Building a House

1 Peter 2:4-10

Reflection:

            As I type this, I can hear the sounds of hammers and the occasional “pop” of a nail gun. Just outside my window, there is a group of dedicated volunteers building a new storage garage on the church grounds.

            If you would have come by the church a few days ago, you would have seen a pile of plywood, a stack of trusses, and various other building materials laying on a concrete slab. Today, the work of our volunteers has transformed that seemingly random stack of materials into a building that will soon be used for a specific purpose.

            Peter, in his first letter, uses this same image for the church. Visiting the temple to offer sacrifices and “pay” for sins is no longer an option for his readers. So, he says, let us be built into a spiritual house for God – like living stones. Then, built by God into that structure, we will be used for a specific purpose – to “proclaim the mighty acts” of God.

            I see this happen every Sunday. A seemingly random collection of people from every different background are gathered, empowered, and sent to serve. Once we were not A PEOPLE, but now we are God’s people.

            So, the next time you are in church, listen carefully. You may not hear the “pop” of a nail gun, but you may just notice the construction of a holy people…

Prayer: Gracious God, you gather us and empower us for a purpose – to be the place you dwell in the world. Help us to serve our purpose well, and function as a place where all people can come to be connected with your love and your will for their lives. Amen.