peace . love . joy

Might I inquire as to how your new year's shaping up =] ?

Mine did not start off quite as well as I'd have liked it for one reason, one cause only. I revisited a past sin, succumbed to a past temptation that I've not fallen to for a long period of time. I don't like that word. "Fallen". It sounds like failure to me. Sounds like I have not the strength nor the resolution nor the will to overcome. I don't really like the idea of being helpless and weak. If you know me, you'll know what I mean. I'm the kind whose idea of the most horrific film I can ever watch is one where the characters are trapped in a helpless and hapless situation. I get nightmares from these films. "Wrong Turn" (2003) is a perfect example.

But then I remembered something I learnt in the past. That if I do not allow myself to come towards Jesus precisely because of my sin, I am causing Him more grief than when I first committed the sin, because I am denying Him the chance to love me, I am denying Him my cross He wishes and has carried for me in my stead.

So on the second day of the new year, I came to Him in prayer and devotion, laying bare before Him my hurts and pride, a ceramic pot complete with cracks. He gave me this passage to read:

' 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 the darkness into his wonderful light. 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

Peter uses much imagery, much description here in these two verses alone in his letter, his exhortation. Words that refer to me, to us who belong to God through Christ Jesus. We are a new creation, a newborn infant, an obedient children, a people, no, the people of God, we are a royal kingdom, the holy people, we are the free slaves of the Father, we are His flock, we are His worshippers, we are a family.

What shook me was the label of being God's obedient child for I was not. I disobeyed on the first day of the new year. And that tore me. But I remembered His promise and His character, I sought His forgiveness and His love with quiet desperation hinted with eagerness. I needed it. I needed Him so much.

God did respond. And boy did He respond with a vengeance! He spoke at lengths with me, conversed with me, and answered all my questions. The year is lookin' to be a good one for me. A great one, in fact, filled with anticipation and assurance.

Now it is your turn. It is your turn to be honest with yourself,
if you're doing swell with the Lord, be honest and give thanks and bask in His love and peace,
if you're not, be honest and cry out if you will.

Look again at Peter's descriptions of us, of you.

Which one hits you the most?

And why?

(follow-up questions inspired by Michael Card.)