Broadcast: 1 Peter : Prayers and Poetry

                Broadcast

  

                Drenched

                in mercy

                undeserved

                called out

                of darkness

                into His heart

                now a devoted one

                belonging--chosen

                now broadcast

                this spiritual grace

                of wonder

                throughout your world.

Psalm 89:9: "Thou dost rule the swelling of the sea; When its waves rise, Thou dost still them."

Reflection: Chosen: 1 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

 Reflection Questions

        1. How did you first react to God's call of grace?

        2.Did the thought of being a treasure surprise you?

        3. Do you still feel drenched with His mercy? How?

Share: What is one way you broadcast His message within your daily life?

Chosen: 1 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

 Reading: 1 Peter 2:8-10: "And A stone that makes them stumble and a rock to trip over. They keep stumbling over the message because they refuse to believe it. And this they were destined to do. But you are God's chosen treasures--priests who are kings, a spiritual nation set apart as God's devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience His marvelous light, and now He claims you as His very own. He did this so that you would broadcast His glorious words throughout the world. For at one time you were not God's people, but now you are. At one time you knew nothing of God's mercy; because you hadn't received it yet, but now you are drenched with it."

Chosen

Not only the difficulty to understand that God has chosen us to be His own, but that each one is considered a treasure! Something we often feel that is not possible even with our own loved ones.

We carry so much emptiness and rejection from others, and within ourselves at our failures, that the idea seems impossible.

And then we don't recognize or accept His words and messages to be for us. And make excuses to not listen, to not recognize or trust such a grace, and love, and healing.

Thank you, Lord for never giving up on each one of us, for continuing to shine Your light to bring the lies out of our fears, especially when we cannot see that Your mercy is never ending.

Your thoughts,

Cherished: Listen: Prayers and Poetry

                       Cherished

                        Not taken into slavery

                        as a chained laborer

                        even in a spacious household

                        but adopted

                        as a family.

                        Chosen love

beyond

                        formal legalities.

                        A relationship

                        cherished

as an infant

                        clings to daddy

                        in full trust.

Reflection: Chosen: Listen: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     In what ways do you feel your birth family has abandoned you or forgotten you?

2.     Do you expect the same attention from God?

3.     In what ways have you been “adopted” by friends or a church family?

4.     Does the experience of chosen love change your heart’s sense of belonging? How?

Share: What is one word you’d like to be able to give to another in your situation?

-->

Chosen: Listen: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: Romans 8: 15

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry “Abba Father!”

To adopt is a choice. It is a chosen love filled with mercy and compassion and joy. And responsibility.

Sometimes it seems foreign to our own hearts and we struggle to understand the choice and commitment and recognize that we are the recipients of this grace—this mercy that in the Lord’s hands is never undone.

His adoption of each of us goes far beyond the legalities and formalities. He chooses the intimate word Abba—Daddy to express how deeply committed He is to His children.  Involved—Interested—Invested—Immanuel. God with us.

“By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.” 1 John 4:13

Once His we are never abandoned by Him. Even when we run away.

Thank you Lord for Your steadfast love for us in all circumstances. Please remove our fears in our failures that put up barriers and emotionally pull us away. Help us to keep our hearts abiding in You as You abide in us.

Psalm of Worship: Proverbs 8:14

“I have good advice and sound wisdom; I have insight, I have strength.”

Mercy: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

            Mercy

            Mercy freely given

            shatters cement hearts

            mirrors love’s power

            beyond understanding

            mends fractured lives

            into a new people.

Reflection: Chosen: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     Do you think of yourself or others as chosen, or a royal priesthood? Why or why not?

2.     What does that look like to us as ‘common’ people without degrees in ministry?

3.     Can even the quiet ones among us proclaim? How?

4.     What are some ways we can keep “seeking His face”?

Share: What mercy have you been given this week?

Chosen: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1 Peter 2: 9-10

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you might proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Do you remember times on the playground in school or camp where teams were chosen? Were you quietly thinking ‘pick me, pick me’, or ‘don’t pick me’? What about now at home or work or organizations?

Being chosen for any task implies a responsibility. And even when we deeply desire the opportunity we don’t always feel capable. Or qualified. Or confident we won’t fail.

Yet here the Lord calls His people not only chosen but priests and holy. So far beyond our deepest desires or strengths—even those with some pastoral training. Chosen by the Lord Himself—why—how—for what purpose—here—now—in my family—my work—my community?

Is it not as staggering a concept for us today as it was then?

And yet, we have been called out of darkness. We have received His mercy. We have been gifted with His light and His Spirit. We have been given truth to share.

Chosen to pass it on. Chosen to encourage hope. Chosen to love others as He has loved us. In His strength, not ours. So any act of mercy is possible. Proclaim.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 27: 8

“’Come’, my heart says, ‘Seek his face!’

Your face Lord so I seek.”

Refining Words

CHOSEN

Chosen to bear words

to the world

silent and spoken truth

continue work.

Rarely received

with open arms.

Rejected—rebuffed

left wounded.

Called to serve

follow worn path

give comfort

compassion seeds.

John 15

Kingdom Manna

Tasks

Colossians 3:12, “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”

“Dress for the job” is an unwritten motto in many businesses. Client relationships depend on good impressions and the apparel often sets the tone. A job applicant is wise who arrives for the interview clean, neat, and groomed.

Clothes mark us. Our choices reflect our color preferences, our style, our comfort. Certain jobs are designated by their uniform, badge or insignia. We are committed to respond in accordance with the position.

Definite garments were designed and made for the priests. Only those upon whose shoulders the duties lay could wear the special robes. Set apart for service. God requested His people be distinct. Easily identified.

Chosen by God to be clothed in His raiment. Robes of salvation. Robes of redemption. Robes of royalty. We are also asked to wear His mark. Spiritual imprints from the inside-out. Habits that see through our outer garments. We are commissioned to respond in accordance with the position.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 132:16

Its priests I will clothe with salvation, and its faithful will shout for joy.

Tabernacle

Garments

Consecrated vestments

made by gifted hands

ordained for holy service.

Priests fully covered

protected from naked

guilt, death,

during mediation

of repeated confessions.

Chosen vulnerability

stripped of glory

wore humanity’s shame.

Carried our nakedness

in His holiness

guilt, death,

cancelled on cross

High Priest’s clothing.

Hebrews 9: 24, “For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.”