Living Stones
first song from After Six Days
Living Stones. 1 Peter 2:4-12, Mark 13:1-2.
I wrote “Living Stones” Feb. 10, 2005 in our apartment in Novosibirsk, Siberia, while reading Mark 13:1-4. Although the main passage referred to in the song is 1 Peter 2:4-12, I was actually reading Mark in my daily times with God and had been sitting in Mark 13:1-2 for three days already, thinking, pondering and talking to God about the passage, about temples and what they are physically and spiritually and what it means for them to be thrown down and particularly for this one to be thrown down. On the fourth day, Feb. 10, still thinking about temples I wrote in my journal “is there anything more that You would say to me about it? You want me to look in Peter" . And then the next thing written in my journal are the words to this song, pretty much as they are now except for a few corny lines that I took out. At the time I titled it “Temples V”. (yes, there is a I-IV, but they aren't worth speaking of, just the thinking that led to this song and the next). At the end I wrote “well, it seems that's it…if there's anything else I haven't see that You want me to see - please show me now (I mean for these particular verses, if there's something completely different perhaps You should show me tomorrow.)” The next morning I wrote "Temples VI" which is now the song “Temple” on my album The Calling of a Priest. Since The Calling of a Priest was recorded first “Temple VI” got to keep the name “Temple”, and “Temple V” needed a new name and became “Living Stones”. I like the name “ Living Stones” for this song and this album because He is building in us and with us and “after six days” we are going to be amazed at what He has built.
All passages referred to in this song: 1 Peter 2:4-12, Mark 13:1-2, 1 Cor 6:19-20, 2 Peter 3:7, 10, 12-13
Living Stones Lyrics
He is the Living Stone, rejected by men
but chosen by God and so precious to Him
He is the cornerstone, He is the foundation
and anyone who trusts in Him will never be shaken
and on this foundation, the Lord, He is building
with living stones, one by one, a living temple is growing.
And we can't see how He's doing it, but He's setting us all in place
a holy priesthood, a people to declare His praise
And we sing praises to the Holy One
Praises to the Lord, our cornerstone
praises to the Lamb of God
we are now a people, who once were not
we are the people of God
And the temple in Jerusalem was long ago thrown down
and this temple that I'm living in will soon be laid in the ground
and this temple with blue ceilings, green floors and no walls
it, too, one day will fall.
But living stones all around us now, He's building a spiritual house
the folks I'm laughing and talking with, well, they may be a part of it
And we can't see how He's doing it, but He's setting us all in place
a holy priesthood, a people to declare His praise
And we sing praises to the Holy One
praises to the Lord, our cornerstone
praises to the Lamb of God
we are now a people who once were not
we are the people of God.
Well this stone can make you stumble, this rock can make you fall,
but after you've been humbled won't you let Him lift you up
Oh, let Him lift you up, and set you on the Living Rock
in the living temple of God
where we sing praises to the Holy One
praises to the Lord, our cornerstone
praises to the Lamb of God
we are now a people, who once were not
we are the people of God.
New Release April 26
After Six Days full length album.
Other Full Length Albums
The Calling of a Priest 2011
A Few Small Fish 2009