Good Monday morning to you. If you would, take a little time to pray and put all “the stuff” away that tends to be competing for your attention right now…that way to can give it all to Him. 1 Peter 2:9-12 (NIV)
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
The first thing that jumped out at me in the verses was “identity”…identity from our Father, through Jesus.
An identity so special that He calls us a “holy nation”…and just as Pastor taught on Sunday ..set apart. Peter also says we are “chosen people”. As Israel was God’s chosen people in the Old Testament, so we, His believing children, are designated chosen in the New Testament. Then there’s this “royal priesthood” thing..in vs 5 he uses “holy priesthood”…and I don’t know about you, but I get a little nervous…a little jittery inside…a little scared…a little uncertain…does that really apply to me? Maybe it’s because it sounds so much like a title, a position….that I’m so undeserving of? But then, he tells us…hey, your “God’s special possession” and here’s why..” that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (I had this part of vs 9 underlined in my Bible with “MC”…Missional Community..noted next to it…think about it).
So, it’s not about any of those things that I was worried about…it’s about being in service of our Holy Father, declaring the good news of all that we have received, to those of his children that do not know him…and living in such a way that we are a reflection of His goodness and mercy…and at the same time bringing glory to His Holy Name:
Isaiah 43:10 (NIV)
10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.
Romans 9:25-26 (NIV)
25 As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”
26 and,
“In the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.'”
I’d like to leave you with the Message version of the word from Peter…I think it sums up things very well:
9-10 But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.
11-12 Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.
Would sure like to hear your thoughts…so would a lot of other brothers & sisters.
Blessings to You & Yours!
jim