1 Peter 2:1-10
When I was in the Canadian Rockies I had this feeling of oneness with my surroundings. Not that necessarily that I was 'coming home' but more that I felt one with my surroundings down to the dirt and the rocks. Even though there was a awful lot of dirt and rocks to be seen it seemed alive and I was part of it. I suspect that is because in this section of the world, there was a sense of purity and power that was not obstructed in any way by man made creations or the seemingly crazy life we live. It was all very raw but very much alive.
The concept of a person being a living stone then doesn't seem that odd to me me. It makes even more sense to me when you look at the cover photo of this blog, my hand full of pebbles. The pebbles are quite varied and yet all beautiful. That picture was taken on a Triduum retreat several years ago and it represented what it should have, new beginnings and new life. What do rocks have to do with new life?
We ourselves are the little pebbles in my hand, we are all varied and all beautiful. All created by God, perhaps polished by the world, wind, water, tumbling. Still, all special. If we can realize how special we are and what makes us special, we can realize that we are all purpose built, all unique and created by God to be a cornerstone. That starting point and foundational beginning of something great. We are all unique living stones, cornerstones for God's evolving creation.
What part in God's creation do you hold? What kind of living stone are you? What are your attributes? Your characteristics? Your strengths and your weaknesses? What do you find foundational about yourself that will help build the city of God?
When I was in the Canadian Rockies I had this feeling of oneness with my surroundings. Not that necessarily that I was 'coming home' but more that I felt one with my surroundings down to the dirt and the rocks. Even though there was a awful lot of dirt and rocks to be seen it seemed alive and I was part of it. I suspect that is because in this section of the world, there was a sense of purity and power that was not obstructed in any way by man made creations or the seemingly crazy life we live. It was all very raw but very much alive.
The concept of a person being a living stone then doesn't seem that odd to me me. It makes even more sense to me when you look at the cover photo of this blog, my hand full of pebbles. The pebbles are quite varied and yet all beautiful. That picture was taken on a Triduum retreat several years ago and it represented what it should have, new beginnings and new life. What do rocks have to do with new life?
We ourselves are the little pebbles in my hand, we are all varied and all beautiful. All created by God, perhaps polished by the world, wind, water, tumbling. Still, all special. If we can realize how special we are and what makes us special, we can realize that we are all purpose built, all unique and created by God to be a cornerstone. That starting point and foundational beginning of something great. We are all unique living stones, cornerstones for God's evolving creation.
What part in God's creation do you hold? What kind of living stone are you? What are your attributes? Your characteristics? Your strengths and your weaknesses? What do you find foundational about yourself that will help build the city of God?
Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture:
‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’
To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner’,
and
‘A stone that makes them stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall.’
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’
To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner’,
and
‘A stone that makes them stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall.’
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
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