God created us in His Imago Dei, and we have God in us; this makes us more connected to God than we think. Yet just like every family, we sometimes have problems with God our Father, and it’s usually because of our sins. We create a barrier, a stone between ourselves and God, making it difficult for us to seek God’s face and receive our Blessings. Well, it’s time to ROLL AWAY THE STONE.
In the story of Lazarus (John 11), we see Jesus preparing His first defeat of death, but before He performed that miracle, He gave an instruction-- a very simple instruction: “Take the stone away!” (John 11:38). Martha replied, “There will be a bad smell Lord, he has been buried for days.” (John11:39). Jesus said, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believed.” (John11:40).
Is it making any sense to you? What does this have to do with us and God?
Like Martha, a lot of us know our sins are so bad that they smell. We rather keep that stone in place, so that God does not perceive the odor of our sins. We believe our sins are so bad, that we cannot even go to God’s presence. Today, God is saying, “Take away the stone. I know your sins are bad. I know the stench is horrid, I know you deem yourself unworthy, but please believe, believe that I will forgive your sins and you will see my glory.” My message to you today isn't “do not sin”, rather, it is “acknowledge your sins and see God’s glory." Remember what God has promised us in Isaiah1:18. “Come now, let us reason together says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.”
He doesn’t care about your sins, He wants you with all of your imperfections. He just wants you to roll away the stone. He cannot reach you if you have that barrier up. You need to break down that wall of sin. It doesn’t matter if you have committed it a thousand and one times. He just doesn’t care. All he wants is YOU! He wants you to say, “Lord, I recognize that I am unfaithful towards Your love for me. I know that I have so many times set up a barrier and pushed You away, but I don’t want that distance from You. I don’t want You on the other side of the stone. I want You beside me. Guiding and guarding me all the way, Lord, my Father, because I believe. I know I will see Your glory.”
And you know, when that stone was finally removed, when that barrier was cleared, with just one order, the dead came to life.
I pray today that everything that you lost because of sin will come back to you a thousand folds. No barrier will ever be enough to keep you away from the Father. Now, go down on your knees and roll that stone away.
