“Like Living Stones”
By Lindsey Campbell
Let me start with a little confession, I love stones. So much so, I spent three years at university studying them. They are so strong and enduring that even manmade structures can stand for thousands of years, and of course the mountains God created stand forever. To the casual observer a lump of ordinary grey stone may look unremarkable. But under a microscope or energy beam incredible, beautiful forms and particles can be seen. Have you ever seen a geode? An ugly little round stone that when broken open, reveals a beautiful crystal cavern.
“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.
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 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.”
A spiritual temple
Like the scattered Christians Peter originally wrote to, we are ‘living stones’ – not uniform ‘bricks’ with the same background, experiences, traditions and heritage; but individuals – growing, developing, changing and adapting to our situations. We are ‘being built into a spiritual house’ – The master architect has His design plan and He uses us. We are called to live, grow and minister together; to be His temple, right here and now. And we do this alongside the most precious, most substantial, immovable cornerstone of Jesus – keyed into Him, united and supported by Him.
A royal Priesthood
The original recipients of Peter’s letter were living as strangers in their lands – square pegs in round holes; functioning in a Roman world steeped in pagan worship which influenced all aspects of life – even parties and business deals. The early Christians held beliefs, ethics practices and activities that were out of step with local culture, as we often do too today.
God sees this, and the challenges we face. We are given a role for which He both equips us and rewards us beyond what we can imagine. As a royal priesthood we have the privilege and honour of serving Him, ministering to Him and representing Him to others. We enjoy the pleasure of being in close relationship and fellowship with Him: delighting in His presence, having His attention, His love, and a share in His thoughts. We are able to work with Him and play a role in the fulfilment of His will. As we worship Him, He shares His heart and we respond with our prayer and partner with our works of mission.
Out of Darkness
God has called us – dug us out from the dirt, recognised our unique beauty and set us in place as a monument of His love and grace. Just like we once were, there are so many people who do not know their full potential, and how precious, how beautiful and perfect they are for bringing to the true life of God’s house… to share the joy of serving Him as His priests. We are destined to minster to God by our worship and prayer, as well as carry His light in the midst of darkness so that others may see and know Him.