“… Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”

1 Peter 2:6-7 (ESV)

How much further could it be? How could I be so foolish as to wander off on my own?

I was lost and fearful in the heart of Washington, D.C. My mission that afternoon was to walk from my work conference to The National Cathedral.

This adventure took place years ago and I only had a partial map. An hour later, I still hadn’t found the cathedral. I kept walking, scanning the horizon for a clue. At last, I noticed a large area with some trees.

That looks hopeful, my mind determined.

Soon, a few pinnacles protruded above the tree line. Then, more of the enormous building revealed itself. Finally, I stood in front of The National Cathedral—truly one of America’s treasures.

It’s the sixth largest cathedral in the world and the second largest in the United States. Construction began on September 29, 1907, when the cornerstone was laid. The stone itself came from a field near Bethlehem and was set into a larger piece of American granite. On it was inscribed: The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). President Theodore Roosevelt spoke to about 10,000 Americans that day as the stone was ceremonially laid under what would become the Bethlehem chapel of the Holy Nativity in the cathedral.

The National Cathedral was completed eighty-three years later when a cross-shaped 1000-pound capstone was placed 200-feet-high on one of the pinnacles.

Awe enveloped me. As I pondered this majestic creation, I gained Kingdom perspective.

Heavenly Father, you honor those who, by faith, believe in Jesus Christ, your precious and chosen cornerstone of Christendom. Those who reject Jesus through unbelief and disobedience stumble in darkness.

Will you believe in Him today?

Karen Sims