Let Me Not Wander

you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. (NIV) This is the continuation of the thought from the previous verse. When we fall on the side of God and His response to Christ, then we begin to become more like Christ. Notice first that we are become like Him as "living stones." There is something more solid about us when we are in Christ. He is our rock and our salvation, and when we are in Him, then we are becoming like Him. Our work is not finished yet, notice that Peter says that we are "being built." This is not completed, we are a work in progress. Like it also states so many times in the book of Hebrews, we are now priests of God. We bring our lives to Him as living sacrifices, and since we are in Christ, and all that we do is through Christ, we are pleasing to God because of Him.

As you come to him, the living Stone -- rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him -- (NIV) There are two thoughts here. Obviously, Peter is starting a comment about coming to Christ. Literally, going to him, but as he mentions this, and calls him "the Living Stone" it spurs Peter into another thought. It is a thought about the response to Jesus Christ. Men rejected Him. God chose Him and He is precious to God. Peter is saying (I believe) that when you come to Christ you are doing something radically different than the majority of men. For the most part, the population rejects Christ, but when you come to Him you are falling on the side of God's response to Christ. Christ is chosen by you, and He is precious to you.

now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (NIV) I thought about adding this verse in with the last one, but I wanted to keep it for today. Today is Friday. It is the end of the week, a week of work, a week of challenges, a week of trials and the thought of upcoming trials. So, have I tasted that the Lord is good? I should give a resounding, "yes!" Some people's weeks have been filled with bigger trials and bigger challenges, filled with heartaches, fears, and loss. Yet, we could all say that we have tasted that the Lord is good. I would love to go into a discussion on the goodness of God, but instead, I believe that we should ask a different question: If you have not tasted that the Lord is good... Why? Why have you not tasted it? It is not that He is not good or that he does not offer His goodness for the tasting. So, ask yourself, "why?" Allow that "why?" to penetrate deep. Open up your Bible and let it pierce in and discern the ans...

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, (NIV) Babies crave milk. They want it moment by moment, and they will take it almost every time you offer it. Milk is on their mind, and it is almost the only thing that is on their mind. They want it when they are bored, they want it when they are sad, they want it when they are lonely, they want it when they are uncomfortable or sick, they want it. Growing up in your salvation will require more than the simple 15 minute daily devotional. Please don't misunderstand me... I am not being judgmental of our hectic schedules. Though, maybe I should, that is not what I am doing here. To crave spiritual milk like Peter is talking about here is a mindset. This is the person who has God on their mind. This is a person who is thinking about God's word, even when there is no Bible near. This is the person who thinks to themselves, "I need to hear from God today!"

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit , hypocrisy , envy , and slander of every kind. (NIV) (I included links to studylight.org for the greek definitions of each of these terms.) Peter tells us to "rid ourselves" of these things.  That "rid ourselves" literally means to "make separate".  This malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander need to be items that are completely separate from us!  "Take them off!  Put them over there!" he is telling us. It is written expressly as a command, but throughout this book there is sprinkled the empowering grace of God.  There is a partnership with Him in this sanctifying work.  It is us doing it, but it isn't us... It is HIM. I would like to encourage you to re-read chapter 1 and then look up each of these words that I have linked in the verse.