background: one of the first places we visited was Tel Gezer, which is located between Egypt & Mesopotamia/Persia/Babylon. It was the New York or London of the ancient world. in biblical times, it was the only road running east to west. we learned that god put the nation of israel on the crossroads of the world. whoever controlled this place could potentially influence the entire known world at the time. to leave the caanites there would have allowed them to have the dominate influence on whoever passed through. but, god chose the people of israel to take control of this road & to create a system of justice & morality in which god’s salvation would be displayed.
standing stones were placed at the high point of Tel Gezer (on the hill). the israelites used to commemorate a significant event, either politically, religiously, or militarily, by placing a standing stone up in the ground. this stone reminded the israelites of specific things that had happened, & also served as an advertisement to those who were passing through the city. they would look at the stones & ask "what had happened here?"
.........
god calls each of us to be standing stones & to disply the things he has done in our lives to those who are passing by. when people see us, they should be asking 'what has happened here?' share with me what has happened here. we each represent something significant god has done & our purpose is to share that with the world around us.
living in america, we are in such a privileged position to be standing stones. unlimited resources, education, power, opportunity. but with this privilege comes enormous responsibility. god has placed us at the crossroads not so that we will be like the canaanites, but so that we can take control of the things that effect & influence our culture. we're here to be different, yet too often we look the same. or we try & look different with things that might not really matter that much.
security, money, possessions, brandname clothes, suvs, highsalary jobs, violence, iphones, thin is beautiful, social networking, comfort, luxuries, the more the better, racism, segregation,,,,some dominates through my eyes.
its hard to know what this influence looks like sometimes because our culture has strayed so far from what god has intended the church to be. we respond to what we see around us because this is all we know. i get frustrated because i want a black & white answer- this is what it looks like, just do this. but the more i learn, the more i realize few things in this life are black & white. instead we are called to live in shades of grey. so conflicting to my personality, yet so freeing.
israel friends~
we're at the crossroads, what are we doing with that responsibility?
[shrubs & fields]
[word picture]
the living stone & a chosen people
1 Peter 2:4-12
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men 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....
...But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him (be a standing stone!) who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light....Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
[the females]
[share]
[hiking]
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