1 Peter 1:1-25

Reference:  v.1b  To God's elect, strangers in the world...

Explore:  A couple of weeks ago I experienced the most wonderful afternoon of snorkeling I have ever had.  Just off the shore of Boracay I was able to swim through hundreds of brightly coloured fish and have them eat bread out of my hands.  (Just quietly, I was so impressed that these magnificent creatures also loved my favourite food too!)   I followed a bright blue Regal Tang through the coral, I spotted two big angel fish just meters away and I saw many brightly coloured Star Fish.  I think the highlight for me was when  I went head to head with a bright orange Clown fish - made popular through the movie Finding Nemo .  When I had been in the boat and was just looking at the surface of the water it had just seemed like any other large expanse of ocean.  But when I got into the water and put my head underneath the surface, there was a whole world under there that I could never have imagined.

Application:  Sometimes I feel like this in my own world too.  It's like you meet new people or walk in to a new environment and you never realised it existed.  Sometimes this can be a positive experience but at other times it can be quite the opposite.   As Christians we have been given a mandate from God to love the world and even to live differently to the values that are often projected through our culture.  To be in the world but not of it.  Sometimes this doesn't seem too difficult but at other times I feel my life's aims are miles apart from that of the people around me.  When we live in a world of consumerism and self-fulfillment then it is time for us to stand up and be counter-cultural.  The book of 1 Peter is a great encouragement to anyone who feels like they are strangers in their own world.  The Apostle Peter is writing to all the new Christians, who are scattered far and wide, who have often suffered persecution for their faith.  This letter is a reminder of the hope that all people have through Christ.  Because of His great mercy we have all been saved.  While life may bring many challenges we must continue in our faith for that will bring us more joy than anything this world can offer.

Prayer:  Lord, help us to discern was to true and good and to stay faithful to you, in all the areas of our life.  Amen.

In what area of your life do you feel your faith is different from the culture set around you?  How can you be a light in that place?