1 Peter 2:4-10

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him — you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (vv 4-5)

These two verses remind me of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. He speaks of the desires of the sinful nature and the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:19-25)  We will concentrate on the fruit of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.… Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (vv 22-25)

We can be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  When we have the fruit of the Spirit through the grace of God, our trust in Jesus Christ will never be put to shame. (v 6)  What the world calls disgrace we in the Spirit call character molding. (vv 7-10) We who believe have become the children of God.  As children, we believe and trust in Christ who is precious to us.  As children who believe and trust, we should obey the message (the Bible).

Now that God has chosen us as a royal priesthood and a holy nation, let us declare his praises because he called us out of darkness into his wonderful light. We were not his people, but now we have become his people and we receive his mercies.

Prayer: Our God and Heavenly Father, we praise you and adore you for choosing us to be your people.  We thank you for your mercies towards us; may your name be praised. Our Father, Psalm 1:1-3 tells us: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruits in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Father, please help us to take delight in your law and meditate on it day and night so that we will become like a tree planted by streams of water.

In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.