After a day of sitting on the beach on Tybee Island I have a few thoughts…

I am so thankful for these three days away with Barb. Calvary Church is a wonderful group of people to allow me to take a break with my wife. I am thoroughly convinced that this is a necessary thing we must all do from time-to-time. We need a break from the daily grind. We need time away with our family; they need to see the relaxed, having fun, non-stressed person they once knew long ago.

Listening to the waves all day reminded me of God’s endless grace in my life. Seriously, between falling asleep, chasing flies away, and putting on sun block I listened to the waves and consciously thought of God’s abundant grace. For some people the droning of waves all day is a welcome sound that soothes a restless soul and reminds us of how much God loves us – I am one such person.

The beauty of what God has created always grabs me. Savannah is a new experience for us and it has not disappointed. Whether it is cresting a hill and seeing the ocean, or sitting on the beach and watching a pod of dolphins pass, or driving at night and seeing a beautiful bridge lit up, or walking around a historic district where American history was lived, or traveling a road bordered by oak trees hanging with Spanish moss, I get so mesmerized by all that God generously shares with me. Isn’t God’s goodness wonderful and His creation beautiful?

Finally, I know that this too must come to an end. I know that I have to come back to earth, but I will have memories of this week that will last the rest of my life. I look forward to getting back to the thrilling routine of ministry; the daily grind is what God has called me to. And the sooner I get back the sooner the next break will come and the sooner I get to make new memories.

When will you get away?

Grace & Peace,

In verse 8 Peter continued to picture the destructive effect of God’s stone on unbelievers.

The “stone” is a reference to the loose stones lying around on a path over which travelers would stumble. People just can’t get around Jesus and what He did on the cross. They may reject Him, but that doesn’t mean the gospel is going to go away.

The “rock” portrays a large embedded boulder; it is a large rock that human effort cannot move. “Of offense” points to the devastating impact of that rock on unbelievers. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (1:18).

These two designations declare that by rejecting God’s stone, men only bring about their own injury and damage. Men cannot dodge Him by their unbelief. He meets them in unexpected and unavoidable ways. Clearly Peter does not consider encounter with the gospel a casual affair, it is a matter of life or death.

Christ is too great to be neglected or avoided. For His followers, He becomes the foundation on which all life rests; where He is rejected, there is and can be only chaos and anarchy.

They continue to stumble because they disobey the word.

There is no escape for those who reject the gospel (“which is also what they were destined for”). This is an astonishing conclusion. What was happening was not outside of God’s purpose. This is God’s appointment for those who reject the gospel. Their disobedience to the divine message does not eliminate the consequence of their unbelief.