Welcome to our last day on 1 Peter 1. What a wonderful start we've had in allowing God to transform our lives through His Holy Word. Amazing!
Do you remember this verse?
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16)
Well, I've never really liked the "correcting and training in righteousness" part of this verse :) I'd be fine if the Lord just used scripture for teaching, and then we could just stop there and not worry about all that other stuff :).
Unfortunately (but really fortunately), God's word is used to convict us, to right our wrongs. And, sometimes it hurts! As I was working through Day 4's assignment, I felt convicted. I mean overcome with the fact that I was clearly in the wrong.
1 Peter 1:17a says, "Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially...". When my mind hung on those words, I knew that I was headed for correction. I have a person in my life right now who is driving me bonkers. I mean, really giving me grief. And, I've been consumed with this person's actions and faults, as they affect my life. Then, I saw this. God is an impartial judge of each man's work. That means that I am to pattern my life after our Father, who is free from undue bias or preconceived opinions. He keeps no record of wrongs and allows us to come to Him free and clear each and every morning. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! I'm not following this model.
Then, I read on to verse 22,
"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart."
Oh my word, y'all, I was dying inside when I read "love one another deeply, from the heart". I have allowed this situation to color my view of this person in such a way that, not only do I not want to forgive her, but I want to keep a record of her wrongs, and then keep from loving deeply.
I learned a powerful lesson today, and I gleaned a hard truth. Sometimes, our time in the Word isn't sweet, but it is sanctifying. We close our time, knowing that God has begun a refining work in us, when we couldn't rise above our own emotions and hurts.
Thank you, Lord, for changing me. Thank you for making me more like you.
Now, enjoy your wonderful last day with 1 Peter 1!
Day 5
- Pray - Praise God for making His Word relevant in your life. Ask Him to bring all of your new understanding together, according to His purposes.
- Read 1 Peter 1 - You've conquered it! You should feel a sense of accomplishment as you realize the fact that you know this passage frontwards and backwards, and you are now ready to put it into practice.
- APPLY - ACTION PLAN
Remember when I said that there was really no point in reading if we skip out before the application? Well, now is your chance! Think about "apply" as "action". What action can you take to put these words into practice? How can your incorporate them into your daily, walking around life? Write it down. This is the MOST important part of this week! - Comment - I would LOVE for you to share your action plan with us. What has God, through the revelation of His Word, called you to do today?
Obedience isn't hard for me..............when it's something I want to do. This week I determine to apply the idea of being an obedient child to the Father in the area of my work place. Sometimes that is the hardest place for me to "be holy in all my behavior". And, that is the place the Lord has put me to be a light. I am going to remember this command in my daily interactions with co-workers and customers.
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