He Still Moves Stones

I love when the Lord speaks to me, directly to me, and at a time when I so desparately needed it. I have needed encouragement. My friend, Missy and I emailed about it a few days ago after she did a post on Tension. I could feel what she was saying. The word around here lately has been caught. There are so many things that J and I feel tension on - not necessarily between us, although it has gotten us from time to time, but tension on life decisions. Feeling that the Lord is leading us in one direction, yet at a stand still to how that is going to come to pass. Waiting is such a hard place...one that I seem to find myself in all too often. Perhaps that's why the two different things I read today were so encouraging to me.

The first was on Phil 3 - to finish the race before us with endurance. Being a runner, I can relate to the running analogies. The word race is from the Greek agon, from which we get the word agony. The Christian's race is not a job, but rather a demanding and grueling, sometimes agonizing race. It takes a massiver effort to finish strong. So the first thing I read was to finish strong....keep running, don't give up. I remind myself of that each morning as I force myself to sprint the last bit of my morning run. How could I forget that the same is true in my Christian race?

The Second thing that I read today comes from Max Lucado's He Still Moves Stones. Sometimes, I need a light read and he often times just has a way with words. While I know that the Lord's answers can be no, I do know that He is full of surprises especially when we think there is no way. My mom reminded me of that - and 5 years ago, I experienced just that - a broken relationship with no view for another to be found when within a few weeks Jamison came into the picture and we were married 8 short months later (Nov 13th). So....enjoy this selection from Max's book based on Matt 28:

Why did the angel move the stone? For whom did he roll away the rock?

For Jesus? that's what I always thought. I just assumed that the angel moved the stone so Jesus could come out. But think about it. Did the stone have to be removed in order for Jesus to exit? Did God have to have help? Was the death conqueror so weak that he coiuldn't push away a rock?

I don't think so. The text gives the impression that Jesus was already out when the stone was moved! No where do the Gospels say that the angel moved the stone for Jesus. For whom, then, was the stone moved?

Listen to what the angel says: "Come and see the place where his body was" (Matt 28:6)

The stone was moved- not for Jesus - but for the women; not so Jesus could come out, but so the women could see in!

....

"Go quickly and tell his followers, 'Jesus has risen from the dead. He is going into Galilee ahead of you, and you will see him there;" (Matt 28:7)

Mary and Mary don't have to be told twice. They turn and start running to Jerusalem. The darkness is gone. The sun is up. The Son is out. But the Son isn't finished. One surprise still awaits them.

"Suddenly Jesus met them and said, 'Greetings.' Th women came up to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. The Jesus said to them, 'Don't be afraid. Go and tell my followers to go on to Galilee, and they will see me there.'" (Matt 28:9-10)

The God of surprises strikes again. It's as if he said, "I can't wait any longer. They came this far to see me; I'm going to drop in on them."

God does that for the faithful. Just when the womb gets too old for babies, Sarai gets pregnant. Just when the failure is too great for grace, David is pardoned. And just when the road is too dark for Mary and Mary, the angel glows, and the Savior shows, and the two women will never be the same.

The lesson? Three words. Don't give up.
Is the trail dark? Don't sit
Is the road long? Don't stop.
IS the night black? Don't quit.

Even when it's difficult. Even when it seems impossible. Even when we don't understand why.

God is watching. Fod all you know, right at this moment he may be telling the angel to move the stone.
The check may be in the mail.
The apology may be in the making.
The job contract may be on the desk.

Don't quit. For if you do, you may miss the answer to your prayers.
God still sends angels. And God still moves stones.