God’s Living Stones

One of the things I love to do in the late afternoon during the summer is take an extra long beach walk along the shore. I take a series of deep breaths while cool water washes over my feet. I pause to be still in God and ‘just be’ in this simple moment.

My walks become sacred journeys of discovery, to see what the sea has washed up just for me, such as a shell or a unique stone.  Over the years, I have begun a collection of  heart-shaped stones. I believe these heart-shaped stones are surprises from God. Every time I find one–whether it’s buried in the sand or huddled in a cluster of other stones– I quickly rinse it off, and hold it tightly in my hand. My heart fills with joy for I am reminded that God has and will always be our rock of salvation and hope. God created Jesus as the Living Stone and we, as believers, are also living stones.

“Christ is the Living Stone. People did not accept him, but God chose him. God places the highest value on him. You also are like living stones. As you come to Christ, you are being built into a house for worship. There you will be holy priests. You will offer spiritual sacrifices. God will accept them because of what Jesus Christ has done.”
(1 Peter 2:4 – 6 (TPT)) 

In Scripture, it says, “Look! I am placing a stone in Zion. It is a chosen and very valuable stone. It is the most important stone in the building. The one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
(Isaiah 28:16)

On yesterday’s walk, I came upon a small heart stone. I cleaned it off and put it in my pocket to take home to my collection.

Later in the day, before starting my Bible Study, I looked over photos from our recent travels to archaeological Biblical sites in the regions of Asia Minor, Greece and Italy. (We’ve learned about some of these special historic sites in our Biblical studies throughout the years.) What an experience to walk in the footsteps of the writings of the Apostles and other figures of the Bible who dedicated their lives of faith in God and His word.  Their stories and writings have created pathways to God’s word and love now and for generations to come.

From the cobblestone paths of Ephesus to the islands of Rhodes, Crete and Malta, and on to Rome, one could only imagine the people of the early church, their culture, and the way they lived and traded. Walking through these places, I would sometimes stop and close my eyes to hear the clicking of hooves on the cobblestones, the voices of merchants selling their goods, children running around, and the aroma of fresh produce and fish in the local market.  When I opened my eyes, I could see, through the archaeological discoveries –  the craftsmanship of beautifully designed buildings like coliseums, homes and libraries and the intriguing details in the mosaics, carpets, tapestries and frescos. 

To think that many of these stone structures have withstood hundreds if not thousands of years of change! As I look at my recent heart stone treasure from the beach, nothing, absolutely nothing, has or will outlive our God who is our rock for life.

The more I thought about our God as our rock and refuge, Bible verses spoke to my heart. 

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.
Isaiah 26:4 (NIV)

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:2

What a peace I felt to know that God is our Rock eternal who is with us always as we, too, put our faith and trust in Him.  After going through my photos, I found a couple of keepsake memories that I wanted to use to express my creative heART for God as one of His living stones.  I sat quietly and began to draw…

The next time you take a walk on the beach, look for a treasured stone as your reminder that God is our Rock and eternal Salvation.

My friend Liz came over and saw my collection of treasured stones and encouraged me to turn them into pendants after a picture she had seen. I broke out some of my old jewelry tools and bought some new wire. I am truly enjoying making these pieces from stones I find at the beach — and giving them to friends…and wearing them!

I love you, Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield
and the horn  of my salvation, my stronghold.
 Psalm 18:1-2