God is Calling

DEVOTION 1 PETER GOD IS CALLING 1 Peter 2:9-10 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, 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. NIV A much debated portion of God’s Word starts off this declaration of who is what all because of this word chosen. What many people do not see is that from a direct conversation between God and Moses regarding the Israelites which is recorded for us in Deuteronomy 7:6 and Exodus 19:6. This is what God called them. He had decided they would be His people above all others in the world, and that they would be royal priests because they all sacrificed to Him and he was there King thus they were all royalty. They were one called out nation that was to worship but the one Holy God and not be involved with the gods of the pagans. Now we have to see this because these words now define all of us who are Christian. This is who we are because we believe. We now have become a chosen race, a favorite group of people declared to now be a royal priesthood and a holy community of believers who belong to God. We are the true Israel, as God declares through Paul, because of the circumcision of our hearts rather than of our flesh. We now are these people God spoke about to Moses which He is reminded us of through Peter. It is not that he elected or decided which one is us would be in this community of believers for he calls all people, He loves the world enough to send His son to die for them, and calls them all out the darkness into His wonderful light. But only a few will hear the call, and respond thus becoming His royal priesthood, His holy nation, His chosen or favorite people. It is without question we all were once in darkness, some farther in the darkness than others, but nevertheless all were living in the city of darkness, a place without hope and not under the mercy of God. It is a terrible place to live, where the grave which leads to the lake of sulfur awaits its residents. God is calling, did you hear his voice?