God’s house is not an actual building . . .

The closest I’ve ever come to building a house is with Lego blocks, yet the way these toy ‘stones’ fit together help me with the images from the Bible that describe the spiritual house of God. The only missing part of the image is the cornerstone.

In the building trade, a cornerstone is a stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls. Often this is the place for a plaque that names the building and the date it was built. However, the first definition in my dictionary says it implies something else: “an important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based.”

I read this passage with both definitions in mind:   

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” 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, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:4–9)

The house of God is made up of those who believe in Jesus. As our cornerstone, His name is certainly the major identification of this ‘structure’ and the One who joins and holds us together. He also is the foundation on which we stand.

I know that many ‘churches’ are more like social clubs than spiritual houses. Some seem more like political centers. Others seem to have lost their identification entirely. Is it because people have lost another important truth outlined in this passage? A truth that is humbling yet uplifting? It is in the last sentence:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

God chose me. At first It seemed that I choose Christ, but once I was inside His household, I knew that I was there by invitation. Otherwise, there is nothing in me that belongs.

I am also a member of a royal priesthood, one that intercedes for those both inside and out. A priest of God is concerned that people know about Jesus, desire Jesus and respond to His invitation to be in His household, praying to that end.

This verse says He calls us, including me, holy. We are a people for Him and like Him. That is so amazing that I can hardly write the words, yet He did it, not to glorify me but that I can glorify Him; the one who called me from the darkness outside to the light inside.

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Jesus, so often I fall short of proclaiming Your excellencies. Life itself is a distraction. The failure of many to listen or even be interested is discouraging. Sometimes I’m simply a coward. Yet as I read Your Word and listen to Your voice, I’m again amazed at all You are and all You have done, not just for me but for millions of others who belong to Your household and are Your possession. May Your glory fill the earth!

Today’s thankful list . . .

- sharing your excellence today with someone very glad to hear it.

- an intense and wonderful time of prayer with others.

- one solid hour on the sofa sound asleep.

- hubby home early with a “you are in great shape” report from his doctor.

- an hour to sew and relax.

- glad we live in a gated community and can easily skip tonight’s events.

No mere name . . .

Many lyrics in Christian music refer to the power of Jesus’ name. While too often we glibly tack “in Jesus’ name” at the end of our prayers, this should not be done without thought or understanding why it should be done. Part of the reason is that we speak to our Father representing His Son.

There is more but today I’m thinking of the power connection. As an ordinary believer I’ve experienced several instances of this power. One of them involved a young woman who was obsessed with killing herself, but at the direct use of the name of Jesus, she was set free and visibly so.

The Word of God has double meaning. Jesus is the “word of God made flesh” and the Bible is also the Word of God. The written Word is said to have power much like that of the ‘living Word’ and when we read it, it changes our lives. The following passage calls the Word “living and abiding” with the ability to endure forever, even into eternity:

(Jesus) was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:20–25, italics mine)

These few verses excite me because they connect the Word with two realities. On one hand, it was the good news that was preached to me and caused me to be spiritually reborn into the kingdom of God. This Word and the living Word, Jesus, are the cause and foundation of my salvation. By them I am given new life and eternal life.

On the other hand, this Word of God is also eternal, imperishable, living and abiding, remaining forever without any notion that it will wither away, be destroyed, die off, or leave. In other words, the salvation given by the eternal Word is also eternal and secure, forever existing and forever mine.

I have a friend who does not take lightly the power of Jesus’ name when she prays. When I had some minor pain, she put her hands on the place that hurt and prayed in the name of Jesus that it would go away. It did. She prays for other things with such authority that I shiver listening to her.

In the busyness of life, it’s easy to skip over the most profound thoughts. This is one of them. The Word of God is forever. Implanted and giving new life, it remains forever. It was spoken in the beginning to create the world. It remains in power over all that it created. The Word can do anything and cannot be stopped. It makes human effort look like baby talk and a far cry from the talk and the power that comes from the Lord’s heart and mouth . . .

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10–11)

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Lord Jesus, far too many Christians, never mind the general masses, are unaware of its power and seldom open the pages of Your written Word, never mind calling on You daily and in every situation of life. Your power is there, in Your name, in Your Word, in the life that You gave Your people. It is endless and unstoppable. May You continually remind me of both that great power and my total need for it.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- the joy of knowing the Word of God, Jesus and what God had written for us.

- the assurance that this is an eternal Word and can do whatever God sends it to do.

- finally getting back to some resemblance of normal life.

- my personal trainer and the exercises she takes me through.

- being outside in fresh air that is getting crispy.

- hubby’s health makes a liar out of his blood tests.

- being called upon to pray for others.

Delivered from frustration . . .

This morning the telephone woke me from a deep sleep and a vivid dream. My hubby took care of the phone as I tried to get my head around the sudden change that was going on. My dream was so real that being in a different place was confusing. I spent several minutes adjusting to the reality of morning and where I was.

Interesting that today’s reading begins with the necessity of Christians to have minds ready to act, thinking soberly and not like a drunk person — or someone who has been dreaming! My hope should always be in the grace that God brings, not on the outcome of a complex dream!

This is what the Bible says:

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. (1 Peter 1:13–19)

Dream analysis is not my forte except to say that few of them are about spiritual truths; most deal with ‘former ignorance’ stuff, particularly the frustration of not being able to do something because of interruptions or things like dropping books or missing a bus, all a far cry from God’s call to be holy. I especially like the phrase, “ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers” because my dream involved feelings of futility and not being able to accomplish what I was trying to do. This passage tells me that I have been ransomed or purchased by the blood of Christ that delivers me from such frustration.

This ties to the theme of ‘rest’ in Hebrews. That ‘rest’ is a total rest from my own labors in order to do the will of God. It is like a Sabbath rest imitating God who rested after the work of creation, but it goes beyond that. Like every other human, I’ve tried to run my life without God, which is the essence of sin, and Jesus gives me rest from that. He invites me into that rest with these words:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)

I once did some research on this passage and discovered that the ‘heavy laden’ part refers to a weighty piece of cargo while the ‘light burden’ part that Jesus gives refers to the invoice. In other words, Jesus does not expect me to carry the big loads of life. His rest is not always bodily (it often takes energy to serve Him) but the soul that carries the load that Jesus gives is not stressed and feeling over-burdened. Futility is not part of this picture.

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Lord Jesus, the past week has been physically challenging. An unstoppable nosebleed was bad enough; the cure was and is worse. I feel exhausted, yet the dream I had and Your words to me now show me that I’m taking on a burden that You are not giving me. I need to quit thinking that I must conquer that burgeoning to-do list and let You give me Your lighter burden, one that suits Your plan. Being spiritually ambitious is okay but resting in You is essential. I cannot carry even the invoice unless You have given it to me.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- feeling the lightness of letting Jesus plan my day.

- a nice long visit with a neighbor and quilting buddy who dropped by for tea.

- making it through the day without a long nap.

- getting outside for a few minutes.

- taking time to pray even though I didn’t think I had the time.

- getting some things checked on that to-do list that I didn’t expect would get done.