Living Stones

One of the traditions our church has is that when a family joins, they are given a rock to decorate as they wish. Each Sunday we pile up the rocks as an altar to God. Joshua 4 is the inspiration behind this tradition. After Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River, the Lord told him to choose 12 men, one from each tribe, and those 12 men were to each take a stone from the middle of the Jordan River. Joshua set up the stones as a memorial so that future generations would know of the things the Lord had done.

We actually joined Harbins a few months ago, but because of travel and busyness, we hadn't finished our rock yet. We finally got it done on Saturday! First Jon did some awesome artwork (as you can see above) and then we each wrote a verse on it. Jon wrote John 10:29 - My Father who has given them to me is greater than all; No one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I wrote Philippians 3: 7 - 11 - But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. I would've also written verses 12 - 14, but I ran out of room. Oh well.

Caleb chose 2 Chronicles 16:9 - For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

Abbi chose 1 Timothy 4:12 - Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

Jacob chose Psalm 100:3 - Know that the Lord, He is God. It is He who made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Our church recently merged with another and the two pastors have been teaching about our covenant the past few weeks. Yesterday was the last sermon on this and several families brought their rocks to add to the pile. We try to have the kids involved in worship each Sunday. Yesterday Pastor Steve asked Abbi to read 1 Peter 2:4 & 5 - As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. She was nervous, but did super!

Each family that came was first prayed over and then they went and added their rock to the pile. Above (the Webb Family) is the only photo I took of the families that turned out decent.

This was the finished result.