Living stones

I thought that over the next week I would share with you some of my favourite Bible verses/passages and I am going to start with 1 Peter 9: 5 " And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple" (NLT).  When I read this I think of all the beautiful buildings created out of stone. Depending on what part of the county you are in the stone will be of a different type, a different colour.
To make many of those buildings stones had to be cut to the right size and shape to fit. Trying to build something out of stones of all sorts of sizes , colours and shapes is not that easy. Yet that is what God does with the church. In the church people are not all one size, or already cut to fit. We are many many different types, in fact if we are living stones then no stone is alike. How then can we be built into something meaningful?   Well for me this is where God comes in. Through the work of the Holy Spirit we are shaped in our hearts into the people God wants us to be. Note the scripture says " that God is building"  not has built. this is a lifelong process. So it is I believe possible to have all sorts of "living stones" as part of God's spiritual temple. Each stone in its own way is of great value because it is being built into God's spiritual temple. This means that you and I are of great value to God. I believe it should also mean that we are of great value to each other.

A brief prayer to finish

Dear God

We thank you that you call us to be living stones;
we thank you that you love and value us for who we are;
we thank you for the Holy Spirit working in us
to shape us into the people you want us to be.
Help us to value all people
and in so doing show Your love for all.

Amen