Monday 20 May 2013

Monday Reading: 1 Peter 2:9-10

Key Verse: 1 Peter 2:10
10  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Devotion:
How many times have people called you “odd” or “peculiar” or “strange”? I know I have been called a fair few things in my life but not too many people call me those names to my face – they may well have a few choice words to say about me when I am not around or when I am out of ears reach! But these words are used here to promote the Jews and not to demote or put them down in any way.

God chose the Hebrews for a reason and that was so that He could separate them from the rest of the world and show just how special it is to be called one of His! When we begin to see just how much God did for them when they placed their trust and faith in Him then we should be running forward and begging God to come into our lives and change us as well! But we still act much the same as Jonah and run off in the other direction saying that we should not be mixing with the other people because we are not like them! Well guess what, God made us human being too!

What God did was to show us that being a chosen vessel or a chosen people is a really important thing! He set Israel apart from the rest of the world so that they could be an example for all of us. He tested them, their faith, their endurance and more besides – but He also blessed them, supported them and cared for them is such a way that they should have stood still and know God!

When Christ changes us, He starts from the inside and works His way out. He changes our hearts so that we want to go forward and do things differently. He changes our thoughts so that we lead different lives that will glorify Him. It does not matter what we have done in the past, how much we have broken the law or broken other things; what counts is that we accept that Christ is the Son of God and that we trust Him to forgive us for everything in our past – and that means everything! When we trust Him to do that we must then trust Him to change us so that He can use us – and He will if we let Him!

Points to Ponder:
Do you have obstacles you think stop God using you?

Have you asked Him to forgive you?