Rolling Away the Stones
With Easter approaching, I’ve been contemplating the concept of stones, like the stone that was rolled away from the tomb on Easter morning or the stones in my own heart. Sometimes, they need to be turned. But once I render my heart to God’s light, there is room for healing. Room for light to enter. When surrendered to God’s grace and mercy, any dark stone in my heart can transform into white stones of grace, compassion, forgiveness, and understanding. This transformation gives us hope.
I was once given a small stone as a gift. Its simplicity stunned me years later as I saw its shiny, polished blackness. It was given to me by my estranged father. This black onyx stone prompted the foundation for this prayer from my book, Shep and the King of Hearts:
Shep prayed, “Father, you know our hearts. We are sad that Jim would leave after a twenty-five year absence. We wanted to get to know him. We hoped for reconciliation for Jim and Chris, father and daughter. Please look upon this humble gift Jim gave Chris many years ago to symbolize how you can turn dark things into positive things in our lives. Turn away the black stones in the tombs of our hearts – stones of unforgiveness, grudges, and hurt. Turn away Jim’s stones of pride, gambling, and rebellion. Take all these hurts and turn them into white stones, as only you can, stones of grace, healing, and forgiveness.”
That’s what Jesus does for us. From the moment he arrived on this earth until now, we have had Him with us to help us with our hurts, disappointments, sorrows, or joys. I am so thankful on this Easter week that I have Him, that He loves you and me, so much so that He died a criminal’s death on a cross and rose again. He defeated death, and he can defeat mine and your black stones as we let the dawn of His love shine through.
Reading from the account in Luke 24:1-6 NIV - On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly, two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright, the women bowed down their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!”
When that stone was rolled away on Easter morning, sunlight dawned on an empty tomb. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, rose, and everything changed. Death was defeated, and eternity was secured forever for those who will believe in him.
“Lord roll away the black stones of our hearts and purify them with your Easter love.”
Stacy