The Cornerstone

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 9:53 pm Post subject: The Cornerstone

And in those days, the number of the disciples increasing, there arose a murmuring of the Greeks against the Hebrews, for that their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve calling together the multitude of the disciples, said: It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying was liked by all the multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith, and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles; and they praying, imposed hands upon them.

And the word of the Lord increased; and the number of the disciples was multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly: a great multitude also of the priests obeyed the faith. (Acts 6:1-7)

There is what is of man and what is of God. The affairs of man are of this world, but that which is of God is here and beyond for He is the Creator of everything seen and unseen. If all we do is look after the affairs of this world, we only look after a small portion of time, but neglect eternity. If, however, we look to the Word, we will care for the needs of this world and prepare ourselves for the next.

If we tend to the Word, we minister to those who are in need. As we tend to the work of God, we tend to each other. As the Word of the Lord is passed from heart to heart, we increase the blessings of the world. The Word is not passed through division, hate or intimidation, the Word is passed through love.

It is the blessing of God that we are called to love, for it is through love that we come to understand the Word. When we hear the words of love, we know they are the words of the Lord. When we hear words of hate, we know they are the words of false prophets, words of the evil one. Blessed is the Word of the Lord. Through prayer, we may pray that the love of the Lord fills our heart so that there is no place for evil and there is no place for division among us.

It is the nature of man to see life from different angles. Because of this, we all do not see issues and challenges the same way. If left to ourselves, we would fall to chaos and ruin, but it is the desire of our Lord that regardless of our differences and what makes us unique, that we are brought together as children of God. As a community, we face many challenges. No one person can address all the challenges alone. For this reason, God made each of us with a purpose and gift so that as we work together, we can meet the challenges of the world.

The one who seeks to separate the children of God from their Creator, however, knows that those divided amongst themselves will fall to destruction. The evil one seeks to sow division through selfishness so that the children of the Lord will destroy themselves rather than care for one another through love of their Creator and one another. We cannot, by ourselves, fight all the traps the evil one lays for us, but in community, we are able to do more than we can by ourselves. As each is able to use their gift granted by God in selflessness, we build a wall against evil. No one can build the wall by themselves and not everyone can work on all portions of the wall, but many hands together will build that which is forever strong.

The wall which will defeat the evil one is not a wall of stone or of any matter which we understand of this world, rather, it is the wall of love through which no evil can penetrate. As we work together in ministry, each through their own gifts in selflessness and love, we block the holes of the world through which evil attacks us.

Unto whom coming, as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen and made honorable by God: Be you also as living stones built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Wherefore it is said in the scripture: Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious. And he that shall believe in him, shall not be confounded.

To you therefore that believe, he is honor: but to them that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner: And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of scandal, to them who stumble at the word, neither do believe, where unto also they are set.

But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his virtues, who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: (1 Peter 2:4-9)

From early times, we have used stones to build structures of protection. For stones to make a strong structure, they must first rest upon a foundation. Just as stones must be joined together so they can form a structure, so too must people be brought together to form a community. For a people to be strong, they must stand together with a purpose built upon a strong foundation. What stronger foundation could a people have than that which is set through the cornerstone of the Son of the Creator?

If a foundational stone is left laying, it cannot be ignored by those who wander for no path can be walked forever without stumbling upon the stone. If the stone is firmly set within a structure, though, it allows the structure to stand and all which will come of it. But even a wall of the hardest stones can be pushed over if there is no mortar with which to hold it together. Blessed are we that the Son is our cornerstone, and love is our mortar. As we invite the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit into our hearts, so too do we invite love.

Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In the house of my Father there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you. And if I shall go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself; that where I am, you also may be. And whither I go you know, and the way you know. Thomas said to him: Lord, we know not whither you go; and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would without doubt have known my Father also: and from henceforth you shall know him, and you have seen him.

Philip said to him: Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus said to him: Have I been so long a time with you; and have you not known me? Philip, he that sees me sees the Father also. How say you, â€œShow us the Father?â€ Do you not believe, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak to you, I speak not of myself. But the Father who abides in me, he does the works. Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? Otherwise believe for the very sake of the works. Amen, amen I say to you, he that believes in me, the works that I do, he also shall do; and greater than these shall he do. (John 14:1-12)

When we are told that if we believe in the Son of Man that we will do not only the works He does, but those which are even greater, we might be tempted to ask, how is it that we can do works greater than our Lord? The answer is that as we believe in Him, He is in us. If He is in our hearts, do we not also believe that He can do His works through us? If we allow Him to guide us, then, He will guide us in doing His works.

As we invite Jesus into our hearts, as He is in us, we are also in Him just as He is in the Father. As we become part of the body of Christ, through our faith, we are able to do the works to which He calls us. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we may be guided to that which He desires of us, to live in selfless love of God and one another.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier