SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 1:13-2:3
OBSERVATION:
God loves us by grace alone, but having received this grace, we are called to respond with action: obedience, holiness, love, reverent fear, ridding ourselves of sin and craving what is good and pure. This way of living is the evidence of a sincere Christ-follower.
When we receive the message (the enduring word v.23) and accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we reveal that we are reborn, restored to God’s family like a newborn baby, with a clean slate, a new beginning. The proof of this new birth is the craving for that which is pure, like a baby craving mother’s milk.
We are called to love each other deeply, from the heart. This is hard to do by ourselves, but when we appreciate His love for us (undeserved) and when we receive His Spirit, we are enabled to love people as sinners in need of mercy and forgiveness – just like us!!! The evidence of a forgiven sinner is the love and grace they show to other sinners!
APPLICATION:
I know that God does not accept me because of my goodness, my hope is in His mercy. But having been forgiven is not an excuse to live however I please. If I am truly forgiven, I will reveal the heart-change by my determination to be and to do what is right – prepared for action!
Every day is a new beginning, I have been reborn but I continue to be reborn each new day. Like a newborn baby I need to begin each day dependent on God for strength and power to love and live as He saved me to. This takes great humility.
This passage shows me that living as a Christ-follower is both simple (He has paid the price for me, I am forgiven and received by grace) and hard (prepare for action, be holy, love deeply). And the previous verses show that living this way will also involved trials. Our wonderful hope is what enables us to persevere (Romans 8:18)!
PRAYER:
Lord, its wonderful to be loved, and to know that I will one day enter Your glorious kingdom. But today is hard work, help me to strive with your strength to live the kind of life You saved me to live! Amen!
God’s Word must be my rule for my life. In order to do good, I must be immersed in His Word. This way I am able to prepare my mind for action – to Walk With Jesus Daily. And they will know that we are Christians by out love. Each day anew, my desire is to start the day with the Lord so that all the day may be the Lord’s Day. He is my All in All. My anchor must be secure for where where my treasure is that’s where my heart needs to be! His living Word must be lodged secure in my heart. Help me Lord in my daily living for Jesus.