Surrender: A devotional on desperation, humility, and giving over

 "With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ." — 1 Peter 5:12-14 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, As Peter brings his letter to a close, he mentions the help of Silas, "whom I regard as a faithful brother." Lord, if there's an aim for my life as a servant of Christ, may I be a man who is called "a faithful brother." I want to be someone who is dependable, reliable, always ready to serve alongside another. I want to be a good steward of the gifts and opportunities presented to me. May it be others who praise me for my character more than any ability. "This is the true grace of God." Lord, may I be reminded today that this life ...

 "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." — 1 Peter 5:10-11 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, My God, who is full of all grace and kindness, has called me—given me a purpose and a name—to His eternal glory, the splendor of my King reflected in my life and His praise and honor, excellence and magnificence that He will have forever through You, Lord Jesus Christ. In this short life, I will have suffering. It's part and parcel of the calling. I have not been called to a life free from suffering. There's a point to this suffering because it is preparing me for this calling here on earth and for eternity in Heaven. But, the good news is that after I've suffered a little while—"a little while" means a scant few, small, a short amount of time—after that very short time,...

 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings." — 1 Peter 5:8-9 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, I have an enemy. He's the adversary, the accuser, the father of lies. He spends his time roaming to and fro across the earth searching for souls to consume. That has been his strategy since the beginning. He isn't satisfied with simply stealing my joy or giving me misery. He wants to destroy me. But I have been given a strategy to overcome him. I am to resist him and stand firm in my faith in You. I am not to evade the enemy or flee in fear from him. I am to actively, furtively, aggressively resist him. And I know that when I resist the enemy, he must flee from me. I know that my suffering is not unique, not isolated, and I am not alone. Believers...

"In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." — 1 Peter 5:5-6 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Peter has concluded writing to the elders of the church and how they are to shepherd God's flock willingly, eager to serve, and being an example. Now he turns his attention to those who are younger and calls them to live in the same way as they submit to their elders—voluntarily coming under their leadership. Younger leaders are to come under their elder shepherds willingly. They should be eager to serve. They, too, should be an example. Everyone, Peter says, should clothe themselves with humility toward one another.  The image he creates is of a slave putting on his apron as he prepares to serve others. I think of You, Jesu...

 "For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." — 1 Peter 4:17-19 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Peter begins this section in vs. 12 saying, "do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you." The suffering we undergo as Christians is purifying not punitive. You are preparing us for eternity and You use suffering as the purifying process to clean, strengthen, and teach us. Psalm 119:71 says, "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees." But the suffering the nonbeliever will experience is eternal. The same fire that burns up straw will refine gold. The suffering I...

 "If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name." — 1 Peter 4:14-16 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, In Matthew 5:11-12, You made it clear that when people insult me, persecute me, and falsely say all kinds of evil against me because of You, that I am blessed and that I should rejoice and be glad because great is my reward in Heaven. Peter says that when I am insulted because of the name of Christ, the Holy Spirit rests on me. That's incredibly comforting. The Shekinah glory of God settles upon me in the midst of righteous suffering for You. But if I suffer, it shouldn't be due to my own bad choices or unrighteous living. If I suffer because of my own sin, there's no glory in that. ...

 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." — 1 Peter 4:8-11 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, This is the second time Peter instructs believers to love one another deeply, fervently. Our love for one another overlooks small offenses. Without our deep and fervent love, every little irritation becomes a grievance. It should not be that way in the body of Christ. Because this early church met in homes, hospitality was necessary. To be hospitable means welcoming people into your home, but ...

 "For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead." — 1 Peter 4:3-5 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Thank You for the day when I realized I had spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do. Those days are long behind me and I thank You for pulling me out of that life. I know that my life today is strange and they are astonished that I live differently. Today this shows up when non-believers are shocked that I don't value what they value. My beliefs about sexuality, gender, morality, and self-control are confusing and even repulsive to those who are far from God. As a result, they feel the conviction of their sin. That feeling is detestable to them...

"Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God." — 1 Peter 4:1-2 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, You suffered in Your body in order to be victorious over sin once and for all. Fallen humanity avoids suffering and resists pain. One commentator wrote, "Many of us are defeated in our battle against sin because we refuse to sacrifice anything in the battle. We only want victory if it comes easily to us." Jesus, You are calling me to have your attitude of sacrifice in my battle against sin. When I suffer for You, something changes in me. I am more acquainted with the temporariness of this world. I long for Heaven. I am no longer interested in living the rest of my days trying to fulfill fleshly desires. I want to please my King. Whoever suffers in ...

 "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him." — 1 Peter 3:18-22 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Peter's Christology (theology of Christ) is clear and stunning. Jesus, Your once and final suffering on the cross—the righteous for the unrighteous—was to pay the full penalty of my sin in order t...

 "Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." — 1 Peter 3:13-17 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, "Be Prepared," is the Boy Scout's motto. As an Eagle Scout and as a former adult Scout leader, I've spent a lot of time learning and teaching how to be prepared. Peter is teaching his readers about preparedness. First, be prepared to do good and be prepared to suffer even when you do good. If you suffer for doing the right ...

 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” — 1 Peter 3:10-12 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Peter quotes Psalm 34:12-16 and reminds us if we love life and want to see good days, here's how. First, I am to keep my tongue from evil and my lips from deceitful speech. James 3:6 explains what happens when I don't control my tongue, "It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire..." We're seeing that in our world today. People being fired from good jobs because they didn't keep their tongue from evil. They gave into the temptation to speak deceitful speech. I can destroy trust and ruin my reputation with just a single sentence, 280 ...

"Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." — 1 Peter 3:8-9 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, My heart is still unsettled, grieved and hurting. As our nation is split in two—half reeling from Charlie Kirk's assassination, half either apathetic or celebrating his death—I'm saddened and confused. As I see people I dearly love be taken over by hatred and depression, so quick to demonize those who believe differently, my heart weighs heavy and I continue to intercede in prayer. Your Word reminds me how to live today. Even if I just have these two verses as my focus today, this is Your direction for me. "Be like-minded,"— be harmonious, of one mind, literally "together-minded." To have unity of mind. Lord, may I drop any conten...

 "Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God." — 1 Peter 2:18-20 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Peter is addressing servants of low status instructing them how to live as Christ followers. They had limited recourse when met with unjust suffering. Today, I can quit my job, I can report illegal, immoral, or unethical behavior, I can even take legal action. Peter's readers didn't have that freedom. Peter wasn't a social reformer or a revolutionary. He was writing as a pastor-teacher. It was not his goal to overthrow the cultural systems of the day but to teach believers how to...

 "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." — 1 Peter 2:21-23 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Thank you for leaving me an example of how to respond when I am verbally chastised, insulted, and torn down. You did not retaliate. No deceit was found in Your mouth. When You suffered, You made no threats. Instead You entrusted Yourself to the Father who judges Your accusers justly. Yesterday, a respected young man named Charlie Kirk, 31, who stood for righteousness and civil discourse was assassinated while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Charlie Kirk has consistently been one of the calmest and most polite among us. He listened to questions from his o...

 "Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor." — 1 Peter 2:13-17 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, These exiles were living in a hostile environment where non-believers called them evildoers and accused them of all kinds of immoral behavior. The Roman government tolerated them as a sect of Judaism but would soon begin persecuting them for centuries. Peter's instructions were to submit to the governing authorities set in place by the Lord, to do good so that ignorant talk of foolish people would be silenced, to respec...

 "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 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, This is one section of Scripture that leaps off the page upon reading it. In two verses, Peter makes both a stark contrast and a stunning declaration. The stark contrast: There was a time when I was lost in complete darkness, fumbling for my way as I headed toward destruction of my own making. I lacked any meaningful identity and I was without mercy, destined for the eternal death that I deserved. But God...  But God found me, chose me, and called me out of that inescapable darkness and rescued me into His marvelous light. Now I'm no longer "no people", now I'm among the people of God....

 "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." — 1 Peter 2:12 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, As Peter's readers lived out their lives as foreigners and exiles among unbelievers, they were instructed to live their lives honorably. They weren't to form a holy huddle and remain secret and secluded from the world. Instead they were to be an influence upon the world by infiltrating it. As believers today, we are in this world but not of this world (John 17:14-16). The world is watching us. They are observing our lives. Though they accuse us of doing wrong because we don't participate in their sin, their beliefs, or their worldly ways, they will see our good deeds. It is often asked of a church congregation, "If we suddenly were no longer here in our city, would anyone notice?" In other words, is the work of the Gospel in our city making a ...

 "Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul." — 1 Peter 2:11 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Peter writes to the exiles scattered throughout the provinces of modern-day Turkey who were refugees fleeing persecution in their original homes and were living in a foreign land. They were sojourners, aliens, pilgrims, strangers in a world hostile to their Christian faith. That reality is familiar to me, albeit not to the extreme these believers faced. We are all living as foreigners in this world. We are in the world but not of it. Our citizenship is in Heaven (Philippians 3:20). Recognizing that I am not a part of this world any longer and that I belong to a new country, a better country according to Hebrews 11:16, I no longer give in to my sinful desires, my passions and lusts, that were part of my old way of living. I am to abstain from sinful desires. To abstain means to hold back, to keep off...

 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. — 1 Peter 2:6-8 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, You are precious to me. I trust You. When everything around me feels tenuous and temporary, You are my foundation. When people fail me and my feelings are hurt, You are who I trust. When I trust in You, my shame is erased and You lift my head high. For those who do not believe, You are not precious to them. Instead, You make people stumble and fall. You are an offense and a stumbling block. As people attempt to live their life independent of You, rejecting You as the found...