The Perfect Cornerstone
Three years ago, I found myself standing in Jerusalem near where the temple would have been at the time of Jesus. Only a portion of the retaining wall of temple remains, also known as the Western Wall or Wailing Wall. Jews pray at the wall because they see it as one way to get closer to God’s presence.
Looking at the gigantic stones (as big as 5 tons) in the Western Wall, I pictured what a magnificent structure the temple would have been. It would have had a cornerstone in its foundation with the entire weight of the building resting on that one stone placed at the base.
A knowledgeable builder selected the perfect rock to be the cornerstone so the temple could withstand the elements. Fast forward to present day, and a cornerstone is now a symbolic stone laid when a building is being constructed. But, a solid foundation is still just as important today as in ancient times.
Jesus is our cornerstone, the foundation of the Church. He was rejected by those who said the Savior of the world couldn’t be a carpenter’s son from Nazareth. Jesus was despised by Jewish leaders who thought their King had to be someone different. At his crucifixion, the weight of the world was truly on His shoulders.
Standing at the Western Wall, my heart broke — it broke for all the Jews and others who don’t see Jesus as the one who gave up His life to die for us. They don’t see Him as the cornerstone of a religion filled with grace and freedom. Silently, I thanked God that my hope is not in a religious routine. As Christians, our perfect cornerstone always hears our prayers, no matter where we stand.
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus secured His title as our binding cornerstone — bringing both Jew and Gentile into His eternal church. He is our never-changing rock we cling to. Our cornerstone may have been rejected by the world, but His death and resurrection forever changed the course of history.
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