Increasingly Precious

Scotty Smith:  A Prayer for Treasuring Jesus

For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him [Jesus] will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. 1 Pet. 2:6-7

Lord Jesus, when I hear the word precious, my first instinct is think about silver, gold, and platinum, all called “precious metals.” Or I think about “precious gemstones” like diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. But if anything or anyone deserves the designation, “precious,” it is you. To know you and to be known by you; to consider your incalculable worth and your incomparable worthiness, compels me to sing…

“Jesus, priceless Treasure, fount of purest pleasure, truest Friend to me. Ah, how long in anguish shall my spirit languish, Yearning, Lord, for Thee? Thou art mine, O Lamb divine! I will suffer naught to hide Thee, naught I ask beside Thee.”  (Johann Franck, 1618-1677) May it be Lord, may it be.

For you are God’s chosen cornerstone and the precious capstone of our redemption. The combined worth of all precious metals and gemstones that have ever existed does not compare with the unsearchable riches that are found only in you. To trust in you, Jesus, is to be free from the burden of our guilt and the paralyzing power of our shame. I praise you for taking the guilt of our sin and the shame of our brokenness on the cross.

I cannot rehearse this too glorious promise too often; “the one who trusts in you will never be put to shame”, never. To believe the gospel—to boast in the gift of your righteousness, to rest in the constancy of your love, to wake up each day to your endless mercies, to hear you sing to us in the gospel… what else could we possibly long for in life and eternity?

You became sin for us that in you we might become righteousness of God. Because of you, judgment day holds no terror for us. The cross was our judgment day. We no longer fear the gaze of God because of the grace of God we have in you.

May you become increasingly precious to us, Jesus. May the gospel continue to change the price tags on everything in our world. May yesterday’s values be considered today’s loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing you. Fill our hearts to sing your praise and our hands to extend your compassion. So very Amen we pray, with humility and joy unspeakable.