Roll Away the Stone

Many years ago, I studied the Hebrew word "galal" which is the word commit used in Proverbs 16:3. There was an image in my Bible describing this word which said "The picture is of a camel, burdened with a heavy load when the load is to be removed, the camel kneels down, tilts far to one side and the load rolls off."  Today as I looked at that word, I read that from the word galal comes the following words:

Galilee - literally Circuit or District
Gulgolet - Golgotha, Skull or Head

Today when I read the words that come from galal, I saw that Galilee was where Jesus grew up and started his ministry at around age 33 and Golgotha, skull was where he was crucified. I saw this as the beginning and the end. Jesus says in Revelation 22:13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega." which is the beginning and the end.  Also in Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."


Since the word galal means to roll, roll down, roll away,or remove, it made me think of the rolling away of the stone when Jesus rose from the dead.  When the stone was rolled away, life appeared.  Jesus conquered death. The Lord wants to take away the heavy stones in our life so that His life can appear.

Scriptures
Proverbs 16:3 - Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.
Proverbs 21:5 - The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

Observations: (1) the commit part is like the rolling away of the big stone that was in front of Jesus' tomb (2) our thoughts are established when God is the beginning and the end of all things (3) Giving my cares to the Lord leads to plenty but if I try to get everything done quickly I will be left hungry.

Application:
Each day and each moment as the burden seems heavy and my workload seems hard, I need to stop, kneel down in prayer and roll these heavy burdens and loads onto you Lord trusting that you will take care of me. I can have confidence that you are leading and directing my steps.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you send angels to roll away the stones of death and barrenness. Thank you that we can give our cares and worries to you because you care for us. Thank you that you tend to us as a gardener tends to his prized vineyard.  Thank you that you go before us and you go after us. You hedge us in. You are the beginning and the end.  Thank you that your yoke is easy and your burden is light.  I kneel down in prayer, tilt over and roll all my cares to you. The song that comes to mind is "What a Friend we have in Jesus".

Lyrics to What a Friend we Have in Jesus

What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer! Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer! Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged— Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; Take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy-laden, Cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge— Take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there. Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear; May we ever, Lord, be bringing All to Thee in earnest prayer. Soon in glory bright, unclouded, There will be no need for prayer— Rapture, praise, and endless worship Will be our sweet portion there.

What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer! Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer! Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged— Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; Take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy-laden, Cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge— Take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there. Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear; May we ever, Lord, be bringing All to Thee in earnest prayer. Soon in glory bright, unclouded, There will be no need for prayer— Rapture, praise, and endless worship Will be our sweet portion there.

1. What a friend we have in Jesus,.
   All our sins and griefs to bear!
   What a privilege to carry
   Everything to God in prayer!
   Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
   Oh, what needless pain we bear,
   All because we do not carry
   Everything to God in prayer!
2. Have we trials and temptations?
   Is there trouble anywhere?
   We should never be discouraged—
   Take it to the Lord in prayer.
   Can we find a friend so faithful,
   Who will all our sorrows share?
   Jesus knows our every weakness;
   Take it to the Lord in prayer.
3. Are we weak and heavy-laden,
   Cumbered with a load of care?
   Precious Savior, still our refuge—
   Take it to the Lord in prayer.
   Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
   Take it to the Lord in prayer!
   In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
   Thou wilt find a solace there.
4. Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
   Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
   May we ever, Lord, be bringing
   All to Thee in earnest prayer.
   Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
   There will be no need for prayer—
   Rapture, praise, and endless worship
   Will be our sweet portion there

Thinning Out is Needed for Bearing Fruit

Thinning can be Painful

While gardening, I had to thin the radishes. Many of the radishes were crowded and I had to pull hundreds of radishes. It really bothered me as I felt I was wasting the food and the harvest. I was tempted to leave a few bunched together because I really thought this would yield a better crop. When I was done, I had huge mounds of the radish leaves.  The leaves looked very healthy and lush. It was important to plant them heavily and far apart to assure development of some seeds. The bottom including the root had the start of a radish on it. It took me a long time to thin the radishes. I had to keep looking over the radishes to see if I missed radish plants that may crowd out another plant. Again, I was tempted to just leave them alone as I reasoned they would yield more.

As I was thinning radishes, I saw many comparisons in the thinning out process to our spiritual growth in Christ. Things have to be removed or thinned out so they don't crowd out the best growth God is doing in our lives. Thinning out also assures proper root development and a better "fruit" that tastes good and healthier for the one eating the fruit.  If the plant is too close together, the radishes may be woody tasting or spongy feeling.   The radish also could be too small. This reminds me of God stating different fruits produced in His word. In Deuteronomy 32:32 it says "For their vine is the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of gall their clusters are bitter." Then in Genesis 49:11 which says "Binding his donkey to the vine and his donkey's colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes." Right before this in verse 10 it talks of Shiloh coming and to him shall be the obedience of the people.  I like how in the choice vine there is so much abundance of grapes that he washed his garments in wine and clothes in the blood of grapes.

 Jesus says the Father is the Gardener, he Jesus is the vine and we his children are the branches. We can not bear fruit apart from  him. The vine is the trunk of the plant that grows out of the ground. I think of it as the root system.

 Jesus says in John 15:1-8:

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener(vinedresser). ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Our Father is the Gardener and Jesus is the true vine. We are to be the branches that bear fruit. We are to be fruitful.  The Father like any good gardener has to prune us to get rid of the dead branches that will not bear fruit.



Scripture:  Proverbs 31:16 - She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

Observation: 1. process of Proverbs 31 woman (a) She considers (considering stage) (b) she buys a field(Exchange) and (c) Plants  a vineyard (purpose)
2. Reason she bought the field was she was to plant a  vineyard.  Our purpose to bear fruit for the Father's Glory showing ourselves to be Jesus' disciples. Vineyard is a picture of fruitful harvest.

Application: Submission to thinning as what good, healthy plants fights against the thinning process. To think more about the harvest rather than what is being thinned out now. This reminds me of the song "Bringing in the sheaves" lyrics which says Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Prayer:  Lord, I don't want to be a degenerate branch. I don't want to produce bitter grapes of fall. Lord, I want your abundant fruit to grow out of me and feed many. Thinning does not feel good when it is happening but I desire to walk in your ways and in your commands. I would rather obey you than men for from you my expectation comes. Thank you Father that you are the gardener and you see and observe everything in me. You know what needs thinning and what needs tending to produce fruit for your glory. Thank you Jesus that you are the vine. I pray I remain in you with a deep abiding rather than reasoning what will bring growth apart from you. Thank you Holy Spirit that produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self control.