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Scripture for the day: 1 Peter 1:3-4,6,10,13,18-19 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."
Thought for the day: If ever there was a complete guide to Christian conduct regarding the world in which we live, here it is in a nutshell. Read through these verses again, asking yourself the question, "How then ought we to live?" The overwhelming knowledge of all God has done for us ought to permeate and control every fiber of our being, providing the reason for everything we do and say each moment of the day.
He has shown us abundant mercy - everything we do ought to reflect our gratitude for that undeserved grace.
He has provided us a living hope and an inheritance reserved in heaven for us - every waking thought ought to reflect the positive nature of that hope regardless of the trials we may be called upon to endure in this life.
He has made real the salvation the prophets only looked forward to - every decision we make ought to reflect the present reality of that salvation, day by day and moment by moment.
He has made the things of God; the hope of heaven the most important things in our life - every bit of our focus ought to be on the seriousness and the magnitude of the grace of God in our lives.
He has redeemed us with the precious, innocent, undefiled blood of His Son Jesus Christ - every waking moment ought to be filled with praise for the awesome lengths He was willing to go in order to secure for us our salvation.
As Oswald Chambers is fond of saying, "Salvation is so easy for us because it cost Him so much."
How then ought we to live? We ought to live in the constant recognition of all God has done for us, with hearts full of gratitude. We ought to live every waking moment with the awareness of His mercy and grace going before us. We ought to live as if the next minute we spend on earth might be our last - what can we do for Him in that minute? We ought to be so filled with the Spirit of God that our love for Him can't be contained but spills out all over everyone we meet. People ought to be able to see such a difference in our outlook on life that they simply must know how we maintain such a positive, loving spirit. And we ought to tell them.
I'm not sure if, in today's world, we ever stop to really meditate on all God did by sending His Son. It's almost as if we take it for granted, especially those of us who live in the West. We seem to think we somehow deserve salvation simply because of who we are. Isn't that the same mistake the Jews of Jesus's time made? They thought because they were God's chosen people they were guaranteed the blessings of God no matter what they did or whether they even believed Him or not. They never stopped to reflect on what it cost God to bring them to their own land and bless them as He did. And we too often don't stop to consider the even greater sacrifice He made to bring us to the place of salvation or to bless us with the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Take a few minutes (or longer if necessary) this morning. Try to imagine in your mind what God went through so John could write: "to them who believe, He gave the power to become children of God."
Now go take on your world. - Bill