Daily Bible Study for February 28th - 1 Peter 2:10

 

Reading for February 28th

Chapter 8 - Stumbling over Jesus

Chapter Focus: Bottom of Page 54 to the Top of Page 56

“Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you have received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.” 1 Peter 2:10

Identity is a major topic these days. And, as far as I can tell, there are a huge amount of people that have no clue what their identity is. There are the classical identity traits, such as faith, profession, family, economics, and all that, but now it also appears to include feelings/emotions, irrational and imaginary struggles, blatant lies, and any other bit of crazy that floats on the wind.

Allow me to offer an alternative. God.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you are part of God’s people. You have been adopted into the Kingdom, will receive an inheritance, and have all the blessings that come with it, including mercy. And even though we might be able to earn or achieve this mercy and love, as Rev. Shane says, “We are God’s people nonetheless.” pg. 55

When the church is under fire, it’s good to be reminded of who and whose we are. Let’s not allow the constantly changing winds of this world to blow us off course. Nor should we allow our own feelings to distract us from the love that comes from God. After all, Jeremiah 17:9 says that “the heart is deceitful above all things,” why should we trust that? Trust God and let him help define your identity.

What does it mean to you to be one of God’s people?

We’re diving into some history with our links this week. First, we look at a breakdown of what it means for Jesus to be the cornerstone, followed by a historic look at what the Temple would have looked like during Jesus’ time. And finally, we have a link to Toby Mac’s song, also titled “Cornerstone.”

https://tinyurl.com/linksforfebruary24th

Thank you, Lord, for pursuing me and offering me mercy through Jesus Christ. I pray that I could live every day with gratitude and thanks for being a part of your people. God, please allow me to place the foundation of my identity in your hands and not in fleeting emotions. I pray this all in Jesus’ strong name. Amen.