Chosen To Live A Holy Life
1Peter 1: 13-25
Be alert and think straight. Put all your hope in how kind God will be to you when Jesus Christ appears. Behave like obedient children. Don’t let your lives be controlled by your desires, as they used to be. Always live as God’s holy people should, because God is the one who chose you, and he is holy. That’s why the Scriptures say, “I am the holy God, and you must be holy too.”
You say that God is your Father, but God doesn’t have favourites! He judges all people by what they do. So you must honour God while you live as strangers here on earth. You were rescued from the useless way of life that you learned from your ancestors. But you know that you were not rescued by such things as silver or gold that don’t last forever. You were rescued by the precious blood of Christ, that spotless and innocent lamb. Christ was chosen even before the world was created, but because of you, he did not come until these last days. And when he did come, it was to lead you to have faith in God, who raised him from death and honoured him in a glorious way. That’s why you have put your faith and hope in God.
You obeyed the truth, and your souls were made pure. Now you sincerely love each other. But you must keep on loving with all your heart. Do this because God has given you new birth by his message that lives on forever. The Scriptures say, “Humans wither like grass, and their glory fades like wildflowers. Grass dries up, and flowers fall to the ground.
But what the Lord has said will stand forever.” Our good news to you is what the Lord has said.
About Today’s Verses…
“Holy” is one of those words we generally associate with the “stained glass ghetto” — a word only “church folks” use. That may be true, but it’s still a great concept. Every kid knows that you don’t eat hot dogs and potato chips on china. Mom’s china is reserved for “special company” or “special occasions.” Hot dogs are for paper plates, and every day, china is for special events. When God is calling us to be holy, he’s calling us to be china — something special just for him, and as Peter emphasises, just like him.
Let us Pray:
Holy Lord, God Almighty, I come before you knowing how great the distance is between your holiness and my commonness. I thank you for making me holy through the sacrifice of Jesus and by sending your Holy Spirit to live inside of me. Please receive my life today as a holy offering to you. ! Through Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith I pray. Amen.’
Words of Wisdom
A king asked a sage to explain the Truth. In response, the sage asked the king how he would convey the taste of mango to someone who had never eaten anything sweet. No matter how hard the king tried, he could not adequately describe the flavour of the fruit, and, in frustration, he demanded of the sage “Tell me then, how would you describe it?” The sage picked up a mango and handed it to the king saying “This is very sweet. Try eating it!”
