CHRIST ALONE - THE CORNERSTONE

I never really knew how much this meant to my faith and relationship with Jesus until I was worshipping to Hillsong's anthem, Cornerstone. As I surrendered to the Spirit through my worship, I found myself thinking about my trials and hurdles that lie ahead of me. And these thoughts were both specific and supernaturally peaceful.

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This was a revelation for me in itself as I usually think about my past when I am worshipping. Of course I occasionally think about my week ahead, but it's always in generalities. Never specific.

However, my past is always very specific and can span several years.

I focus on thanksgiving for the relationships that GOD has healed, for the provision that He has never failed to supply for my family and I, for work opportunities, for the health of myself, my wife and our children.  I find it easy to be specific about what GOD has done for me in my past; I have just realised that I've struggled to be specific about how I believe that GOD will work in my future. Essentially, what He has already done for me in my future.

Perhaps I've been afraid to confine GOD into my box of expectations.  Perhaps I don't want to be proven wrong when something I've asked for hasn't come to fruition.

But GOD challenged me as I listened and worshipped to this song.  He said to me that if Christ is my cornerstone, upon which all of my life is built and directed, then I need believe in His finished work, His Grace, for my future too - and I need to be specific.  As I prayed about this, I had this scripture in my mind:

"God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love."  1 John 4:17-18

Everyday I battle between fear and love. As soon as I feel challenged by someone and try to approach it with my own strength (my pride), I will behave and act from a place of fear. When this happens, I'm not making Christ alone, my cornerstone.

I have this song on repeat as I'm writing this and I find myself filled with love and peace. I am not fearful about specific events that will be happening in my life because Christ is my peace and that banishes my fear! I'm making Christ my cornerstone by worshipping him.

The world will expect my family and I to behave in a certain way, but we don't. The world will expect the same of you. But we will not.

We expect GOD to move on our behalf!  Not because we have exemplary faith, quite the opposite. We expect GOD to move because we know that our own strength, and our faith, is not enough. But, we believe that His is. As we open up our eyes and look at the situations around us, we realise that not only is our strength not enough for these trials, but we begin to realise that it will never be enough. Nothing can protect your wealth, your health or your relationships. Your cornerstone needs to be Christ, and Christ alone.

Healthy, young people get cancer. Mega-wealthy people lose everything. Happily married couples get divorced.  That's what life looks like. It's no wonder we're afraid!

As you read this, may you know that Jesus loves you deeply and that you are highly favoured. May I encourage you to see your fears banished as the knowledge and presence of Christ's love fills you to the point of overflowing, causing you to weep with joy and stand with your head held high.

Love with His love, not your own; have faith even when what you see with your eyes could scare, let your heart beat with Grace's peace!