Today’s Reading:
1Peter 4:14-19 (17, 19)
“If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious
Spirit of God rests upon you. 15 If you suffer; however, it must not be for murder, stealing,
making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being
a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by His name! 17 For the time has
come for judgement, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgement begins
with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? 18 And
also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?” 19 So if you
are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your
lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.” (1Peter 4:14-19 NLT)
Judgement here does not necessarily mean condemnation, rather it suggests a testing or evaluation that may result in approval or disapproval (v.17). And verses 12-13 talked about the fiery trial or ordeal which is meant to purify, strengthen, and edify our Christian lifestyle in order to make us holy and pleasing unto God. This admonition to endure suffering because of the name of Christ, is directed especially, to believers than those who do not believe. Endurance may not be that easy, but with Christ, all things are possible by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Here is a call to every serious-minded believer to aspire to have a healthy spiritual growth, live it, and do things pleasing unto God. Peter even said that it should not be that we suffer for wrongdoing, but if we are insulted because we bear the name of Christ, we will be blessed for the glorious Spirit of God rests on us (vv. 14-15; Jn. 16:33). It is a privilege he said, for us to be called Christians. Many Christians publicly claim to have relationship with God but live contrary to this in their private lives. It is now therefore, the right time to evaluate and improve on our Christian lifestyle. Why? Because the day of reckoning is at hand, the day of the Lord which will come like a thief in the night, when we least expect it. (1Thess. 5:2).
Our behaviour in secret and in the public must reflect the nature of Christ that we profess. So we will not be seen disgracing Him in the presence of people around us, and those who do not believe or be seen as working contrary to the Kingdom of God. There are many areas of life that can fuel the gratification of the flesh. For example, where we spend our leisure time, the kind of company we keep, the kind of things we allow in our homes, the regular movie and television programmes we watch, the magazines and the novels we read and the website that we access frequently. Are they enhancing our godly character? (Rom. 13:11-14).
The light of Christ must shine in and around us to reflect His glory. We are to evaluate and improve on our relationship with God in areas that we are lacking. Our relationship with God entails submission and obedience to His command – i) Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Ex. 20:3); ii) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might/strength (Deut. 6:5); and iii) “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self (Mk 12:30-31).
As we await the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we should try our best to please God our maker. We are reminded that: if we suffered unjustly from ignorance of others, from parental mistakes, our faulty foundation, erroneous traditions, and culture; our suffering cannot be compared with what the unrighteous will suffer later. We should continue to do things pleasing unto God and continue to entrust our lives to God who is ever faithful to us, with the assurance that these things will not go unnoticed. This thinking would motivate our thankfulness to God and attempt to turn others from the pain and suffering of Christianity forever.
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
Prayer:
1. My Father, let me revive divine visitation that will revive my life, in Jesus, name.
2. My dear Father, give me what I can handle and still keep you as No. ONE in my life, in Jesus name.
Create in me a pure heart, renew a right, teachable and humble spirit within me, in Jesus name.
Father, grant the body of Christ the mind of Christ – to love like Christ, forgiving spirit, tolerance, genuine repentance, understanding, submission, humility, brokenness, and watchfulness, in Jesus name.
Father, let the desire, plans, devices and expectations of the enemy for our nation be completely frustrated, in Jesus name.
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