I am part of His cathedral!

I drove by site of construction of a stone wall in front of a residence. After a few days I could see this guy was no mason. The wall was crooked and there were large gaps between poorly placed stones. About a week later, I saw a truck parked that bore the lettering of a professional mason. The work that had been done was torn down.  The man who knew what he was doing started over and a couple of weeks later a straight, nicely laid wall was in place. I still notice it when I drive by, the stonework beautifully setting off the old home.

God, the master builder, invites us to become part of His amazing and beautiful work in this world.  Peter writes "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." (1 Peter 2:4-5, NIV)  Reading that, my mind goes to the cathedrals built from limestone, blocks of rock that are carved and shaped to become part of something wonderful. Ordinary blocks of stone, pulled from the quarry, of little worthy or beauty individually, are formed into an awe-inspiring place where God is worshiped.

Are you willing to ‘fit in’ with God’s design and rest in His plan?  Yes, friend, God calls us into the Body of Christ where we are His Temple, a place of spiritual sacrifices that please Him. Peter, who is nicknamed  'the rock,' by Jesus, points to secure foundation, the Cornerstone, on which we, the ‘living stones’ rest.  "Come to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by the people, but he is precious to God who chose him. ... As the Scriptures express it, “I am placing a stone in Jerusalem, a chosen cornerstone, and anyone who believes in him will never be disappointed.”  (1 Peter 2:3-6, NLT)

Our ideals are often about wanting to make our mark, to be 'known,' to stand out.  We work at differentiating ourselves from the crowd, don’t we?  We use dress, style, accomplishments, and so much more to make a statement - "I exist! I am me!"  Part of maturity as a Christian is coming to realization that we are at our best when we are melding into God’s Church, shaped and formed by the Spirit for a place of service that magnifies the Living Stone!  The paradox of faith is that our individual beauty and worth increases when we let go of ‘me’ and enter joyfully into His plan to be a part of His cathedral!

Meditate today on the solidness of God's work in you and through you.

Praise Him for working to cause you to 'fit in,' and rejoice in the opportunity to be part of a great Temple where His Presence lives and is shown in beauty to the world.

Here is a word from the Word.  "Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit." (Ephesians 2:20-22, NLT)

Lord, make us secure in Your design, for Your Glory. Amen

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Cornerstone

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly trust in Jesus' Name

Christ alone cornerstone

Weak made strong in the Saviour's love

Through the storm He is Lord

Lord of all

When darkness seems to hide His face

I rest on His unchanging grace

In every high and stormy gale

My anchor holds within the veil

My anchor holds within the veil

He is Lord Lord of all

When He shall come with trumpet sound

Oh may I then in Him be found

Dressed in His righteousness alone

Faultless stand before the throne

Edward Mote | Eric Liljero | Jonas Myrin | Reuben Morgan | William Batchelder Bradbury

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