Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood…” vss. 4-5a
1 Peter 2:2-6
Travelers to Israel and Palestine often find themselves being bussed from one ancient ruin to another. While some historic sites have been partially reconstructed, most remain destroyed, maybe just a pile of rocks at the bottom of an archeological dig. Leaders will tell the pilgrims not to focus on these worn and eroded rocks but on the living stones, the people being used by God in new and wonderful ways. It’s so easy to forget that the Church is more than an assortment of worship centers scattered randomly about the land. Those buildings wear out and are sold, with some being repurposed into restaurants or offices. Their disappearance does not mean that the Church is dying. And as we see our congregations and denominations diminishing, we should also know that God is even now building a holy priesthood out of living stones all around us. It’s invigorating to go out into our communities and listen to what’s going on–often it’s like wandering into a spiritual construction zone. As Jesus said, “The Spirit blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound of it, but you don’t know where it is going, or where it is coming from.” People may not be coming to church much any more, but the Church is certainly going to them!
Thought for the Day: Why aren’t most congregations growing any more?
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