During the television coverage of the inauguration of the first African-American president of the US, the camera showed a panoramic view of the enormous crowd of the nearly two million people who had gathered to witness the historic event. CBS News correspondent Bob Schieffer remarked, “The star of this show is the wide shot.” Nothing else could capture the multitude stretching from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol.
Scripture gives us a glimpse of an even larger throng, united by their faith in Jesus Christ: “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation . . . that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).
This is not an image of the privileged few, but of the ransomed many from “every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). Today we are scattered across the globe, where many feel isolated and suffer for their allegiance to Jesus. But through the lens of God’s Word we see the wide shot of our brothers and sisters in faith standing together to honor the One who redeemed us and made us His own.
Let’s join together in praise to the One who brought us out of the darkness and into the light!
We are in agreement, Lord, that You are worthy of all praise! We, Your people, are in awe of You.
INSIGHT
It’s interesting to observe Peter’s use of the word stone in 1 Peter 2. Perhaps he’s playing off his name, Petros, which means “rock” or “stone.” He refers to Jesus as the “living Stone” (v. 4), who is precious to God. He is also the cornerstone—the most important stone in a building (vv. 6–7). It’s a stone that causes some to stumble (v. 8), but those who trust in Christ will be safe and secure (v. 6). Believers in Jesus are likewise referred to as stones laid upon the cornerstone to build the house of God.