When Rocks Cry Out

In July, we began a Wednesday Night Worship Service for teens. I was advised not to because lots of kids couldn't be there. (Families are on vacation, teens are helping with Vacation Bible School, on mission trips and other such stuff…) Nevertheless, it was on the heart of some church leaders to do it anyway.

The first Wednesday night we expected low attendance. But we had almost 40 people. Las night, we were certain there would be more teens. Unfortunately, we had half the amount of the previous week. The kids were disappointed with the low turn-out. It was a let-down.
This morning, I wondered if it would be better just to give up this crazy idea. Maybe folks were right, our timing is off. Maybe we ought to let it go?

I arrived to church this morning and headed to the sanctuary to prepare the worship space for Sunday. Wednesday night worship looks different than Sunday mornings. First, Julie and I had “turned” the pulpit into a rock pile and had covered the altar with candles and rocks. Second, Kit and Kyle had placed another rock pile in the back of the church for one of the prayer stations. During worship, we selected a rock to symbolize our burden and prayerfully wrote our troubles upon the rock.. For me, it was a moving experience. All of us took our burdens to the altar, prayed, lit a candle – and left it there for Jesus.

When I came in this morning to clear up the space, I saw the rocks. Exposed to the light of day, sitting out in an empty sanctuary, void of music, void of kids. I felt bad that I had considered canceling our teen worship nights. These rocks seem to shout to me “Don’t silence us!”

This brought to mind that story from scripture where Jesus tells us if everyone stopped praising him, then rocks would cry out. This morning, the rocks were doing just that.

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began to joyfully praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, order your disciples to stop!" He replied, "I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." (Luke 19:37-40)

I smiled as I turned to Bible and re-read that passage from Luke. For us at Olivet, we fondly consider that biblical place known as the "Mount of Olives" to be our namesake - Olivet.

As I continued to read and place myself in the story, I could hear my own voice in the voice of the Pharisees: ordering an end to worship. Hmmm.. like a typical religious authority, I too had seriously considered putting an end to Wednesday night worship Wow, I had become like the Pharisees, trying to silence praise and judging praise as worthy or unworthy. Through reading this scripture, I was reminded that no one can stop the movement of God’s mighty acts of praise.

Funny - the stones cried out, just like Jesus said they would.

Yes, store-bought gravel rocks that people use in their gardens or driveways, covered with writing and scribbles, revealed to me God’s heart for worship. Twenty-four hours ago, I thought they were a clever tool for a prayer station. But an ordinary object can become an extraordinary tool for God’s message.

I decided to leave those rocks on the altar for Sunday morning– not just because they taught me today.. but also because each of those rocks points to a burdened soul. And each of those rocks can remind us that no matter the time, the place, or our age, all of us can lift our voices in prayer and praise.

On Wednesday nights at Olivet there is a place for where teens can hand it over to God – Whatever it is… and young people will continue to have a voice.

Gonna Lay My Birdies Down

In the last post, I showed photos from the baptism outside the church. The four girls took the lead, dressed in white robes, ready to baptised and singing "I'm gonna lay down my burdens, down by the riverside." They had spent the earlier part of the week pondering the mystery of the waters of baptism, of how Christians are raised to new life in Christ. We had journeyed together through theological concepts of sin and grace. Each of these girls came to the water that morning aware of their own burdens which would be brought to the grace of the moment.
After the baptism, I was driving home with my three year old daughter who began singing the song she heard at church -"I'm gonna lay down my burdens, down by the riverside." Except that she has misunderstood the words of the song and was singing "I'm gonna lay down my birdies.
Hearing this made me smile as I pictured what it would be like to have a sack of birdies and try to get them all to lay down. That would be next to impossible. It made me laugh to picture attempting this while the birds flap wildly, feathers flying. This humorous picture lingered with me for days.
Then one morning, it occured to me that as silly as it seems, sometimes laying a burden before God can be a bit like laying down "birdies." Sometimes we lay a concern before the Lord and rather than find peace, our concern just flaps more fervently, refusing to be tamed.
As difficult as it can be, our spiritual lives are dependant upon our daily faithful insistence that "those birdies" lay down.
If you find your burdens are more like Julianna's birdies, untamable, don't be discouraged. Keep at it and eventually the restless bird-ens will find rest in God.