Turn Over Those Stones

Psalm 119:130 – Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning. (MSG)

Stones and words have one peculiar feature in common, which I realized after hearing a mom share this story:

My four children and I were on an expedition to pick wild berries. I happened to turn over a stone and let the children see what was underneath. The children got very excited about their discoveries: centipedes, worms, and much more. They wanted to find other hidden secrets beneath stones. So, for the rest of the day they turned over stones, one after another. That was a very long day!

Those stones remind me of familiar Bible words, such as "love", "faith", and "peace". These words hide amazing secrets which beg for revelation! We can easily walk over them, content to see only a plain surface. It takes child-like curiosity, a passionate yearning, and a plea: "God, I'm eager to know more! Help me to break open Your words [turn over the stones] so that I can know their secrets!"

In a sense, the Bible is like a giant field of stones, each waiting to be turned over, discovered, and grasped as a living, transforming reality. And as we make discoveries, we will want to discover more … and more.

For me, one of the stones that I overturned was "love". Through exploring this word across the pages of Scripture, I became sensitized to a profound divine reality. It is God's covenant love promised to humanity, expressed throughout the Old Testament, and now offered freely through Christ's new life birthed through His Spirit. Under the stone "love", I discovered an infinite, multi-faceted reservoir of blessing for humanity — so much waiting to be discovered.

Then there's the biblical word "peace", which exposed to me a radically new reality. But I'll leave that "stone" for you to turn over. After all, self-discovery is far more exciting. If you are curious, a concordance or Bible dictionary can show you the verses where a word is found, and then you can see for yourself what biblical commentators say about it. Many online resources are free. Do a search for "Bible study tools".

Prayer: Dear Lord, even in our "berry picking" missions of life, nudge our attention toward the many "stones" that You've put in our path through Your holy Word. Fill us with a yearning to discover and embrace the vibrant, life-giving truths hidden there. May we, as living stones, be alive with Your realities, so that "ordinary people" can gain an understanding of Your ways. Amen.

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