This Day in History: 0000-04-09

April 9 – 1 Peter 2:21-23 

For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you.  He is your example, and you must follow in His steps. He never sinned, nor even deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when He was insulted, nor threatened revenge when He suffered. He left His case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. 

Are you feeling wronged?  Are you all knotted up inside knowing the situation you’ve found yourself in just isn’t fair?  Do you ever believe the popular lie that our good and loving God would never ask an innocent person to suffer? Do you allow that thought to muddy your response to life’s difficulties?  Let’s allow the words of these verses in 1 Peter to put that thought to rest once and for all right now. 

Jesus Christ was absolutely perfect.  Completely innocent.  And yet, God not only allowed Him to suffer, He asked Him to.  It was part of His plan.  The Bible says that we are to look to Him as our example and allow our responses in the face of suffering to reflect Him.  We are called to do good, even if it means suffering.  We are not called to retaliate when we are insulted or threaten revenge when we suffer.

Instead, we are called to trust God; to leave our case in His hands.

We are called to trust God; to believe (like the kind of belief that is an action) that He always judges fairly.

We are called to trust God!  

Let’s renew our commitments to the Lord today.  Let’s resolve to do good.  To respond Biblically in every situation.  Let’s trust God in a way that spills over into all our actions and shows the world that we have confidently left our case in His hands, knowing He always judges fairly.  Let’s look to Jesus, the beloved Son of God and make Him our shining example. We are His, and we want the world to see that we. Trust. God!