1 Peter 2:4-25 Holy Nation

1 Peter 2:4-25 NIV
"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." (vs 9)

I dislike having to check the box for my race as is required on so many forms. I especially dislike having to check a box if it is related to something within the church. That may be partly due to the fact that I am a "mutt." But, more than that is that no matter how many tribes or nations I may have inherited through family; my first nation is the one I was adopted into by the blood of Jesus. If there is a blank line for other, I usually write in "Holy Nation."

Each race has it's own culture and even within specific ethnic groups the culture may vary depending on the geographical region. That is also true for the people of a "Holy Nation." There may be variances in the way we live and worship; but, together we make up one truly awesome spiritual house. The differences really make no difference. What is important to understand is that we belong to the spiritual house built on the precious cornerstone, who is Jesus the Christ; the one who gave himself for us.

Since, we are members of this spiritual house, this Holy Nation, we ought also live as members of the holy priesthood, living in reverence and loving service to the King of all kings. According to St. Peter that means to live in loving service to one another. It's not about us. It's about all of us together living in reverence to God our Father and our Lord, Jesus the Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 12 - God's Justice

Jeremiah's starting to sound a little fried. Yes, I know what "fried' is. Been there... Many of us have. Jeremiah is sounding just a little unhappy with God's kind of justice. He's not thrilled that the wicked prosper and the faithless live in ease. He's not thrilled that while he is busy doing the LORD's will and being persecuted for it, the persecutors go about doing as they please. I think Jeremiah's getting just a little tired of being "refined" as he does the LORD's will. For, indeed, the LORD will refine even His children so that they can endure every trial and be made even stronger through each of them. Trials build character - or so I've been told. Could Jeremiah possibly be tired of all this character building? There seems to be just a tinge of self-righteousness in him today.

Like Jonah (unhappy that the people repented and were saved) and many others, Jeremiah just doesn't seem to get that God's justice, His will, includes welcoming those who are not His people, as His people. The LORD reminds Jeremiah that even to those who go against God's people, all who turn from their false gods and call upon the name of the LORD, He will show mercy. He will make even the enemy His own. "But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country. And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’—even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal—then they will be established among my people." (Jer 12:15-16 NIV)

God's plan and His mercy is for all people. Jeremiah's role and the role of all whom God has called is to seek out the lost, seek out those who do not know God, and introduce Him (by proclamation) so that they too might hear and believe, and be welcomed into the Kingdom, the family, of God. And... that, my friend, includes even you and me. "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. 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." (1Pet 2:9-10)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 62 - Member Of A Holy Nation; Kingdom of God

"The Lord has made proclamation
    to the ends of the earth:
“Say to Daughter Zion,
    ‘See, your Savior comes!
See, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.’”
They will be called the Holy People,
    the Redeemed of the Lord;
and you will be called Sought After,
    the City No Longer Deserted." (Isa 62:11-12 NIV)

The LORD declares through Isaiah the Savior comes! And... through Him the people will be reconciled to God. Through Him it is as St. Peter wrote: "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.  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. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

How awesome is that! You are a member of a royal priesthood, a holy nation! You belong to God and because you have been called out of the darkness into His marvelous light, you desire to declare praises of Him! That's what those who have been called into relationship with God, those who have been called into His kingdom, do. They proclaim the Good News! That's what Isaiah did! That is what St. Peter did! That is what all members of that holy nation are called to do. How could anyone who has received their inheritance in the holy nation, the kingdom of God, do otherwise?!

So... question for the morning is: are you proclaiming the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Saviour, and our King?

God's Peace - Pr. J