Rolling the Stone Away

The death of nature, does something to me. It always makes me feel inspired and transcendent. I think every fall, I'm personally reminded of Christ sacrifice on the cross for us. How beautiful it is that he would take my place for my sin, and suffer through death that should have been mine. In the same way that the colors of the leaves falling on the ground are just scary beautiful, I see this correlation every year when the leaves start to change colors.

Today I'm sitting here at my desk preparing to write up this blog and flipping through my handy dandy notebook of all my intriguing thoughts. What do I see? "Rolling the stone away," in yellow highlight. It's my notes on common biblical sayings that we hear in Christian and gospel music, or common sayings that we hear people use.

Rolling the stone away refers to the stone that was rolled away from Jesus's tomb after his death. In ancient times in biblical history it is common that a person would be buried in a cave tomb. This cave would be covered with a large stone to seal it up. This was to seal up the "death" inside of the cave. This means the body, but also the decomposition that goes along with it. Rolling the massive stone away from the entry to Christ tomb had to be an impossible task for just 1,2, or even 3 or more people. It was a large stone likely weighing multiple tons.

In Matthew 28:2 "and behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it." the removal of the stone from the entrance of the tomb is explained that an angel of the Lord rolled back the stone.

This is symbolic in so many ways. It signifies that death can not contain Jesus, but it also was revelation that death was no longer permanent to the followers of Christ. The stone being rolled away really changes that narrative that death was final. Believers will not experience the finality of death.

In this same way, nature shows us in the fall, how change is beautiful as we experience the death of the trees, plants, liveliness of the animals running around, and the sun shining just a smidge less. As the coolness of fall and winter break through I remember, how the spring will come again. To me nature is reminiscent of God's holy plan for redemption. To me, spring is always so faithful to return, and that is all the proof I need to know, one day Jesus will come back for his people. As long as the spring catches us up with the fragrances and beauty of birth, I know that I will be caught up in love with Jesus. I pray to see you there.

A prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of your son. Thank you that you called your angel to roll the stone away. Thank you that death is no longer final for those who live in Christ Jesus. Thank you for the beauty of this world you have created and the correlation is makes to the King that you have given to us. Without his sacrifice, would the seasons of my life be worth living. If sin could hold on to me, wouldn't every day feel like the cold darkness of winter? Thank you for rebirth. You are so good. In Jesus mighty name I pray. Amen.