His Rock

Sometimes reading the Bible is made more difficult because we were born and raised in the west. Take for instance the ancient laws directing God's people to stone someone to death for certain infractions of the law. I don't know about you, but that always seemed a little unnecessarily barbaric to me.

Then I thought about it a little more and compared it to some of the things we have utilized for capital punishment. We hang people by their necks, burn them at the stake and impale them on crosses (Romans). All of these utilize wood. We used what was common and available. These people don't have trees! They have rocks; lots and lots of rocks.

I posted some pictures of my "neighborhood."

My wife left me a note saying I should start a garden outside my room because it looks a little drab.

She is right. Drab is the primary color in this land.

She is also right, that a little life, a little color, a little display of God's beauty would brighten things.

So today I thought what would a spiritual leader use to inspire his flock in a drab and dreary land?

Flowers just won't do. Even if they lasted longer than an hour outside I am not about to plant any pansies around here.

Then it hit me…use what you have. Make a rock garden.

Since then I have been finding cool looking stones all over the place.

There are so many colorful and cool looking rocks it is hard to choose.

I just never noticed how unique and special they were all created until I stopped to look closer.

Even the broken ones that are less attractive on the outside are beautiful on the inside.

It started to remind me of the human story…created beautiful but covered in muck.

Mixed in with the rest of humanity and a little dirt and we are all pretty hard to tell apart.

When is the last time that you pondered the question, "why Me?"

Have you ever asked God why he Choose you?

The Psalmist does it beautifully in Psalm 8:3-4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, ⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

Why he dusted you off and stuck you on display in his garden?

Here are a few things I was reminded of since starting this project…

Remember, when life is a little drab and dreary look a little harder, God's print is everywhere, every bush is aflame.

Remember, you are in God's garden, He knows right where he planted you.

Remember, most people can only see what is wrong. Live your life so they witness what is right.

Remember, if you were a rock, you'd be God's favorite rock; He'd carry you around in his pocket.