Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
To Israel was this child given He is the Son of the most high God. All God and all man in His Kingdom there will be peace!
Psalms 118:22-24
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This was the Lord’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
The cornerstone, Jesus, whom they rejected became a stone of stumbling to the Jews and to all of the world. Without Him there is no light and without faith in Him the world walks in darkness. Carla
This verse is a sort of proverb or truism that is applied to Israel’s king. The sense is that a stone that is rejected for one purpose can be used for another one. It illustrates that an unwanted stone has been reused and placed in a position of importance. The Hebrew phrase used here, rosh pinnah—which may be literally rendered “head of the corner”—could refer to a cornerstone, located at the bottom of a structure, or a capstone, which is located at the top of a structure. Faithlife Study Bible
The Savior is pictured as a discarded stone that is then reused as the most significant stone of all, the chief cornerstone. This potent imagery depicts Jesus’ rejection by many (Isaiah 53:3; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 17:25).
Jesus elaborated on this prophetic verse with the parable of the vineyard owner. In this parable, the rejection included the murder of the owner’s son—a reference to God’s only Son (Mark 12:1–12). But even though the Savior was rejected, He was elevated to the right hand of God (Acts 7:56). Only God could do this marvelous and unexpected work. The cross, the symbol of Jesus’ rejection, has become the symbol of our salvation (1 Corinthians 1:18; Hebrews 12:2).The NKJV Study Bible
Matthew 21:42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:‘The stone which the builders rejectedHas become the chief cornerstone.This was the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
Luke 20:17 Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:‘The stone which the builders rejectedHas become the chief cornerstone’?
Acts 4:11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’
1 Peter 2:4–8 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…
2 Corinthians 4:6 (ESV) "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
Only our Maker can illuminate our hearts with His light. Only our Creator can give us the ability to understand spiritual truth and salvation in Christ. Only God can be the source of eternal wisdom and life-giving knowledge (Proverbs 2:6).
…as we grow in our understanding of God, His light reveals eternal Truth, illuminates the majesty of His own glory, and shows us who we really are because of Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:5). As the Lord uncovers hidden areas of our hearts that He longs to purify, God's light also changes us for our benefit.
We are blessed as God's children to have access to His wisdom at all times. We need only ask the Father for insight as we face life's hallelujahs and hardships (James 1:5). God is continuing to call His children out of darkness by helping us comprehend His Truth and loving care. Regardless of what culture says, knowing Christ and His character will be the everlasting knowledge that matters most.
Yet we have a God-given Helper who works to overcome our enemy (1 John 4:4). The Holy Spirit resides in us, allowing God's light to shine in our hearts and empowering us to stand strong in God's Truth. Staying grounded in Scripture is also crucial for our relationship with Christ, our protection from the enemy, and our spiritual growth. In the end, God's light will always break through the devil's darkness (John 1:5). First5
Vocations do matter. But what if we begin here…
What if we ask, “What makes you glad to be alive?”
“What did your heart good today?”
“What brought you laughter, or tears, or joy?”
You see, as long as success is measured by keeping score (weighing or honoring the wrong stuff), we lose track of our well-being that comes from the inside—the self-compassion that makes us human and therefore, glad to be alive.
As I often say, this isn’t an assignment or a strategy.
We forget (in the words of John O’Donohue), “To have a reverence always for the immensity that is inside of you. The wild flow of energy in the well of the soul. It is impossible to stop the well of energy and the well of light and the well of life that is inside of you. You might calm it and quell it, but it will still rise up within you.” Sabbath Moments
“Walk hope, walk peace, walk joy;
God bless you in the walking.
Share faith, share mercy, share love;
God bless you in the sharing.
Live calm, live courage, live compassion;
God bless you in the living.
Be just, be humble, be kind;
God bless you in the being.
Do right, do well, do curious;
God bless you in the doing.
Amen.”
Bishop Deon K. Johnson
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