A Stone in the Wall

Fellow stones, welcome! I’m glad you’re here today. You, showing up, is the first step to fortifying our wall. Last week, I wrote about how we’re never really alone, even when it feels like we are, because God is always with us. And He is. There’s no question about it. But you see, from the very beginning of creation, God knew that we would need others like us for this journey through life:

The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Genesis 2:18

So, He created companionship for us. He wanted to be our everything. He wanted to be more than enough for us, but we craved more. So in His endless grace, He provided us with the desires of our heart; He made more like us. To be helpmates for one another. To support, enrich, bless, encourage, challenge and coexist with each other. And, if you think about it, much of our lives is devoted to the others in it. What we think. How we feel. The motivation behind our choices. Indeed, relationships with others remain a focal life experience.

However, before examining relationships with others, we need to acknowledge that spending time with God powerfully impacts our relationships. If we do not seek Him first, our relationships suffer. We need to allow God to pour into our lives, to learn the truths of who we are in Him, to fully comprehend that no one else’s opinion of me matters BUT GOD’S, before we are capable of having truly healthy, life-giving, spiritually-connected relationships with others. If there is a problem in a relationship – seek God. Allow Him to restore you. To bind you back together with gold. He’s waiting for you to seek Him. Indeed, He’s jealous of us. Remember the first commandment:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30

Once you understand the extravagant love He lavishes over you, you start learning that love applies to others too. That if He loves you, creates you, plans for you, seats you in heavenly places, adopts you into His family, engraves your name on His hand, then you realize the same truths apply to everyone else of the Tribe of Joseph (Anne’s House of Dreams reference here), and it’s our responsibility, our duty, our calling - moreover our commandment to reach out to them:

The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these. Mark 12:31

To love your neighbor as yourself. As yourself. Not only reach out to them, but love them as yourself. How can I do that? That person hurt me. That person hurts me repeatedly. They don’t even bother trying to understand me. They don’t show me grace. They don’t believe the same things I believe. They think they are more important than anyone else. They have no regard for me, why should I have any regard for them? Because, God.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love each other. I John 4:11

There are many verses on this topic; God must have known we would need them. He knew this would be an area of struggle. And I get that struggle. I get hurt easily. It’s hard for me to face that person again. To forgive completely. I’ll forgive in the moment, or shortly thereafter, but those feelings of bitterness emerge constantly. It’s an endless cycle for me – hurt, forgiveness, bitterness, hurt, forgiveness – and on, and on it goes. And the only lasting salve I’ve ever found is at the feet of Jesus. He restores me, so I can face that person again. He builds me back up, so I can shine His light. He lavishes me with love, so I can love others.

That’s why time with God is so important. It is in understanding and embracing our true identity that we can love others as we love ourselves. Because we understand that it’s not about us, it’s about God. We shift our perspective from selfishness to Godliness, which means loving others – as we love ourselves. Because we understand that person is on equal footing with us. That person, no matter how much they hurt us, was created by our Heavenly Father. That person, no matter what they said, is extravagantly loved by our Father. That person, no matter what they think of me, is an intricate part of God’s plan. That person, no matter that they don’t understand me, is adopted by God and part of our eternal family. That person, regardless of their differing viewpoints, is seated in heavenly places. That person, no matter what they did, is engraved on God’s hands. That person is a fellow stone in the wall of God.

You see, recently I came across this scripture while reading a chapter on identity. At first reading, I thought the author was downright crazy for including it among the verses. Until I looked it up. Now it’s my favorite. It says:

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord:
Look to the rock from which you were cut
And to the quarry from which you were hewn.”
Isaiah 51:1

What? Why is this here? Okay, I kind of get the rock – my rock and my redeemer (Psalm 19:14). So, I was cut from the Lord, my initial interpretation told me. But the quarry from which you were hewn?  Examining the verse in my cultural Bible, it explains that rock was a popular building material of the culture in that time period. Masons would cut the rock, shape it (hewn), and relocate it for their massive building projects which showcased their power. This quarried stone was a matter of pride for these Mesopotamian kings. How, then, does this verse define my identity? I am a matter of pride, embodied as a meticulously hewn stone, retrieved from a quarry of my spiritual ancestors, and part of a building project which showcases God’s power. Break down each one of those descriptors into its own sentence. Consider the significance of each:

1. I am a matter of pride.
2. I am a meticulously hewn stone.
3. I am retrieved from a quarry of spiritual ancestors.
4. We, my fellow stones and I, showcase God’s power.

God takes pride in me because I am his meticulously hewn creation. Now, knowing that God loves me and that my identity is tied to Him, I next must realize that my identity is also linked to those “who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord.” He retrieved me from that quarry. Then, added me to His building project of whom the foundation stones are Abraham, Sarah (Isaiah 51:2) and Christ - the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19-22): my spiritual ancestors. 

So, my friends, we are all stones in God’s wall mortared together by love (Colossians 3:14) and peace (Ephesians 4:3).  

As you continue through this Halloween to Christmas season, seek God. Know you're not alone. Let Him hold you together. When mended, reach out in love and peace to your fellow stones.  Build your wall. Acknowledge that firm foundation. Surround yourself with the support and strength of others. Feel the unity as your hearts beat together in praise to the One True King. Take comfort, knowing you were never meant to be alone. Picture God proudly fashioning you and your fellow stones for placement in His divinely designed project. It's true. You get it: We really are stronger together.

With Love and Peace from Your Fellow Stone,

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