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. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 1 Pet. 2:4–6
Lord Jesus, the “raptures and ruptures” of life have made it clear. Not just at the inception, but the whole Christian life is about coming to you. We need you today just as much as the first day you gave us new life, forgave us, and became our righteousness.
You are the life-giving living Stone for your beloved people; the precious cornerstone of the living temple called the body of Christ; the rock of refuge that’s higher than us (Ps. 61:2–3); the rock from which God gave water in the wilderness in Moses’ day (1 Cor. 10:1–4). There is so much to you, Jesus.
You are the honey-giving rock of whom Asaph spoke (Ps. 81:16), and you are Daniel’s stone, cut from a mountain by the hands of God, which will become an everlasting kingdom of redemption and restoration (Dan. 2:36–45). Hasten that Day, Lord.
We exalt and delight in you on this November Thursday. The more precious you become to us, the more we watch our shame melt away. The more we see you for who you really are, the more we see all other currencies as fool’s gold. The more we come to you, the more we realize that it is you always coming to us first.
Jesus, we come to you right now—we come bringing our emptiness to the fountain of your fullness; our brokenness to the storehouse of your kindness; and our weaknesses in the great assurance of your endless mercies. We come to you right now for enough Gospel manna to meet the demands of this one day. So very Amen we pray, in your precious and shame-freeing name.