Pick Me
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of 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
Insight
I wasn’t brave enough to try out for the cheerleading team in high school. But I did muster the courage to try out for the drill team. Even though the drill team felt more achievable, when I actually made the team, I was shocked. Plenty of girls auditioned and I was one of the 18 they picked.
Was my self-esteem raised? Oh, you bet. I wore my purple and gold uniform with pride. At football games, I practically strutted onto the field. I lived for 7 AM practices, and couldn’t wait till summer when we headed off to “drill team camp” to learn new dance routines.
Anytime we’re chosen, by a team, an employer, a friend group, we have a great feeling of belonging. Sometimes we get our sense of identity from the groups we’re in. But here Peter is reminding us, as believers in Christ, where our identity really comes from. No matter what people say about us, this passage reveals what the God of the universe says about us.
God calls us “chosen." Although the Israelites were God’s original chosen people designated to reveal God to the world, Peter is talking about all Christians, who are selected among every people group on earth. We’re chosen not because of anything we’ve done right - only because of what Christ did for us on the cross.
We’re also a “royal priesthood.” Jesus ushered in a new way to relate to God; we no longer need a mediator but can go directly to His throne with our trials and praises. God says we’re “holy,” meaning we are set apart for His purposes, not our own. We have “received mercy,” so we have been forgiven, not forsaken. And as God’s “special possession,” we are the ones He picked to spend eternity with.
Notice how everything God says about us is GOOD!
So, if God says we are His chosen, holy, forgiven, forever friends, what do we do with this amazing identity? Our purpose is to “declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” In high school, I boldly shared that I was a member of our drill team. Now, I’m called to boldly share how my life has been changed since coming into His light - to talk about why Jesus’s way is worth following.
When we share how Jesus has changed us personally, we should all have plenty to say.
Reflection
Is it easy or hard for you to believe what God says about us as a Christ-follower?
What’s one way you can declare God’s praises to someone who needs to know about His saving grace?
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for showering us with wonderful truths about who we are in Your eyes. Help us see ourselves — and each other — the way You do. Let that knowledge fuel our passion for declaring Your glory. Amen.
Port City writer Katy Davis wrote today’s devotional.