Removing the Stones

Some time ago, my wife and I were planting some tomatoes in our backyard. Since the ground was filled with stones I started tilling the ground with a shovel to loosen the rocky ground. I started getting rid of the stones that were restricting the growth of the plants.  We worked hard all morning and were successful in removing most of the stones, but the next day I realized that in the process of gardening I had hurt my back and my hip was out of alignment. One of my nerves started pinching sending shrieking pain to my right leg and forcing me to go to my physical therapist for treatment.

In midst of that pain I was reminded of God’s great love, that he sent his son Jesus to die on the cross for us. The shrieking pain that I experienced on my leg was in no comparison to the blood that Jesus shed on the cross, which led to his death.  While I was working in the garden I never thought of the pain that I would experience, since I was more concerned about giving life to the plants that were being choked to death from the stones. God, too, was so focused on giving eternal life to all people on this earth that He did not allow the pain that Jesus felt on the cross to deter him from his task.

Tomato plants, on their own, do not have the ability to remove the stones from the ground. Similarly, man does not have the ability to remove the stones of sin and eternal death from our fragile lives. However, God raised Jesus from death after removing the large stone that covered the tomb where He was buried and thus removed the stones of sin and eternal death from all mankind through his resurrection.  

Life on this earth for man is a mere eighty to one hundred years, but there is a life in eternity. This can be with God or without God.  There is none on this earth or in the heavens above who has the power to remove sin and death from our lives, except the God of Heaven who is Christ who died on the cross of Calvary. All others are just a fabric of human imagination. This same Christ is coming back to judge the living and the dead. Some will rise to eternal life to be rulers and kings, while others will be cast into the lake of fire. This is the truth of the gospel.

Jesus Christ has already removed the stones that prevent us from getting choked in our life; all we need to do is believe in Him alone through repentance of our sins. There is none in this world who has done this for you, all we need is a little bit of faith.