My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus’ name
Christ alone; Cornerstone
Weak made strong; in the Saviour’s love
Through the storm, He is Lord
Lord of all
When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
My anchor holds within the veil
When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh, may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless stand before the throne
Singer/Songwriter: Reuben Morgan along with Hillsong United
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Ever have God drop just a part of a song into your thoughts…and it keeps echoing through your mind repeatedly? That’s what happened to me with this song. As I was praying one morning “ ♪♬♪ Christ alone, cornerstone ♪♬♪ ” popped into my mind and hasn’t left yet. (I figure there is a point God wants me to understand here.)
I found several definitions of ‘cornerstone’:
- at the tip of the angle
- capstone that holds the whole structure together
- the most important stone in the structure
- the one on which the structure’s stability depends
I also found the following Scriptures:
Therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed [shaken, ashamed]
Isaiah 28:16 NASB
…with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.
Ephesians 2:20b HCSB
Look! I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame!
1 Peter 2:6 HCSB
As I was researching this song, I found this quote by Ben Fielding of Hillsong United:
“Jesus is the cornerstone…He is the centerpiece of our hope and compass for all our endeavors. Jesus is the firmest of foundations. Jesus is the reference point for all we have and all that we are. He is the One who holds all things together.”
Jesus laid the foundation with His very life. He is what holds us together. He is the one on which our stability depends. I knew that Jesus was the cornerstone of my salvation but I had never thought of it in this way. Not only is He the cornerstone of my salvation but Jesus is also the cornerstone of my relationship, the foundation of my life. So what does that look like?
1 Samuel 15:22a tells us “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice”. And in Mark 12:30-31 (NLT) Jesus shows us what is most important:
“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart,
all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.
The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.
No other commandment is greater than these.”
With Jesus as our cornerstone, our lives should be a reflection of Him. Our greatest challenge is to bring our lives under obedience to God and love as Jesus loved. Being submissive to Him is a choice we make; our obedience brings glory to God and shines His light of love on those around us. We may occasionally fail but, when we trust solely in Jesus’ name, we are met by God’s unchanging grace. Though we are weak, Christ’s love is our strength.
“Christ alone, cornerstone…for He is Lord of all.”
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Father God, thank You so much for giving us Jesus as our cornerstone. Thank You for the stability He brings to our lives, and the strength we find in His love. Help us be a reflection of Him in our daily lives. Thank You for Your unchanging grace when we fail. We love You. Amen – It Is SO!
