Living Stones

 "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans 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

Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King,

As I come to You, the Living Stone, you are my Rock in the wilderness struck once for me and for all to provide sustaining living water (Deuteronomy 32:4). You are the Rock not cut with hands that will bring an end to the worldly governments and will establish God's Kingdom that will cover the earth and never end (Daniel 2:34). You are the Living Stone rejected by humanity—the very ones You came to rescue (Isaiah 53:3)—but chosen by God and precious to Him (Matthew 3:17).

As I come to You, I too am like a living stone. But a stone is of little use until it is positioned in its proper place upon a firm foundation being built up with others together into a spiritual house, a temple of God. We are the temple of God but we are also the priests of the temple. And as priests, we have access to God through You, Jesus Christ.

Our sacrifices are not animals or birds or grain, but spiritual sacrifices that God finds acceptable when given through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13:15 says that we bring a sacrifice of praise. Psalm 51:17 says that my sacrifice is a broken spirit and a contrite heart. My heart is my sacrifice to You, O Lord. My praise is my sacrifice to You, the Ancient of Days.

Gracious Jesus, thank You for making me a living stone and building me up with others as a spiritual house where Your Spirit dwells. Thank You for making me a priest who, through You, has complete access to God who accepts my sacrifices of praise and my broken and contrite heart. May the work You are doing in me to build me up into the spiritual house You are making be full and complete knowing that I won't reach completion until the day You return for me.

— In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

No Retaliation

 "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." — 1 Peter 2:21-23 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Thank you for leaving me an example of how to respond when I am verbally chastised, insulted, and torn down. You did not retaliate. No deceit was found in Your mouth. When You suffered, You made no threats. Instead You entrusted Yourself to the Father who judges Your accusers justly. Yesterday, a respected young man named Charlie Kirk, 31, who stood for righteousness and civil discourse was assassinated while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Charlie Kirk has consistently been one of the calmest and most polite among us. He listened to questions from his o...
Read more

Suffering

 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. — Romans 5:3-4 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, We glory in our sufferings. The word Paul uses here means to "glory in a thing", "to boast", "to rejoice." He's contrasting his previous thought that we boast or rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. We rejoice in our hope of God and  we rejoice in our sufferings. The picture forming in my mind is lifting hands, shouting with joy, as I rejoice in God and then doing the same thing in the midst of my suffering. Yeah. I don't do that. I don't rejoice when suffering comes. I do the opposite. I complain. I sulk. I moan. I am irritated. I am angry. I am resentful. But do I rejoice? No. Yet this is the very thing Paul says we are to do. And it's because of the incredible fruitfulness our suffering brings. Suffering produces perseverance....
Read more

Faithful Stewards

 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." — 1 Peter 4:8-11 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, This is the second time Peter instructs believers to love one another deeply, fervently. Our love for one another overlooks small offenses. Without our deep and fervent love, every little irritation becomes a grievance. It should not be that way in the body of Christ. Because this early church met in homes, hospitality was necessary. To be hospitable means welcoming people into your home, but ...
Read more