"Community Action Plan"
Aug. 23, 2019
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
~ 1 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV)
The question of "Who am I?" has been debated by philosophers and theologians through the ages. It's still being asked today as people struggle with understanding the meaning of life. Who are we in the face of the universe—so vast and seemingly without end? Who are we in a world where unbridgeable chasms separate those who have from those who don't?
Sometimes this identity question plays itself out in a job shift: we may change our occupations and look for something more fulfilling. Sometimes it turns us into lineage archaeologists, probing as far as we can the ancestral roots beneath us. From where did I come? From whom did I originate? These are core questions shared by all humans.
Wherever your search leads, the question of who we are is an important one for each of us. What do you think is the meaning of your life? Is there some overarching purpose to your days? Do you look to someone or something beyond what you can see, or are you (am I?) left to figure it all out on our own?
In the text above, Peter tells us that Christ's followers are a select group of people whose identity is given them by God. The apostle sums it up: they are chosen; they are royal; they are holy; they are God's own possession. They also have a directive: a responsibility to share. Knowing this then by faith, God's people proclaim His excellences so that others, too, may experience His marvelous light.
How urgently the community of Christ needs to engage with those who are searching! The questions raised above are asked by people everywhere: neighbors and friends, coworkers and relatives. They wonder how their lives matter. They ponder if there's anything absolute in this universe, if anything is waiting for them beyond the grave.
God's chosen people then have some very good news to share with those who wonder such things. Jesus, God's Son and our Savior, came to earth to address man's deepest questions. His triumph over sin, death, and the devil was complete with His third-day resurrection. Today, He invites everyone into His community of fellowship so that all people can be God's people, recipients of His mercy and the gift of eternal life.
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, bless the words we use to share the Gospel as a community of believers. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
- When did you first ask yourself, "What is this life all about?"
- Why would God call His people a "royal priesthood"?
- Do you have conversations with others about ultimate things (life, death, heaven, hell)? What prompts such a conversation?
This Daily Devotion was penned by a contributing writer for Lutheran Hour Ministries. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Do you have conversations with others about ultimate things (life, death, heaven, hell)? What prompts such a conversation?
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