As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4-5)
Be it ever so humble there’s no place like home.
a great deal of investment is put into the structures used to house worship gatherings. The splendid architecture noted over the years have ranged from tall steepled buildings to round majestic basilicas. Modern times have sought to see the facility as a multi-purpose resource for community activities as well as religious events.
In as much as these efforts are well intentioned they have often been the cause for missing the point of what God sees as important. The speech of Stephen to the Sanhedrin that lead to his stoning included the rejection of the material building centred approach to corporate faith.
Peter here says that where God has always chosen to dwell from the beginning is among His people. When he says there’s no place like home, He is talking about wherever His people are gathered together and being His home by deeds of declaring and demonstrating His truths to the world. When people become aware of that and start practising these things, the focus turns away from physical building structures and more to the issue of what is every individual doing to play their part in being living stones in God’s home.
This does not detract from having a building at all, butit does challenge us not to hold the building as the priority unless we recognise each individual as having a vital roe in being God’s home.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 