March 11 – 1 Peter 2:13-21
Our Jesus, we praise You, for You are Salvation. You are Hope. You are Peace! We love You and want to draw near to You. Be with us as we come together to spend time with You and worship You.
Walking the walk of a Jesus follower is promised to be difficult and dangerous, even. And how could we possibly think it would be otherwise if even the very Son of God’s life was not a cakewalk of ease?
At every turn, Jesus showed us how to navigate all of it; with grace. We are to have a grace focused mindset. Faith in Jesus does not stop at acknowledging the cross; faith extends to how we live, how we treat others. We are to show our faith in Jesus by treating others with the grace He has shown us. Even if it feels underserved, for it is not for us to decide who is deserving or not.
The grace gives us the freedom to do what? His will. And what is His will? Peter lays out very clear and concise declaratives:
Honor everyone
Love the brotherhood (church)
Fear God
Honor the emperor
His grace is not for our vanity or permission to disobey or our own personal agenda. Our freedom is His for His use. Have you ever run into anyone who lives by these directives? How do you feel in their presence? Stressless, peaceful? Feel like you’ve just spent time with the Spirit? Understandable. They are putting on the characteristics of Jesus and thus projecting who He is. It is such a comfort!
This Easter season, let’s examine our own character and ask the Spirit to spotlight areas in which we are not living as a reflection of Him. Reread 1 Peter 2:1-21, and as you wrestle with what the spotlight shone upon, remember what Jesus did on the cross for you and why.
My Verse: 1 Peter 2:16, “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.”
My Response: Lord Jesus, thank You for the grace You have covered me with. Thank You for Your clear instructions as to how I am to live as Your child, as Your possession. May I reflect who You are in such a way that others will know that I am Yours. And may I not be a stumbling block for others.
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My verse: I Peter 2:19 “For God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment.”
My response: I think the phrase “conscious of his will” is a key component here. We don’t take unjust treatment because we think that’s all we deserve. We endure, knowing we are a child of the King – great worth and value to Him – and it is for Him we endure. He asks us to be kind even to our enemies. When we do it to honor Him, there’s a dignity to it.