Roll Away the Stone

Roll Away the Stone


Scripture:
“Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’”
— John 11:39


Reflection:

Sometimes what stands between where we are and what God is calling forth is a stone that must be rolled away.

When Jesus arrived at the tomb of Lazarus, Lazarus had already been dead for four days. The stone had been placed over the entrance. In the eyes of everyone around, the story was closed.

But Jesus saw something different. He did not begin by calling Lazarus out. He first said, “Take away the stone.” That stone stood between the voice of Jesus and the man He was about to call back to life. It represented the barrier between death and resurrection, between what had been buried and what God was ready to restore.

Many of us also have stones standing in front of places God wants to touch.
The stone may be fear.
The stone may be disappointment.
The stone may be an old mindset.
The stone may be shame, unbelief, or the memory of past failure.

We may be praying for resurrection, but God may be asking us to first roll away the stone.
This is where community matters. Jesus did not roll the stone away Himself. He told the people around Lazarus to do it. There are some barriers in our lives that are removed as we walk in humility, discipleship, and godly community.

We need people who can help us see what we cannot see.
We need people who can speak faith when we have settled into fear.
We need people who can stand with us when the stone feels too heavy to move alone.

The miracle was God’s work, but the stone required human obedience. Your stone is not too great for God. It may simply be waiting for obedience, surrender, and the help of the right people.

When the stone was rolled away, the voice of Jesus entered the place of death.
And Lazarus came out.


Reflection Questions:

• What stone may be standing between me and the next thing God is calling forth?
• Have I isolated myself from the community God may want to use to help me?
• What step of obedience is God asking me to take so the stone can be rolled away?
  
  
  

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, show me the stones that have blocked my vision, my faith, and my movement. Give me the courage to obey You and the humility to receive help from the people You place around me. Let every barrier between my past and my future be rolled away, and let Your voice call forth life in me again. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


Scripture References:
John 11:38–41, Ecclesiastes 4:9–10, Hebrews 10:24–25, Isaiah 43:18–19