Jessica, thanks for your encouragement and for visiting The Stones Call. I am delighted the post inspired you! Blessings.

Chip, thanks for your encouraging comments. Oftentimes when I take the time to closely observe nature I become awed by its intricacy, resiliency, complexity, power, and beauty. All crying out to us about how God loves to create and how he loves all that he has created. And yes, it praises him in its splendor. And I agree Chip that we can draw on the beauty of that image to help us learn how to worship and praise God. Thanks for visiting The Stones Call. Blessings!

Peggy, I am so delighted that the post resonated with you. While I also know that suffering and hardship is part of life and being a Christian, it can be so discouraging when we are in a winter season. But I too find reassurance in the fact that nothing can stop God’s eternal glory and plan. That if we can rest in his promises and steadfast love we will be empowered by it to remain strong when things are hard. Blessings to you and may you be encouraged in and through Jesus.

I too would have loved to walk alongside Jesus with the disciples and be encouraged by their worship and praise.

Thank you Deborah. Your kind and encouraging comments touch my heart. Blessings.

Marcie, I so appreciate your feedback and generous comments. What a testimony this man in Turkey provides. It is a tragic story of persecution, yet he does not let it stop him from praising and worshiping. Once we experience the love of God it is a mighty force and allows us to do things we might never dream possible for his glory and kingdom! Thanks for visiting The Stones Call! Blessings.

Yes! I do too Anneliese! I want to respond to his call and worship him with joy and abandon, not caring what others think or how they judge me. What a privilege to partner with God and his faithful. Thanks for your encouraging comments.

Stephanie, I love your point that even if we are not praising Jesus in one moment there is someone, somewhere else that will continue to do so. And even if we were all silenced, then creation itself would continue to cry out in praise. And yes, although persecution has continued throughout the world and attempts to silence the praise of believers, there are just more who rise up and continue to respond to the call to help be the stones that building the living temple, with Jesus as the cornerstone. Blessings.

Michelle, you are so encouraging! Thanks for your kind comments. I really appreciate it. I too enjoy being connected to you and the writing community. It is such a gift. Blessings.

Thanks Yvonne. I love the imagery that if we don’t follow his call or we are silenced in any way the rocks will cry out. Even the rocks in the temple. Because even though the leaders of Jesus’ time believed if they could silence Jesus and his believers and keep control the temple they would continue to hold the power. But what they did not understand is that the inheritance Jesus gives us is not tied to the possession or ownership of physical buildings or vineyards, it transcends these things. For He is the owner of all things and we are only the renters! And he is interested in building a living temple where each one of us is one of the rocks that helps build it. He is in control of all things in creation and he is the Cornerstone of it all. Our inheritance does not come from things of this world – but it comes through Jesus and it is the gifts of being in relationship with him and other believers and of an eternal life! So yes! Let’s act, praise, worship and help build the eternal temple! Thanks for your encouragement Yvonne!

Thanks Deb for visiting The Stones Call. Blessings.

Julie, yes! Jesus call echoes throughout the centuries into eternity – to help build his living temple and praise his name. What a privilege that we can participate in this mighty work! Blessings.

Linda, thanks for commenting. I appreciate how you picked up on how Jesus and his disciples teach us to treat those who scoff at us or persecute us. We continue to love. We keep walking forward. We keep entering into the hard stuff. And just persist! Being fully confident that no matter how things unfold – God’s work through us and the love we spread – ultimately can not be stopped. Blessings.

Elaine – it is a beautiful image isn’t it! To know that all creation sings out praise of God and worships him. That because of God’s mighty love his kingdom and people transcend all temples and time, and will persist against all opposition!

Amanda, thank you so much for your encouraging comments. Yes! How comforting it is to know that whatever forces mobilize against Jesus and his bride they will never overcome it. Love will prevail! Blessings.

Andrea, thanks for your comment. I am delighted that you found a particular nugget that you will take away and use. I totally agree – that we can learn so much for Jesus’ focus and persistence, even in the face of massive opposition. I pray that I can have even a part of that courage, focus and resoluteness!

Thanks Nancy for joining me at The Stones Call and engaging in the discussion. Sometimes we tend to look for complex answers for difficulties and challenges and yet, it so often boils down the the transformative power of love!

I agree Tim! God is so good and so worthy of our persistent praise and worship!

Thanks Aminata for visiting The Stones Call and for commenting. Yes, sometimes even as believers we can get distracted from the knowledge and certainty that God is the Creator who lovingly created and governs the universe and all that is in it. I love the epilogue in Job which reminds us of just how much God loves to create and how he delights in all he creates! He invites us into this beautiful relationship where he begins by loving us with this incredible, steadfast, crazy love and calls us to love him and others in return. It would be impossible for us to love in such a bold and persistent and abundant way – unless we accept his invitation to love and allow his love to spill into us and through us into others.

Emily, thanks for sharing this insight. Yes! Nothing can stop God’s truth and love from spreading. Despite efforts to stop it, even going to the point of killing Christ and persecuting and killing his saints, it continues to spread! What hope that gives us in the midst of the current chaos, strife, challenges that we face within the world today. Thanks for visiting The Stones Call and for commenting. Blessings.

Karen, yes! “Hosanna in the highest!” We are so blessed to be sharing in his eternal narrative. So delighted the post moved you to worship and praise! Amen!

Thank you for your encouraging comment. I am delighted that you are inspired by the post.

Sheila, thank you for visiting The Stones Call and for your comments. Yes! I agree, they knew something was unique about Jesus and they were so afraid him and how he was drawing people to him. They were also afraid that he was going to take over the temple and remove them. But Jesus in response to them – simply declared that they would never win the battle, even if they held on to the stone temple or they silenced his disciples. Jesus is triumphant because he is the eternal, living cornerstone of the new living temple he was, and continues to build! And we, as believers are the stones that will continue to cry out and build his kingdom. What a privilege!

Natalie – thank you so much for dropping by The Stones Call and for engaging. I really appreciate your encouraging comments. And yes! What an amazing God we serve. One worthy of our praises and worship! Blessings.

Imagine what it would be like to walk alongside Jesus and to listen to Jesus teach!How amazing it would be to do it in person! Yet, how amazing is it that we are still invited to walk with him and be part of his grand eternal narrative. I too pray that I am strong enough to worship and praise him in all circumstances. Thanks or visiting The Stones Call and for your encouraging comments.

Thanks for visiting The Stones Call and for commenting. Yet, God loves us and as the Cross and Resurrection are approaching it is a good reminder that our response to that love is to continue to praise and worship, and let nothing silence us.

Robert, yes this Scripture passage is such a great reminder that no matter what happens, no matter what others choose to do to repress Christ – worship of God cannot and will not be silenced. We have seen this since Christ died, where his Word continues to spread, and even in the most repressed areas of the world people are continuing to rise up and worship. And I agree – we are the living stones and it is our responsibility to continue to worship and build the Church. Thanks for your comments.

Yes, it can often feel like Creation is crying out more than Christians who are remaining silent and/or who have been silenced. But what gives me hope is that no matter what has been tried over the centuries to silence Jesus and his eternal message – it has not been successful. Because there will always be a remnant who will remain faithful and continue to praise and worship. Thanks for visiting The Stones Call. Blessings to you too!

Thank you so much Debbie for your encouraging comments. I will certainly take a look at your Thursday link. Thanks for asking me! Blessings.

Yes, his narrative is eternal and I am so grateful to be part of the grand story! Thanks for visiting The Stones Call.