Cornerstone

 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.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

— 1 Peter 2:6-8

Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King,

You are precious to me. I trust You. When everything around me feels tenuous and temporary, You are my foundation. When people fail me and my feelings are hurt, You are who I trust. When I trust in You, my shame is erased and You lift my head high.

For those who do not believe, You are not precious to them. Instead, You make people stumble and fall. You are an offense and a stumbling block. As people attempt to live their life independent of You, rejecting You as the foundation of their life, they will find themselves consistently tripping over You until they finally fall in surrender or fall in defeat. You are the Rock before whom everyone will eventually fall, for "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and under the earth," (Philippians 2:10).

You are the "stone of stumbling and a rock of offense," (NKJV). The Greek word for "of offense" is skandalon, where we get our English word "scandal." The word describes the trigger of a trap or snare, or any impediment placed in the way and causing one to stumble or fall. To the Jews, You were that stumbling block because You were so contrary to their expectations of who the Messiah would be. They rejected You as their Messiah because You didn't fit their expectations. To us today, we stumble over Your life when we disobey Your Word.

Gracious Lord, thank You for becoming the Cornerstone of my life. You are so very precious to me. Nothing in my life holds more value, importance, or weight than You alone. May I be obedient to Your Word today. When I stumble, may I stumble right into Your arms and allow You to pick me back up and place me on Your sure foundation.

— In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen!

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