S T O N E S
What Stone Will You Let Jesus Roll Away Today?
May 1st, 2023
DEAD PLACES
Luke 24:2, ‘But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.’ (NKJV)
“I love the imagery of the stone that covered Jesus’ tomb rolling away when He defeated death. The reality is, we all have stones in our lives…but the good news is: Jesus Christ rolls stones away!” (Christine Caine)
Buried in each one of us is greatness. Do you know that about yourself? See for me, for almost my entire life, I did not know that. But what I did know—and refused to admit—is the amount of waste and filth and dead things instead buried inside. Compacted deep within me with a pile of boulders and dirt blocking the entrance. Dead things in dead places.
I love that Jesus calls out what is dead within each of us and commands it to live again. He summons what is dying, or no longer living, out of the depth of its burial site and into the light, to breathe and live again.
In fact, I am so impacted by the story of Lazarus, and I think God, the Giver of life, wanted Lazarus’ story told, so we might have hope to believe that what has died inside of us can walk out of dead places and come back to life. Lazarus wasn’t anyone special—except he was special to Jesus. And so are we. You and I are special to the Redeemer also, and I think His love for us causes Him to call, “Come forth!” to what has died inside of you and me. He redeems all the enemy has killed, hidden and destroyed.
The compassion with which Jesus resurrects what is life-less in us is life-giving. I have an assurance in me that while Jesus wept just on the other side of the stone blocking the entrance to where the dead man Lazarus had been lain, He likewise weeps over the deadened things in me. He cares about the dreams and the hopes and the promises perishing in me, and He speaks life over what has departed and is breathless and bereft. I don’t have to understand His timing if I understand His presence.
I love that He simply says, “Take away the stone,” because it tells me He isn’t stymied by the condition of what lies within. He isn’t offended by the stench of the decomposing things in me, and He knows the outcome long before any dream I ever dreamt began to die. After all, if Jesus can bring dead things in dead places back to life again, don’t you think He can cause living things to flourish forever and emerge victoriously and eternally.
“IT IS FINISHED!”
