Thoughts

Who's First?

In chapter 1,  Peter called the people to holy living. He told them not to slip back into their old ways of living to satisfy their own desires.

And then in chapter 2 when talking to slaves he said that they should submit to their masters with all respect. Not just when the master is kind, but when he is cruel.

And then dropping down again a few verses, Peter says, “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering…”

The common thread here is that we are not to put our own desires or our own rights above all else. We are to remember that we are slaves of God, and put His desires and His agenda ahead of ours. 

Not Me

Let me complete the thought, “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.”

When Peter says this, he does so as he remembers that horrible night and early morning when Jesus did suffer for me and for you. Peter was an eye witness to the horrible ordeal Jesus suffered. Jesus could have, at any time, called down a legion of angles to wipe out those who were beating him. He could have released Himself from the pain and the chains that held him. He could have insisted on His rights as the Sovereign of all that is!

But He didn’t. He suffered so that we could be saved from the wages of our sins. And we must follow His example. If God puts us in a position of suffering, then we must prayerfully submit to His will, knowing that He loves us and trusting that His will is right. 

Since I know how much He loves me, I do trust Him. And any suffering I have gone through in my life truly has brought me closer to Him. It’s easily a worthwhile investment.

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 1-2 NLT, Ch. 3 NCV

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Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents

By Rod Dreher / Sentinel

Aleksandr Solzhenitzyn once noted that people often assume that their democratic government would never submit to totalitarianism---but Dreher says it's happening. Sounding the alarm about the insidious effects of identity politics, surveillance technology, psychological manipulation, and more, he equips contemporary Christian dissidents to see, judge, and act as they fight to resist the erosion of our freedoms. 304 pages, hardcover from Sentinel.