Thought for the day
Back in the days when the Old West was being settled, there were a lot of pioneers who made their way over the Oregon trail. When they got to the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, they found a stream a little too wide to cross in one step. So they "two-stepped" across by using an ugly lump sticking up out of the water in the middle of the stream.
As the years passed, other pioneers settled in that area, built their cabins, strung fences and plowed the fields. One man built his cabin near that same stream. But he had a problem -- his door flapped in the wind. To solve his problem, he found a heavy lump in the middle of the stream. So he carried it to his front step and it became a door stop.
More years passed. Railroads were built across the nation, more people pushed west and modern cities sprang up. A nephew of the old pioneer went east to study geology at a large university. He returned home during vacation. Lo and behold, on the front porch of his uncle's cabin by the stream, he found not just an ugly lump, and not just a heavy lump, but a lump of pure gold, the largest gold nugget ever discovered on the eastern slopes of the Rockies!
It had been there for three generations, but everybody saw it in a different light, some as an ugly lump, some as a heavy lump, but only the nephew saw it for what it really was -- a lump of gold. The same thing is true of Jesus. The same Jesus whom others have seen as a stumbling rock was actually a very precious stone -- the chief cornerstone.
The cornerstone was the major structural part of ancient buildings. It had to be strong enough to support what was built upon it, and it had to be precisely laid, because every other part of the structure was oriented to it. The cornerstone was the support, the orienter, and the unifier of the entire building. That is what Jesus Christ is to God's building, the church. The whole building ties together because of the cornerstone.
"You are....members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord." (Ephesians 2:19-21)
Verses
Romans 8:28
We know that in everything God works with those who love him, whom he has called in accordance with his purpose, to bring about what is good.
Matthew 8:17
in order that this prediction of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, <"He took on Him our weaknesses, and bore the burden of our diseases.">
Hebrews 3:1
Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,
Colossians 4:2
Persevere in prayer, but also be inwardly attentive while you pray.
Psalm 1:1-3
Happy the man who never follows the advice of the wicked, or loiters on the way that sinners take, or sits about with scoffers, but finds his pleasure in the law of Yahweh, and murmurs his law day and night. He is like a tree that is planted by water streams, yielding its fruit in season, its leaves never fading; success attends all he does.
Prayer
Father, just as Simeon took Your Son Jesus into His arms and gave praise to You, we invite Jesus into our hearts and raise our arms toward You. We ascribe to You glory and honor and power and strength due Your name. We rejoice in our salvation made available through the incarnation of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came to redeem humankind from their wretched sin. For, at just the right time, while we were still powerless and dead in our sins, Jesus died for us. God, You demonstrated Your love for us, in that You credited righteousness to us through Christ’s death, and justified us from sin. Your wondrous love is truly amazing and I can only respond by dedicating to You my soul, my life, my all! Amen.
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