“Did you know that your wall is filled with old rubbish?” the engineer asked in disbelief. He’d come to fix our faulty boiler and discovered that a previous owner had done a botched job when installing it. A cavity in the external wall had been filled with paper, cardboard and plastic—and then simply cemented over.
It was the latest in a list of expensive issues we’d uncovered. Clearly, the previous owners had cut corners.
Building well takes time—whether it’s a DIY project or, more crucially, our own character. There are no short cuts. That’s why I love reflecting on the unique way that God builds. The One who could immediately spark the whole universe into existence took His time and built our world carefully and attentively (see Genesis 1).
Similarly, He builds us “like living stones . . . into a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5). Each of us is the recipient of His precise and loving development. Sometimes, when life feels hard and the problems are mounting, it might be because God is at work in our character, building something lasting so we can offer more “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to [him] through Jesus Christ” (v. 5).
Whatever season we’re in, as God’s people, we are safely built upon Jesus—“the living Stone” (v. 4). We will not be forgotten or put to shame (v. 6); our Builder is committed to transforming us into masterpieces of His kingdom.
By Chris Wale
REFLECT & PRAY
What do you see of God’s “building nature” in Scripture? How does this help you view the season you’re currently living through?
Lord God, I confess I don’t always understand what is going on, but I trust that the way You are building my character will enable me to know, love and serve You in a far deeper way.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Traditionally, a cornerstone was the first stone placed at the bottom corner of a building. All other stones were laid in reference to it. Old Testament prophecy points to Christ as “a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16). Yet, He’s the “stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall” (8:14). The psalmist wrote, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Psalm 118:22). Jesus quotes from this psalm to reference how His own people would reject Him as Messiah ( Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17) and to point to Him as the most important part of the church. He’s “the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20). In 1 Peter 2:4–10, the apostle quotes all three Old Testament verses to emphasize our choice: either reject Him or choose Him as Saviour.
Alyson Kieda
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