I Peter 2:4-9 - "Cornerstone"

I woke up several times during the night singing "Cornerstone" which is a reworked version of "The Solid Rock."  The words are…

My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholly trust in Jesus' name

-Chorus-
Christ alone, Cornerstone
Weak made strong, in the Savior's love
Through the storm
He is Lord, Lord of All

When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil

My anchor holds within the veil 

[Chorus]

He is Lord, Lord of all

[Chorus 2x]

Then He shall come with trumpets sound
Oh, may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
faultless, stand before the throne 

The chorus is so encouraging.  When we have Christ as our Cornerstone, we become strong in His love.  No matter what comes our way He is here to love us through it.  Last week in the teen Sunday School class we talked about how to deal with change in your life.  No matter who we are we have to deal with change.  Unfortunately, a lot of the changes the teens are going through are due to decisions other people make.  It's hard to deal with change but it's especially hard when you aren't the one responsible for it.  Change brings a lot of emotions that have to be dealt with.  It also brings a lot of opportunities to make the choice of giving into the enemy or standing in the Lord's strength.  

Yesterday we started a study on the book of Job.  Job was tested over and over.  In chapter one, he came through the test bowing down before the Lord in worship.  I'm sure that concept was hard for the teens to grasp because many adults struggle with it.  The way to come out of storms worshiping the Lord is to make sure He is our Cornerstone.  He has to be the One we look to for direction.  He has to be the One we are surrendered to in order to hear His voice.

I Peter 2:4-9 reads...

4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.6 For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
    will never be put to shame.”

7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone,”

8 and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.  9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

I love verse nine.  But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness in his wonderful light.  Woo hoo!  That's exciting to me!  I am chosen!  I am royalty!  I am special to God!  How can that be?  Because I have chosen to have the Lord as my Cornerstone.  I have chosen to be surrendered to Him.  I, like Job, will worship Him through the storms of life.  I will be strong when the enemy comes knocking at my door and refuse to let him in.  Oh, how I pray this way of life for others.  How I pray people will get to the end of themselves and allow the Lord to be their Cornerstone.  It is only in His strength we will have victory.

Dear Jesus,
I'm not sure why You woke me up so many times in the middle of the night with this song.  But I'm grateful that every time You woke me You urged me to pray for those who have taken their focus off of You and are allowing the enemy a foothold in their lives.  I pray for them to find their way back to being focused on You.  I pray, in Your Holy Name, for the enemy to be rebuked from these situations.  I pray for Your Holy Spirit to become so very real to them.  Father, thank You for Your mercy.  Thank You for being My Cornerstone.  Amen.