Nov 27 2019 I Peter 2: 1-10

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

I love stones. I’ve always loved stones. When I was little my grandfather gave me a book, Hello Rock, about a child, their new rock, and all the things they could do with the rock. My grandfather collected stones, several of which I inherited, including a big hunk of rose quartz, and obsidian. They were precious to me. I had a neighbor who magically turned dull rocks into beautiful pieces of jewelry in his spare time. His basement was full of all sorts of rocks.

Put me on a beach with pretty rocks and I can lose myself in time, picking up special rocks. One year, I collected enough rocks on a timeless walk on the beach, that I gifted checker sets, with a stained 64-square board, and 2 sets of 16 matching rocks, with a K printed on one side. I love stones.

So when I get to the notion of being a living stone, to be built into a spiritual house, I’m entirely hooked.

Peter is saying that Jesus is the primal Living Stone, the foundation on which our relationship with God is built. Stones are solid, predictible, but generally not thought of as living. As a Living Stone, Jesus is the foundation - solid, predictible and still alive. Jesus is foundational and everything you think of when you think of foundations and stones. But still our alive Lord. We as followers of Jesus, are living stones, solid, predictible and still alive.

Peter goes on to say that as living stones, we should let ourselves be used to be built into a spiritual house. To me, this means allowing myself to be used to create a space that is holy and where God’s presence is apparent. 

This morning, I’m thinking about what it means to be a living stone that can be built into a spiritual house. This combines several intriguing notions to me; stones, Jesus, and holy space. I am currently on a bit of a mission to find holy spaces. Maybe I should also be on a mission to be using my living stone-ness to create a holy space. Today, I want to be mindful of the sacred space that God can create through me, a living stone. I want to make sure that I hold that holy physical space, so both I and others can see God’s presence there.

God is fully divine, and does not inhabit time or space the way I do. But I do inhabit time and space. God can use me to create a physical holy space for me and other people who inhabit space the same way I do, if I’m aware and consent.