Chosen to Proclaim by Miriam

Chosen to Proclaim by Miriam

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

As I was preparing to teach on 1 Peter 2:1-12, verse 9 seemed to speak to my heart more than ever before. I’ve read this verse many times, but I think I’ve always focused on who Peter is reminding us we are as believers. However, this time as I studied, the part about what I’m to do because of who I am jumped out at me. You see, because of who we are in Christ — those of us who have accepted the Lord’s gift of salvation through the blood of Jesus — we are called to proclaim Him to the dark world around us.

Now more than ever, the world seems very dark around us. But now, more than ever, we must “proclaim the excellencies of him who called” us out of this dark world. Don’t live in the light alone. It is our mission to share that light. Verse 10 goes on to say, “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” We must be ready to share with others how the Lord, through Jesus shed blood, showed us mercy and took us from darkness to light.

The Message paraphrases it this way: But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.

My precious daddy went home to be with Jesus on June 20, 2020. As Father’s Day approaches, he has been on my mind a little more. I can’t help but think of him as I ponder verse 9. My daddy was quick to “proclaim the excellencies” of the Lord to everyone he met. May you and I do the same.