The Rejected Holy

"As you come to him, a living stone ​— ​rejected by people but chosen and honored by God ​— ​ you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

The stone the builders rejected was used by Peter in Acts 4:11 also, and Peter was quoting Psalms 118:22
"The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone."

The house I grew up in had two stairs from the living room up to the rest of the house.  The stairs were made of rock and were laid by my Dad.  When I was about 5 the mortar started to crumble. Since my Dad wasn't a stone mason it took him some time to find all the right stones and place them correctly.  Replacing the mortar was not something he wanted to do.  To make sure that he placed all the stones where they were needed, he numbered each one with a marker.  Marker doesn't come off stone very well, so the rock steps were numbered for as far as I can remember. 

All the stones were originally taken from a rock quarry a few miles from our home.  I can't remember how long it took to select the right stones but I do remember playing quite a bit around the area.  For a simple design as two steps, a lot of selecting and matching has to be done.  Enough work that my Dad took the time to mark each stone because they could not be replaced.  They were selected and placed particularly.

There were many stones that were picked up, examined, and rejected or put aside in that process.
They were not chosen.  They did not get a number written on them.  There are many times in life that we experience rejection.  We feel put aside...not chosen.  We weren't picked for class president in high school.  A boss chose a co worker for a job promotion.  A dad walked out on his family leaving his wife and kids to fend for themselves.  All of these examples leave one feeling rejected, not important, not chosen.  Tossed aside just like the rocks that never got a number.

When we feel rejection we are joining Christ.  From the beginning he was rejected. Christ was the stone rejected.  The perfect stone, rejected.  The particular stone, rejected.  Christ understands rejection.  Christ understands the pain rejection causes.

However,we who have been rejected are chosen by God.  We are living stones, rejected and particular.  God has chosen each of us for a purpose, a place.  You have a number.  Your number might not be for the steps.  Your number might be for a magnificent building.  God has a purpose and a place to use you.  Do not lose heart!

Where are you experiencing rejection?  Feeling put aside?  Take some time today to pour your feelings of rejection out to Christ.  Let Him minister to your heart in that place.  He understands.

--Zine Smith

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