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.
I have read this many times, but this time a few of the words just jumped out at me and I wanted to know more and more and more – imagine that...
The first thing that struck me was the word chosen, which means picked, but if you go farther Strong’s defines it as Chosen by God for salvation through Christ. John Piper says of this verse; “what gives us our identity is not race or culture, but choseness.”
Next is the descriptor royal. In Greek this means kingly and in a kings court; so not only are we chosen, but chosen to be royalty.
I see also that through Christ we are Holy, which has this deep meaning of separated from sin and consecrated to God.
This just keeps getting better and better...and finally there is this word belonging. We belong to God and again in the Greek this is preserving the soul, saving, purchased, precious property.
Wow, how wonderful, how loving, how merciful, how amazing and if we truly come to understand this; no, I mean really understand this what is our response? And there it is...we are chosen, considered royal and holy, we belong to the one true God as his precious property and if we get it, if we truly come to terms with this, we are all these things that we may declare the praises of God; God who called us out of darkness and into his wonderful light.
Father, thank you for your word. Word so deep, so amazing filled with love and grace. Father, as we begin to grasp just how wonderful you are, how loving, how giving, help us to always declare your praises!
Praise God!
Grace and Peace!
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