The Tested and Tried Stone

UV 3107/10000 The Tested and Tried Stone
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste
Isaiah 28 v 16

Jesus is the precious cornerstone of all of human history. He is the cornerstone also of Zion or the kingdom of God. He is the sure foundation for our lives- the bedrock foundation. Those who believe in His name, His work, His word will not be disappointed, ashamed or be afraid of mortal man and what he can do. He is also the tested stone- He has endured all the tests and temptations any man can and has emerged victorious. He has endured much suffering, hardship and the ultimate test of being the sacrificial death to break the power of sin, death and satan upon all humanity.
When we build our lives on this tested and secure foundation, our eternity is guaranteed, the abundant life is ours to claim and enjoy. We do not have to panic when things do not go as per plan for we know the One who is in control of our lives and our destiny. He is the stone that has been cut from the mountain of the Lord not by human hands but by the Lord Himself as it is written in the book of Daniel. Hence, our lives are not like the shifting sands but like Daniel, we are filled with a rock-like sense of certainty about our purpose in life. We are filled also with the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfil that divine purpose far beyond the mundane needs and considerations of everyday human life.
Like a precious stone, we should take a definite shape reflecting the strength and grace and power of the Chief Cornerstone- Jesus. We are born as charcoal but re-born in Christ as diamond. Hence, we should reflect the 4 C’s of a diamond- cut, colour, clarity and carat. Our character must be cut by the Chief Cornerstone in His image so that we manifest 4 C’s of Courage, Compassion, Calmness and Creativity. We should be creative in the way we fit into the architecture of Zion, the living temple, the tabernacle of God. Like Jesus, we too will be tested and tried. Like charcoal endures a lot of pressure over a long time in order to metamorphose into diamond, we too will endure a lot of trials, temptations, persecutions and earthly troubles but as we hold onto our faith in the Cornerstone and stay connected to Him, we will be victorious. Chosen by God, we will be rejected by man. Like Jesus , we will be rejected but when we are rejected, instead of being dejected, we should rejoice for it is a sign that we too would one day be a cornerstone, a leader in the kingdom of God.