As we walked away from the Solomonic Gate at tel Gezer and up a hill, what stood before me caused my heart to leap! I had to contain myself to not run down the hill and jump up and down. I am 37 (36 at the time) and had to at least act mature for the younger folk.
It has been my dream to see real "live" Standing Stones! Here they are, right before my eyes. I might have squealed, but I am not going to tell.
Rocks of Remembrance
Standing Stones
have been significant
in my walk with Christ.
My mind raced to Joshua 3 & 4. (Gezer isn't near the Jordan River, the rocks just made me think of the story.) The Israelites cross the Jordan and into the Promised Land! They are finally home! The LORD didn't want them to forget, nor the generations after them, so He told Joshua to choose 12 men, one from each tribe, to each pick up a rock from the middle of the Jordan.
Why?
Joshua 4:6,7
...to serve as a sign among you.
In the future, when your children ask you,
'What do these stones mean?'
tell them that the flow of the Jordan was
cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
When it crossed the Jordan,
the waters of the Jordan were cut off.
These stones are to be a memorial
to the people of Israel forever.
The Israelites had some remembering to do of the LORD's love, faithfulness, power, Keeper of covenant...DO NOT FORGET!
I have remembering to do as well and physical reminders, like big stones, trigger me to remember-yes, LORD, you are faithful, You have taken this heart of stone and made it a heart of flesh, You have made an everlasting covenant with me!
As Rich began to teach at the Standing Stones, my excitement shifted to being solemn, sickened, and contemplative. These rocks had nothing to do with God Almighty, the One true God. It was a high place, a place of pagan worship, where prostitution and child sacrifice were practiced. Sensuality and murder.What?
Even the Canaanites, those who didn't worship God,
took time to remember and worship
something
someone.
Help Lord! Since you created every person to worship,
the question is
Who or what am I remembering to worship?
Since I will act according to what I remember,
What standing stones do I have erected in my life?
Solomon, a King who worshiped God, who controlled Gezer, never tore down these high places of pagan worship or demolish the stones, as the Lord had commanded, because his heart was divided because of his wives. A whole people were led astray thinking they could live with both-idols and God. The Lord says:
I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.
Isaiah 42:8
Are there any stones in my life that I or others have erected that must be demolished?
What am I remembering that doesn't shout grace and holiness?
Possibilities of pagan standing stones:
Unforgiveness
Putting people on a pedestal
Bitterness
Sensuality
Performance
Insecurity
Partial Grace
Pride
Selfishness
Kids
Husband
Friends
Impatience
Fear
Anxiety...
Must be demolished
As I sat in this for awhile, allowing the Spirit to search my heart, what must be destroyed and demolished in my life, something that doesn't shout-Jesus is HERE! He is recognizable- the Lord brought to mind a TV show I began to watch. Most shows begin fine, get ya hooked, then throw on some sensuality or a lot of it. I had to make the choice to not watch this show I had gotten into. It's amazing how easy it can be for me to justify the "little things". The Lord said, "STOP". I haven't watched it since. I confess to you that I have been tempted, thinking, maybe this time won't be like the last, but lifting the name of Jesus high is way more important to me than satisfying my desire to relax and be entertained...so I continue to say, I can't...not gonna go there.
HOW I remember the Lord is as essential as oxygen is to life!
As I smile for this picture, I am perplexed in my mind, do I smile or frown? What should my face look like as I stand next to these stones that are 10-20 feet tall that represent evil?
I chose to smile
because of what these rocks taught me
how desperately I need
Jesus, my Living Stone!
The only way a stone can be living is if the Lord breaths life into it!
Strong, obvious to others, moving around,
not in one place like other standing stones
Shows the World that Jesus is ALIVE!
I am like a living stone...am I pointing all to the Living Stone?
I want my every thought, my every memory to be of Jesus Christ! The Only One who is worthy of my remembering and living!
Our time at Gezer has drawn to a close as Shabbot was about to begin. We paused soaking in the view; we were really in Israel. Lizz read Deuteronomy 6 as the sun set. O the Presence of the Lord was thick. The cry of my heart-Lord, show me Your glory! You are my Gate and my Living Stone.
I would love to hear your answers to questions I posed to myself as I journeyed through the Land. Will you sharpen me, encourage me, and challenge me. I need you!
1 comment:
Just finished "No Other Gods" by Kelly Minter, which fits well with this post. She asks us to examine our "Ishmaels" that must be sacrificed. Our flesh, our own fulfilling of promises. You ask what are my standing stones, my "other gods". I'd say . . . inadequacy, fear, perfection, need for encouragement from people (this is one God is making known to me right.now.), and probably many more!
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