The rock was just like so many of the other ones that line the rubble and trash on the side of many of the roads in our city. It was small and worn, about the size of my fist. And I couldn’t stop looking at it. After all that had happened in the days prior to this one, I learned not to count anything strange, but what is with this rock? Father, what are you trying to say?
The truth is, He was saying more than I will ever know. The 3 days prior to this one, all I could see was one thing.
Darkness.
That’s all I see, Father, total and utter darkness. He opened my eyes to it in a new way one night. Well, more like He came in and rocked me to the core – think “force of a hurricane, ferocity of a tidal wave, speed of a tornado, and impact of a plane crash” type rocking. A big one.
My eyes were opened to it, to a depth not yet realized in my 24 years. The wonderful, precious bubble of small town, church going life, it took a 2x4 to the head. Do I despise my upbringing? Absolutely not, for it made me the lover of people and mercy and sweet tea that I am today. But the Father desired to broaden that view a little more, desired to fit a bigger view of Him into my perspective.
This view, however, began with this revelation. The world is lost.
Now I know, “Duh,” is probably what you’re thinking. And well, honestly, it is what I would’ve said too. That’s not it though. I just came face to face with the evil. Face to face. And it was overwhelming, oppressive, and very, very real.
So the rock, well what in the world are You saying Father? I haven’t noticed anything but these women with their heads covered and these idols and these people in chains for days. I’ve cried and yelled and begged for you to break through. To show me You. Why this rock?
And with more force than the entire hurricane in my heart, He says this,
“It declares My glory.”
Oh, gotcha. I literally laughed out loud sitting on my motorbike, which was quite a miracle given my then current emotional state. “You’re right.” is what I said to Him. Of course, He knows that, but who doesn’t like to hear that when it’s true? And I’m so thankful that with Him, He’s always right. He’s always true. And so, from that point, He began this work. Well, not really. He began it long ago, but this season’s work, it began there. The expansion of His greatness and goodness and sovereignty started right there.
“That tree, it declares My glory.
That rain, it declares My glory.
Those clouds, that grass, those flowers, that sun? Those too.
That person, who is made in My image? Him too.”
Father generally has to start with the basics for my much loved, but so stubborn heart. And so He did. My faith was so weak, and He used a rock to cry out, “He’s glorious!”
And what’s more, that rock was an Ebenezer in this season. “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the L0RD has helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12) Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by Thy help I come. Thanks, “Come Thou Fount” for teaching me so much in one line of a hymn.
He literally used a rock to show me that He is the Rock. That I can bank on Him. That I can trust His glory will come through His kingdom coming on this earth, in this country, on this island, in this city. And it’s only “by His help” that I come, that I can even raise my Ebenezer. I know it’s true. When all I can see is what I see, He gives me the faith to see what I cannot see. That He is here. I can’t do it, but He can. He can bring beauty from ashes. And through the ashes my previous perspective, He is making all things new.
Whoever thought a rock could teach me all that?
The truth is, He was saying more than I will ever know. The 3 days prior to this one, all I could see was one thing.
Darkness.
That’s all I see, Father, total and utter darkness. He opened my eyes to it in a new way one night. Well, more like He came in and rocked me to the core – think “force of a hurricane, ferocity of a tidal wave, speed of a tornado, and impact of a plane crash” type rocking. A big one.
My eyes were opened to it, to a depth not yet realized in my 24 years. The wonderful, precious bubble of small town, church going life, it took a 2x4 to the head. Do I despise my upbringing? Absolutely not, for it made me the lover of people and mercy and sweet tea that I am today. But the Father desired to broaden that view a little more, desired to fit a bigger view of Him into my perspective.
This view, however, began with this revelation. The world is lost.
Now I know, “Duh,” is probably what you’re thinking. And well, honestly, it is what I would’ve said too. That’s not it though. I just came face to face with the evil. Face to face. And it was overwhelming, oppressive, and very, very real.
So the rock, well what in the world are You saying Father? I haven’t noticed anything but these women with their heads covered and these idols and these people in chains for days. I’ve cried and yelled and begged for you to break through. To show me You. Why this rock?
And with more force than the entire hurricane in my heart, He says this,
“It declares My glory.”
Oh, gotcha. I literally laughed out loud sitting on my motorbike, which was quite a miracle given my then current emotional state. “You’re right.” is what I said to Him. Of course, He knows that, but who doesn’t like to hear that when it’s true? And I’m so thankful that with Him, He’s always right. He’s always true. And so, from that point, He began this work. Well, not really. He began it long ago, but this season’s work, it began there. The expansion of His greatness and goodness and sovereignty started right there.
“That tree, it declares My glory.
That rain, it declares My glory.
Those clouds, that grass, those flowers, that sun? Those too.
That person, who is made in My image? Him too.”
Father generally has to start with the basics for my much loved, but so stubborn heart. And so He did. My faith was so weak, and He used a rock to cry out, “He’s glorious!”
And what’s more, that rock was an Ebenezer in this season. “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the L0RD has helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12) Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by Thy help I come. Thanks, “Come Thou Fount” for teaching me so much in one line of a hymn.
He literally used a rock to show me that He is the Rock. That I can bank on Him. That I can trust His glory will come through His kingdom coming on this earth, in this country, on this island, in this city. And it’s only “by His help” that I come, that I can even raise my Ebenezer. I know it’s true. When all I can see is what I see, He gives me the faith to see what I cannot see. That He is here. I can’t do it, but He can. He can bring beauty from ashes. And through the ashes my previous perspective, He is making all things new.
Whoever thought a rock could teach me all that?
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