Skip to main content

Chosen People

             But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (I Peter 2:9) 

            I find myself thinking about Moses and Aaron and the high priests. Moses tried to get out of the job God gave him. We’re never told what Aaron thought about being Moses’ puppet and then high priest. Was he excited? Overwhelmed? Resentful? When God (though Peter) tells you that you are chosen, a member of the royal priesthood, what’s your reaction? Mine isn’t exactly positive. I want to ask God if He’s noticed what happens when I get into a leadership position. Or maybe whether He might somehow (in spite of being perfect) have gotten me mixed up with some competent people person who isn’t quite so likely to screw it all up.

            In Word Fire, Kathoa welcomes Hannecha to the “Community of the Incompetents.” I don’t know how my mind comes up with these things, but I love the line, because it strikes so close to home. It reminds me of the saying that God doesn’t call the qualified He qualifies the called. He chose me because I’m not good enough. If I were good enough, I’d carry on without Him. Because I’m not good enough, I’m less likely to say, “No, Daddy, I do it myself!”

            And I suspect His goal isn’t just to teach me. That’s part of it, of course, but there’s also the fact that being a member of the royal priesthood requires that I spend time with Him. In order to declare the praise of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light, one needs to see and/or spend time in that wonderful light. To be a priest for others, one must be a priest for oneself. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more