As you come to Him, [the Living Stone] rejected by people but chosen by God and precious to Him, you yourselves, as living stones, are being build into a spiritual house to be cohanim [priest] set apart for God to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Him through Yeshua the Messiah [Jesus the Christ].
1 Peter 2; 4-6 Complete Jewish Bible
For those of us who have made the decision to unite with Messiah as Lord over our lives, know of all the multiple lasting benefits that we possess by being in union with Him. The on-going struggle for each of us in Christ is maintaining our spirituality amiss those whom have not be spiritually enlightened and for all of us who live within a culture of instability and maltreatment. Our call is to maintain balance within our living, which often-times is very difficult without the help of the Lord on our behalf.
Case in point, the very first passage of the above scripture reference, ask those who are in Christ, to rid yourself of all malice, of all deceit, hypocrisy and envy, and of all the ways there are of speaking against people. Why? All forms of emotional abuse [as is the case for all forms of abuse] is murder to the soul and could forever damage a persons emotional stability.
The terms “Living Stones” in 1 Peter 2:5 is commonly used as a metaphor to illustrate the secure and intimate relationship believers have with our Lord who in turn, in the previous verse, is called The Living Stone. Both references depicts how our Lord and His followers are a building being build by the Creator Himself, while we journey here on earth. The great basic take-away of this unique union:
- Each follower are forever in constant need of the Love, kindness, mercy and spiritual discipline that our Lord grants to those who daily seek after His Face.
- Each follower will find truth and life to its fullness as he/she learn their respective identity, roles and ministry within the Kingdom of God.
- Each follower is not the sum total focus in the overall plans of God. We all collectively are being made into a spiritual house within the earth to serve in worship; praise, service and offering to those in need.
We before our spiritual transformation, we just pieces of clay. The House of God cannot be built upon pieces of clay, for it would not withstand life’s constant storms and difficult times. This is true within our personal lives as well! The House of God must be built upon by “Living Stones” that are made alive through spiritual transformation through a life-long union in Christ! Both within the church community, the family structure and the personal lives of each follower, our Lord requires us to depend upon His in our daily need to protect our hearts and maintain healthy emotional and spiritual stability.
Recommended spiritual disciplines toward learning to protect our hearts and spiritual/emotional stability.
Prayer; silence and solitude:
Spending time in God’s presence, with or without words, empowers us. It is a privilege and a gift to be able to commune with God through prayer.
Listening to God; spiritual journaling:
Listening-paying attention-to God’s whispers in our hearts reminds us that God is active in our lives. Writing down prayers, thoughts, questions, longings and hopes proves meaningful to many people of faith.
Private and corporate worship:
Praising God opens us to the Holy Spirit, reorders our priorities and redirects our paths. Worship connects us to God on a wholistic level.
Bible-reading and study:
Meditating on God’s Word keeps us focused on God, rather than on our problems and wants. Through the Bible God speaks to us and guides us personally.
Obeying God’s commands:
Putting our faith into practice increases our joy. This is one of the paradoxes of faith: when we submit ourselves to God, we find ourselves-and in an odd way, we are freed.
Loving God and our neighbors:
Surrendering to God leads us to a life of love. God is love, and when we live and serve in Christ, we experience love ourselves.
Stepping out in faith when urged to do something:
Trusting in God’s guidance strengthens our faith. When we dare to step out in faith, we learn that God is with us wherever we go and that God is more powerful than our fear.
Fasting, not necessarily from food-perhaps from TV or something else:
Finding time or space to pay attention to God by giving up something else blesses us beyond measure. We need to guard our hearts as well as our time from distractions.
Serving others:
Reorienting our attitude away from self keeps us on the right track. Following Jesus in serving others heightens our own experience of grace.
Grace and Peace
Alonzo E. Thornton
https://www.facebook.com/First-Fruits-Perspectives-487225171447417/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel