Crying Stones

We are the pillow for Jacob’s head . . . the makings of an altar . . . a cairn, a marker of something important happening here . . .the first writing surface . . . we are for beauty and adornment . . . and we are the very bearer of the commands of God to your kind . . . we are something that lasts . . . for a very, very, long time . . .

You use us . . . as a weapon to do each other harm . . . the first hunting tool . . . as a gift . . . yet we slow you down and keep you from planting food where you want to plant it instead of where it just grows . . . you use us . . . to mark boundaries between you and your neighbors . . . we provide an anchor for the roots of the trees . . .

Heated, we are the means of removing sin from your very lips . . . have you forgotten?

We were the roadway for your feet in the Garden of Eden . . . we stand in silence as witness to your injustices . . . we are the raw material from which the children of Abraham are made. . .

You use us . . . as a means of public execution . . . a way to measure distance based on the strength of your throwing arm . . . for the building blocks for your dwellings and places of worship . . .

We are that which will cry out the glory of God if you do not . . .

We are the witnesses of all that has ever been and all that will ever be . . . here before you and surely here long after you . . .

We, the crying stones, are the stuff of the very earth itself . . . if you keep silent . . . we will cry out . . . the earth will tremble with our groanings . . . and the whole earth shall know its God . . .

You are in covenant with us and we with you . . . and here is our promise to you . . . if you do not cry out . . . in love for the God who died for you . . . in sorrow that he would have to . . . in joy that he would . . . if you do not cry out at the injustice which would seek to keep our God fastened to a tree . . . if you do not cry out when crying out is called for . . . if you do not . . . we will . . .