“But He answered and said to them, ‘I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.’” Luke 19:40

Praise!

Jesus was making His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, not long before His hideous death on a cross, when He gave this Luke 19:40 answer to the complaining Pharisees. Like the party-poopers they were, they had just instructed Jesus to silence the crowd of disciples who were shouting, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (verse 38).

Perhaps Jesus was just making a light-hearted example when He said, “I tell you that if these (disciples) should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” Are stones able to cry out? Hmm-good question. But Itend to think they can in their “rocky” sort of way.

For myself, I notice it the most when I’m out on a walk in the early morning before the heat oppresses the day. I can almost hear the shouting of praise and adoration from the trees, flowers, squirrels, and yes, stones as they greet the morning sun. Communing with their Creator, their voice is inaudible but powerful, as they revel in just “being.”

I want to be like that, don’t you? Sadly, it doesn’t happen as often as I’d like, where I’m completely just “being”, and praising and basking. Too much presses in, squeezing the life out of me, the praise, the joy, and eventually the peace.

Job 12:8 says, “Speak to the earth and it will teach you…” We’re not talking about “earth worship” here, but observing God’s creation in times of solitude can be very instructive. What an amazing, astonishing, mind-blowing place this is, this earth! Since God can create something so powerful and beautiful, truly, what must He really be like? I can’t wrap my head around it, can you?

All we can really do is join the stones, the trees, the birds, the deer, the stars, the sun, the moon, and the hump-backed whale as they radiate their joy in knowing some miniscule piece of our Creator God.

“Oh, Lord, who are we that You are mindful of us? You think of us, You love us, and I wonder how You have the time or the inclination. I’m so thankful You sent Jesus, God with skin on, so we at least could have a glimmer of what You’re really like. Your love overwhelms me. Thank You. PS: I can’t wait to hug Your neck in person!”