Saving Stones

Zion rocks Gen 31

Photo credit: AJ Panzica , Zion National Park, 7/2016

 

My husband and I have a tradition that when God performs a mighty act in our lives, we save a rock or stone from the event. When we started this, we didn’t realize that this was a biblical tradition! Back in Old Testament days, the patriarchs and prophets lived nomadic lives. There were long periods of time in which they did not hear from God. So when they did hear from Him, they often built a pile of rocks, called an altar, as a tangible reminder of His work in their lives before they moved on to their next location. (Gen 8:16-22, Gen. 31:44-46, 1 Sam. 7:1)

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We find it a valuable practice and one that our now adult children carry on. Holding that rock in our hands brings us back to the place where God radically intercepted our lives.
These rocks are more than keepsakes. My collection sits in a prominent place atop our fireplace mantel so that as we are coming and going, it serves as an often-needed reminder that the God who worked so powerfully then, still does today.

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Photo: from Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Colorado

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From this biblical history comes a Jewish tradition of leaving a pebble or stone on top of a tombstone to signify that someone has honored the deceased person’s memory with a visit to the grave. This was poignantly depicted at the end of the movie Schindler’s List.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So what are some stories my stones tell?  Our Rocks

  • In a direct answer to prayer, our home/office was saved from certain destruction. Twice!
  • On a family trip prior to my husband’s surgery, God repeatedly went before us in the most amazing ways, and then healed him with incredible swiftness.
  • One rock with 3 stripes symbolizes my 3 knee surgeries and my daughter’s 3rd grade stitches on her knee, representing the stripes by which we are healed.
  • On my daughter’s first mission trip, she was unfairly given a disciplinary action requiring some manual labor. As she was working, she had a spiritual awareness of how Jesus was unfairly treated, and during this time, she found a heart shaped rock.
  • There is a fish-shaped rock from Charlotte, NC, site of my first writer’s conference where God clearly spoke to me about my future in Him.
  • One of our rocks is not a rock at all. It is a piece of gas pipe. My husband discovered in our boiler room a gas pipe that the plumber had not connected. It was a complete miracle that for two years, it hadn’t moved, spewing gas into a room with a constant flame, thus blowing up the house.
  • 2 decorative rocks were gifts to me, each bearing a Scripture verse:
    “The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress and My Deliverer.” Ps. 18:2
    “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil 4:13
  • 1 small rock (a gift from my son) imprinted with – “He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone.” Jesus Christ Another important truth to remember!

Epilogue:
When we got our dog 13 years ago, we were brainstorming to find a name for her. When my daughter suggested “Roxie,” my first thought was of the character Roxie Hart from the movie “Chicago” that had been released around that time. three
I kept silent as my brain screamed inside: “Name my dog after a murdering adulteress?? I don’t think so!”
But then Lauren explained her reasoning:
She said she was thinking of things about her family that are unique, and she remembered our rock collection.
“Name my dog after the great works of God? Oh, yeah, that works!”

 

Do you have a similar tradition? Perhaps a journal or a special picture serves as your rock collection. Tell me about it!

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