Reflection | 1 Peter 2:4-6 | 13 February 2021

 

A letter from Anthony...

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 

For in Scripture it says:

           “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone,

and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  1 Peter 2:4-6

Anyone who has ever built a shed or a house would tell you that a good foundation is essential. I have never built a house out of stone, but I have read that when stone masons build a building out of stone the cornerstone is the first stone to be set in place.  And as the first stone to be set in place, it is the most important stone in the whole structure; it is the reference point for every stone that is laid after it.  In fact, it is so important that the position of the cornerstone determines the position of the entire structure itself.  And for those who trust in Jesus He is our “precious cornerstone”, the foundation of all who trust in Him. 

Despite the fact that many of us have lived in the same area most of our lives, we have all had lots of different experiences.  There are many things that influence our personalities and our priorities, such as the joys that we have experienced in our lifetimes – as well as our sorrows. 

But as we come in faith to the Living Stone, as we surrender our futures to Him, giving Him the praise for our joys, and handing the sorrows of the past over to Him, may we find our identities, our hope and our joy in Him.  He is slowly but surely building us up into a spiritual house, a royal priesthood through His Holy Spirit, in which Jesus is the cornerstone; the point of reference for every living stone laid after Him.

Therefore, may we look to His sacrifice in our place as our point of reference, and His willingness to serve rather than be served be our guide, as we seek to live for Him. 

In Christ, Anthony

Image from: https://hipwallpaper.com/cornerstone-backgrounds/