Transforming Rejection Into Redeeming Triumph
BRD REFLECTIONS:
Nehemiah 9:22-38 and Psalm 118:15-29 (NIV)
(Charis Lim, Chairperson, Digital Wesley)
READ:
Psalm 118:15-29 (NIV)
The following verses from Psalm 118:22-23 (NIV) stand out for me:
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”
OBSERVE:
Have you ever noticed how something considered worthless can become incredibly valuable? I remember playing marbles as a kid and my favourite marble was an unpolished, imperfectly-shaped marble that I thought was worthless at first. But as I played with it, I discovered that its unique weight and balance made it unbeatable! It would spin and curve in unexpected ways, hitting other marbles with uncanny accuracy. That rejected marble became my prized possession, enabling me to win game after game.
Psalm 118:22-23 states, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” This verse prophesies Jesus’ rejection by Jewish leaders and His subsequent triumph as the cornerstone of God’s kingdom, fulfilling God’s plan for salvation. This passage celebrates God’s power to transform rejection into redeeming triumph.
APPLY:
How often do I feel like that unpolished marble – rejected, overlooked, or undervalued? This Psalm reminds me that God sees beyond my flaws and imperfections. He recognizes my hidden potential and wants the best for me.
I think of Joseph, rejected by his brothers but chosen by God to save a nation. I think of David, overlooked by his father but anointed by God to be king. I think of Jesus, rejected by the religious leaders but arose in resurrection power as our Saviour.
I think of my own life. I think of the times I felt like I didn’t belong, times when I felt like I didn’t have what it takes and was not good enough, and how God transformed those moments and turned rejection into redemption to shape me into the person I am today.
This Psalm reminds me that what the world rejects, God often accepts. What the world sees as weak, God often sees as strong. What the world throws away, God often picks up and uses.
DO:
So, what can I do today?
I will surrender my feelings of inadequacy and rejection to God.
I pray that God will take all of my imperfections and transform me to be something beautiful and useful.
I will look for opportunities to see the potential in others, just as God sees potential in me. I’m encouraged to uplift those around me, recognising that God can use them powerfully for His purposes and glory.
PRAY:
Father, I thank You for seeing beyond my flaws and imperfections. I trust in Your power to raise me up. Transform me from a rejected, unpolished marble, to one redeemed by Your love, winning glorious triumphs for Your kingdom not in my own strength, but in Your strength alone. May I constantly marvel at Your incredible work in my life as You make me more like Jesus each day. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
