“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. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2.9-10
It’s perhaps one of my favorite verses in Scripture due to it’s encouraging and positive message.
Peter has just finished talking about how Christ is the cornerstone that the builders have rejected but became the cornerstone of all. How the Jews rejected Jesus but he became the center to the faith and was affirmed by God. After Peter’s incredible discourse on Christ and his influence, power and chosen-ness to save the people, now God talks about us.
Consider that for a moment…God didn’t have to talk about us. He didn’t have to mention, save or redeem any of us. He didn’t have to care if we were lost in sin, abandoned by hope, crushed by difficulty. But God is a loving Father and we are his children, his creation, his people. He chooses to care — which other God is like our God?
And so Peter tells us what God wants us to hear that we are his “chosen people, royal priesthood, a holy nation… God’s special possession.” Let those words sink in as you read them again. Do that now. Now imagine yourself believing what God has said about you that you matter to him. The world and todays culture may not give a rip about you but God does. Society may cast you aside, turn you away, reject your work, your creativity and your successes but God never does. He loves all people. He loves whom he loves and that includes you.
You were called out of darkness, says Peter, and into his wonderful light. “Once you were not his people, but now you are his people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” Live as children of the light. Let the light of Christ fill you, infuse you and flood you with his grace and love.
It’s one thing to read these words about what Christ says about us but another thing to believe them all together. So my encouragement to all of us today is this — believe that what God says about you is true. Don’t let the worlds’ message overshadow God’s message. Turn to the Lord. Rejoice and sing. Dance and praise. Rest in the arms of your loving Heavenly Father who has called you his own special possession for his grace and by his glory.
“O Lord God, I want to believe it. I want to believe that my life matters. One life out of seven billion on this planet. One life, remote and small, in your eyes is great and significant. You chose the smallest among your tribes to produce the Messiah. You chose the weak to shame the strong, the poor to shame the rich. Remind us of your amazing love for us today. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen