Rock On

“This life is not godliness, but growth in godliness; not health, but healing; not being, but becoming; not rest, but exercise. We are not now what we shall be, but we are on the way; the process is not yet finished, but it has begun; this is not the goal, but it is road; at present all does not gleam and glitter, but everything is being purified.” - Martin Luther

When our girls were young, we bought a lapidary machine, a device used to polish stones. We filled the cylinder with jagged rocks, sand and water, then set the machine on the front porch and turned it on. Slowly but steadily, the motor rotated the cylinder over and over and over and over.

A few weeks later we opened the case and marveled at the transformation. The rough, jagged edges of the rocks had been worn down, leaving a handful of beautiful, polished stones. 

We all have rough edges and need some burrs knocked off. A little smoothing would help each of us. 

The Apostle Paul explains the simple yet challenging smoothing process. He told the Colossians, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God (Colossians 3:16).

The consistent tumbling process is life-long and involves three critical elements. First, steady input from the word of Christ. Read, study, and apply God’s Word. Second, develop significant relationships that can teach, encourage, and if needed, admonish us. And third, maintain a joyful, grateful heart remembering all that God has done for us.