Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Samuel 6:18 (New Living Translation)

The large rock at Beth-shemesh, where they set the Ark of the Lord, still stands in the field of Joshua as a witness to what happened there.

This sentence comes at the end of a (hi)story about how the Ark of the LORD (a treasure chest that held the ten commandments and a few other sacred items) had been lost to an enemy at the end of a lost battle. The enemy had returned the ark by placing it in a field next to a stone, a large rock.

“This rock”, proclaims the prophet Samuel, “is a witness to the events of this (hi)story.”

hmmm, a rock is a witness. Run that one by me again. Rocks are rocks; they aren’t alive, and they can’t witness events. Hmmmm, that isn’t how the prophet with a message from God described it. Perhaps I should reconsider my consideration of rocks.

There are many occasions in the Bible where rocks and dirt and such are described as if they were alive, i.e., they do things that people do such as witness events. The rocks are part of God’s creation. God can give the rocks the ability to do whatever God wants them to do. Well, I guess so, but I don’t know about …

No more “I guess so.” God said it, God did it, and God still does it. Please God, help me in my unbelief.