For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him [Jesus] will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. 1 Pet. 2:6-7
Dear Lord Jesus, if anything or anyone deserves the appellation “precious,” it is you—God’s chosen cornerstone and precious capstone of our redemption. For the combined worth of all currencies and treasures, gemstones and precious metals doesn’t compare with the unsearchable riches found in you.
To trust in you, Lord Jesus, is to be free from the burden of our guilt and doubts about what you think about us. You became sin for us that in you we might become righteousness of God. Because of you, Judgment Day holds no terror for us, for your cross was our Judgment Day. Because this is true, we’re no longer afraid to die, or to live. You don’t love us more when we “get it right”, and you won’t love us less when we fail. Your banner over us is love; and the song emanating from heaven towards us is “there is now, and forevermore, no condemnation for you.”
To trust in you, Lord Jesus—to boast in the gift of your righteousness, to rest in the constancy of your love, to wake up each day to your endless mercies, to hear you sing to us in the gospel—is to feel the stranglehold of shame lose its grip over our hearts. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
We no longer fear the gaze of God because of the grace of God we have in you. We’ve been permanently welcomed onto the dance floor of our Father’s favor and delight. We do believe this; help us believe it more.
We treasure you only because you first treasured us, Lord Jesus. May you become increasingly precious to us; and may the gospel continue to change the price tags on everything in our world. May yesterday’s values be considered today’s loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing you. So very Amen we pray, in your triumphant and tender name.
