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Today I am going to lunch with my granddaughter. I have been trying to do that once a week for the last few months. She is an incredibly strong person, and I am so proud of her. Today: Chick-fil-a.
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This Sunday I am going to begin a series on the Ten Commandments. As I have read in preparation for this, I was struck by God's words to Israel in Exodus 19: 5: "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole world is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."
These words are strikingly similar to Peter's words to us, the new Israel, in 1 Peter 2: 9: "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."
In both cases, God has called a people to Himself -- not to insulate us from the world. But for us to be priests! To mediate between God and the world.
Israel failed in their calling. They thought "called out" meant isolation.
I'm wondering if we haven't often made the same mistake.
2 comments:
Be sure and get me a photo of you in your ancestral kilt, preferably holding some bagpipes.:)
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Chick-fil-a: yum! Have a nice time with Malaya.
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From someone such as myself who has a tendency toward introversion and isolation, I am thoroughly convinced that "called out" does not mean isolation. To me "called out" has more to do with being different than the world rather than being insulated.
I'll pass on the picture in the kilt.
I love Chick-Fil-A but the dining partner will be the best part of the meal.
In my mind "called out" equals "go into all the world", not bring them into our building and expect them (and us) to be perfect boys and girls the rest of the week.
Called out is going into the streets where the fight is raging and the hurting are suffering. I am surrounded by it daily at work and have found through my own admitted failures that the battle isn't often found in the church pew but in the world.
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