Ordinary Time

Pause

You are loved unconditionally.

God loves you unconditionally.

Today, let us trust in this love.

Listen

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s own possession. You have become this people so that you may speak of the wonderful acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light. Once you weren’t a people, but now you are God’s people. Once you hadn’t received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 Peter 2:9-10

Think

Would you call yourself chosen, royal, or holy? Do you believe you’re a special person? Do you belong to a blessed group of people? Our scripture for today says the answer to these questions is yes. We are highly favored.

The writer of 1 Peter encourages the congregation to believe the best about themselves. God has created them. God has honored them. God has done great things in their community. Because of Jesus’ presence in their lives they are a changed people with a great story to tell others!

Believing such a good story can be difficult for so many of us. It’s so easy to look down on ourselves or find ways to call someone else better than us. But our calling as people of faith is to believe, to see ourselves the right way — the way Jesus loves us unconditionally as beloved creations.

Elizabeth Evans Hagan

Pray

God, your mercy has done great things for me. Give me eyes to see what you see. Give me words to tell others about your love so they may know about it too. Amen.

Go

Believe in God.

Believe in Jesus.

Trust the Spirit is with you.