God’s Stones and Pillars of Light by Kathleen Cooke
Just a couple of years ago, I was one block from being evacuated from wildfires in the Burbank hills above my home. I watched helicopters swoop down and drop bright pink fire repellent, and the jumbo airplanes drop water on what looked like an apocalyptic and impossible fire to extinguish. Fortunately, our home, through the valiant efforts of the firefighters, was saved that day. As I watched the recent LA fires on the news reports, I understood ultimately what people were experiencing and fell to my knees to pray immediately. Many of my friends and colleagues ran for their lives, and unfortunately, there was not only loss of property, but lives were lost as well. The damage is multi-layered, and it has not only changed the landscape, but it has changed lives forever.
But… God is in the midst of the fire.
Whether you were a victim of the Southern California fires or there is a personal “fire” in your life right now, the destruction of finances, health, relationships, and careers is devastating. But…God hasn’t left His house. His people who call Him by name are stones – living pillars. When you look at the horrific pictures of hundreds of homes burnt to the ground, you also see stone structures and chimneys that are still standing. Even the news reporters showed how the intensity of the LA fire melted the metals on cars into liquid, yet the stone structures remained. Stones and pillars don’t burn. They may become a bit black, but they remain. God sent His Living Stone – Jesus, the fourth man in the fire, our cornerstone and foundation, the Stone of Zion – to bring His light in our darkest nights.
1 Peter 2:4-5 NIV says, “As you come to Him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Then… verses 9-10 go on to say, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
God loves His blackened, charred, chosen priests who remain standing.
You may be in a fire right now, but you are not consumed when you stand as a stone pillar and on the Word of God. He will take the ashes and turn them into beauty – new life. As you choose the most significant place of refuge – His feet, He will restore you. His grace and mercy endure forever. Remember, He calls us, as believers, to be His hands and feet extended to others. We are to be His priests, offering spiritual sacrifices – our lives – to others. We are to encourage the weary and brokenhearted and bring His marvelous light and love to the injured and suffering.
As we take care of others, God takes care of us.
Trust the fourth man in the fire as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. His promises can be counted on, and there are over four thousand of them in the Bible. Find one, memorize it, and stand on it. Be that pillar of hope that brings light out of the darkness.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV