjoyed making all of creation, and how blessed are we to live in its midst? Even if you don’t live in my beautiful Pacific Northwest, God’s beauty can still be found all around. Yesterday our pastor reminded us that VBS is coming up (my favorite time of year!) and how our Children’s Pastor always encourages the kids to look for “God Sightings” throughout the week. Well, that was exactly what I was experiencing as I rinsed the dirt off one of my stoney gifts. The colors, the shimmer, the bands reflecting the light. I will say it again. How. Stinkin’. Cool. AKA my own version of:
“How great are your works Lord” Psalm 92:5
I recently heard a devotional outlining many of the different times rocks and stones are mentioned in scripture. From God providing water to the Israelites through the rock Moses struck, to Joshua setting up the 12 stones from the Jordan river after God caused its waters to “pile up” so the people could pass through on dry ground. I’m also reminded of Jesus’ parable of the wise man who built his house upon a rock, and how Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter saying of him:
“..and on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not overcome it”
Matthew 16:18
And finally, the ultimate symbol of Jesus’ victor over death; the stone that was rolled away!
No matter what area of creation we find ourselves in awe of today, (I know the little critters can be an acquired taste.. um not literally) let it all be a reminder that he created it to point you to him.
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Romans 1:20
During Jesus’ triumphal entry, the reason we celebrate Palm Sunday, those boogers the Pharisees called for Jesus to rebuke his disciples after the people called out “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”. Jesus admonished the Pharisees:
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19:40
While I do understand this passage means that Jesus was deserving of the praise the people were proclaiming, and that even if they hadn’t praised him, his glory would still be evident. I think it is worth using something as small and ordinary as a rock to remind us of that evidence. From the beautiful way a rock can be layered with bands of color, to the intricate patterns of a tree ‘s bark, to a bird’s own unique call, and even the way a spider’s web cradles the morning dew (I had to!), they all cry out to us the glory of his works.
Oh yeah, and YOU are his favorite creation of all!