Issue 976 – Living Stones – February 6, 2023
Living stone plants (lithops), also called pebble plants, are small succulents native to the arid places of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. These tiny plants come in many colours and look like small stones on the ground.
Each of the nearly 1000 species of these pebble plants has its preferred environment. They are often associated with particular types of rocky soil.
Each living stone consists of one or more pairs of familiar bulbous leaves. The majority of the leaf grows buried beneath the soil. Lithops (the word comes from ancient Greek and is the same whether singular or plural) flowers grow out of the “split” in the plant.
These pretty succulents require little in the way of care and are grown as houseplants. The wide variety of colours can make for exciting display gardens like the one in today’s picture.
The Bible speaks of living stones but not about these fascinating little plants.
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 1 Peter 2:4-8
Jesus the Christ is the foundation that the church is built upon. Upon Jesus, we either stumble and continue to rebel against God or are embraced, brought to eternal life and serve Him.
Unlike the stone idols worshipped by many, the true Living Stone came and lived among us. He was fully God and fully man and gave up His life so that we could be reconciled to Him and brought from darkness into the light.
God chose to use us as living stones to build His church and kingdom. Without our Lord as the foundation, the church could not stand, and we would remain as dead as natural stones, trapped in our sin and destined for eternal torment.
As one writer put it, “Believers, then, are the “living stones” of the church that Jesus promised to build (Matthew 16:18). As living stones, we have new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). As integral parts of the building of God, we have security in Christ (John 6:37). As the Master Builder, God places His living stones just where He wants us to be (1 Corinthians 12:18). As living stones, we are connected to one another in the body of Christ (Romans 12:5). Our Lord, the foundation Stone, is alive forevermore and will never crumble. He will support us eternally.”
The church brings God glory, and we are blessed as living stones to have some small part in that.
May you know Him better each day and rejoice in His service.
Be Blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2023 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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