Are You Carrying a Stone for Anyone?

I am constantly reading and learning to growing in my faith.  I recently came across a story not in the Bible but about Jesus and His disciples.  I found it very compelling because it is about a stone and my ministry is centered on stone gratitude hearts.  Maybe you have heard the story, if not I will tell it to you now.

Jesus was walking with his disciples and stopped and asked each one to pick up a stone to carry for Him. He then said, “Follow Me.”  The disciples chose stones of good size. Peter being a more practicle and rebellious type of disciple decided to pick up a small rock so it would be easy to carry.  Jesus gave no specifications on size, shape or color.

As the day went on and they arrived on a mountain top around the time to eat lunch.  Jesus had all the disciples pull out their stones place them on a large rock. He waved his hands over the stones and He commanded the stones into bread for lunch.  All the disciples had chosen a good size rock so they had plenty of bread to fill them.  Peter had very little bread because of his small choice of a stone.  He was disappointed and hungry.  He thought to himself, “If I had known the purpose of the stone I would have chosen differently!”

After lunch, Jesus again asked the disciples to carry a stone for Him and said again, “Follow Me.”  This time Peter found a small boulder that he could manage to carry. Peter knew he would have a satisfying dinner with this stone.  The group walked with their stones and Peter’s shoulders became sore and he struggled from the weight of the small boulder he had chosen.

Jesus didn’t take them to the top of the mountain this time but instead to a riverbank.  “Throw your stones into the river.” He commanded and said again, “Follow Me.”  He began to walk.  The disciples were obedient and threw the stones into the river.  They turned and waited for a miracle but there was no miracle. Jesus turned to the disciples and said, “For whom did you carry the stone?”

I have always believed that God brought the stone hearts that I give in my ministry to me for a reason.  I have always felt connected to the hearts because of their weight and comfort when holding them.  They way they fit into the palm of the hand always amazes me because no matter which heart someone chooses it fits their hand.  I know that is God’s blessing on the hearts and for the person holding it.

There are many teachings in the Bible regarding stones.  Stones were used to build churches.  Stones represent stability and solid foundations.

1 Chronicles 22:2 
So David gave orders to gather the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to hew (cut) out stones to build the house of God.

This verse shows stones in rebuilding and recovering.

Isaiah 9:10 
“The bricks have fallen down,
But we will rebuild with smooth stones;
The sycamores have been cut down,
But we will replace them with cedars.”

A stone being rolled away from the tomb signifies Jesus ascension and new beginnings.

Mark 16:1-5

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. Very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen. They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”  Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed.

David took out Goliath with a stone.  No giant is too big for us.

1 Samuel 17:49

David reached his hand into the bag and took out a stone. He slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank deeply into his forehead, and he fell down with his face to the ground.

Stones also represent the twelve tribes of Israel moving to the promised land.

Joshua 4:8-9

So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down.  Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.

I pray that as you see stones throughout your life that you will pick them up and hold them in Jesus name.  As I give each stone gratitude heart I tell the person receiving it to hold it and know that God loves you and is with your each and every day.  I ask them to hold it when they become anxious or worried trusting that God will move them threw that time and to hold it and give thanks and praise.  The stone is their anchor to our Heavenly Father.

I love each of you and pray for your daily.-LoLo