Living Stone

What does it take to be a “living stone”? When we were on our first missionary assignment in Holland, we were invited to go sightseeing by one of the local people we were working with. We went to the city of Delft, which is a very interesting and picturesque city in Holland. One of the places we were to be taken was the “New Church” in Delft. When we arrived, we discovered that the church was built in the 1500′s! My first question is what constitutes the “old church”. As we spent more time in Europe, we visited any number of magnificent church buildings like the one in Delft. That church also served as a cemetery, but the cemetery was inside rather than outside. Some of those buried there were from the royal line of Orange, including the famous king, William of Orange. His statue was carved in stone and was, we were told, an exact replica of the king himself, exactly as he was buried underneath.

The last year we were in Holland, we lived in the city of Haarlem. The city was built in an ever-widening circle and at the center was the magnificent church, St. Bavo. Unfortunately, the church was closed to worshipers. The only activity was a tour for tourists. So, how did the church there that was so significant in the lives of the people become a church where the only stones were the cold, stark stones in the building walls and floors? How do we continue to be “living stones” that are being built into a “spiritual house”? According to Peter, we follow the one who has “called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” In the light that is Jesus the “stones” continue to reflect the light that is Christ and as the old song says, “staying alive”. Good walking in the light.

God bless, Pastor Gary