Stumbling Stone!

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." As it is written:
   "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble
      and a rock that makes them fall,
   and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

Romans 9:30-33

Those of us who are not Jews by birth have an ancestry that is not to be commended for their pursuit of God. It was only after Jesus opened the floodgates of Heaven, as He died on the Cross that Gentiles were enabled to share in His righteousness.

If you run after God, to obtain by your own merit the rewards of relationship you will soon run in to the “Stumbling Stone.” Jesus Christ is God’s “Stumbling Stone.” When personal pride and self-worth meet Jesus, they cannot continue on the path toward the Father. If you hold on to one or both you will stumble and then you will fall!

When you cross a border from one country to another there are often things that cannot be taken with you. The border guards check to see what you have and if you have the banned items you must leave them or not cross over!

When you come to God there are things that you cannot bring with you. You can bring all of the fruit of the Spirit but you can bring not even the smallest sin! If you are carrying a heavy load as you walk along in life and then stumble you usually drop the load. If you don’t drop the load when you stumble you will certainly drop the load when you fall!

As we come to God and stumble over Jesus Christ we drop the load of sin and grab on to Jesus who will keep us from falling! And if we fall, Jesus is there to pick us up and put us back on the road to God without our load of sin!

So today, if you find yourself confronting the “Stumbling Stone” in the path of your life, let go of your sin and take hold of Jesus! When you are holding the hand of Jesus you will never stumble and fall!