Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 38 Listen: (4:23)
Read: 1 Peter 1 Listen: (3:53)

Scripture Focus: 1 Peter 1.17-21

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Reflection: Imperishable Things

By John Tillman

Peter’s audience included Jews and Gentiles scattered throughout several Roman provinces. He called them God’s elect. They were Jews, Cappadocians, Galatians, Romans, etc. but now they are redeemed in Christ. Their other identities became secondary.

Peter writes to us as well.

Like Peter’s readers, we were divided by our varying cultural heritages, scattered among provinces, and subject to principalities and powers both spiritual and political. But now, by God’s foreknowledge, we are chosen from among those identities, places, and kingdoms to live as one people under Christ. This world is no longer our home. We used to belong here. Now we are exiles.

Our ancestors handed down to us empty ways of life, filled with perishable things such as power, pleasure, and wealth that are obtained by sinful means such as greed, division, striving, and violence. The precious blood of Christ redeems us from that perishable life to an imperishable life.

“Rome” holds our earthly citizenship, but our kingdom is heavenly. Our race holds our earthly heritage, but our people are those from every tribe and tongue who confess the name of Jesus. Our culture informs and influences our moral framework, but our righteousness is revealed in the life of Jesus and our sanctification is accomplished by obedience to his Holy Spirit.

We must ensure we are not putting our hope in the perishable life instead of the imperishable. If we do, we will live in anxious fear of human governments rather than reverent fear of God.

Right now in the United States, we may or may not know the results of the recent election. As I write, days in advance, anxiety is high for many. Elections have real consequences, so reasonable concern is warranted, however, what is imperishable cannot be lost, no matter if we “lose” a human political contest.

By God’s foreknowledge, you are his elect placed here for his purposes. No matter which “side” prevailed in your local and federal elections, you have “work” to do that God will judge impartially. There may be policies or agendas to opppose or support, but more importantly there will be people who need love, hope, and the service of those who aren’t trying to win their votes but win their souls.

With alert and sober minds, set your hope on the imperishable and work to serve others in ways that testify to the kingdom on which your hope is set.

From John: Divine Hours prayers will return next week. For the remainder of this week we will close with the “Election Prayers” that have been in our Echo Prayer feed for the last few years.

Election Prayers:

Pray that in any unrest or conflict that Christians would distinguish themselves from the culture by being able to protest without violence or threat and by being able to give a listening and compassionate ear to even the most strident of opposition.

Pray that we would not be guilty of name-calling or any unwholesome or dehumanizing language.

Pray that what comes from our speech would demonstrate the truth in love no matter what happens around us.

Pray that Christians would not be part of sinful gloating, of boasting, or threatening others over political wins or losses.

Pray that all parties and individuals would reject violence or threats of violence and seek justice for victims of political violence.

Read more about Wrongly Placed Fear

We need not fear being marginalized if we properly fear God. Christianity has done much of its best work from the margins.

Read more about Peacefully Resisting Gog and Magog

Gog and Magog show us how nations and powers align themselves against God’s people wherever they settle.

Selected by reader, Jason Tilley
This reminds me of David who, dogged in the wilderness and hunted to the point of despair, still chose to let Saul live when he had the chance. He trusted in God, not his own hands. It meant he would suffer longer, but he trusted nonetheless. I think the fear of status loss in the West is dead-on. When we could be an example to the world by loving each other through our differences, we instead become petty, entitled bickerers.

Originally published, May 14, 2020, based on readings from Isaiah 13 & 1 Peter 1.

Scripture Focus: 1 Peter 1.17
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

Reflection: Wrongly Placed Fear—Readers’ Choice
By John Tillman

Christians have been taught that we are “living out our time as foreigners.” But in western culture, that was built on Christianity, it has been too easy to forget and too easy to feel at home right here in the world. But for the first time, some Christians are beginning to feel unwelcome.

This cannot be called persecution. It is at worst a loss of status.

Persecution of Christians around the world is more than murder, rape, and torture. In the countries in which Christians suffer the most, persecution is social and systemic.

It is this type of persecution—a systemic loss of legal rights and status—that scares Christians in the west more than facing down a knife attack, a rampaging truck, or a bullet.

This fear has made American Christians a paranoid and unpredictable group. Liable to believe fake news, liable to vote for candidates and support policies that two decades ago would have been inconceivable, and liable to turn on each other.

Nothing demonstrates our paranoia better than the increasingly divisive nature of religious dialogue. Progressive Christians blame conservative Christians for being dogmatic and mean-spirited. Conservatives blame progressives for abandoning central Christian teachings.

This is how people act when they are living in fear. But this is not the reverent fear of the Lord that Peter speaks of. That reverence is born out of love and leads to loving one another deeply, from the heart.

We live in fear that the Lord will let us suffer rather than rejoicing in that suffering as Peter instructs. We are living in fear that soon we will be considered the extremists—cast out from society.

The believers Peter was writing to were the losers and outcasts. They had literally been scattered from their homeland and cast out to the margins.

Christian thought has always been extremist thought. It is a revolutionary rejection of the world’s power structure. Jesus was crucified for extremist thought. It was Christian extremist thought that brought down slavery.

We need not fear being marginalized if we properly fear God. Christianity has done much of its best work from the margins.

It was from the margins that first-century Christians won more than converts, they won the culture. Not by winning court cases or electing the right officials, but by demonstrating the extremity of God’s love that comes from the Gospel.

May God give us grace to follow their example.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Let my mouth be full of your praise and your glory all the day long. — Psalm 71.8
– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle

Today’s Readings
Ezekiel 3  (Listen – 4:41)
Psalm 39 (Listen – 1:49)

Read more about Where Martyrdom Begins Part 2
Giving up your life for others, doesn’t always mean that you die.

Read more about Supporting our Work
The Park Forum strives to provide short, smart, engaging, biblical content to people across the world for free with no ads. Gifts to The Park Forum support this mission.

Scripture Focus: 1 Peter 1.17
Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

Reflection: Wrongly Placed Fear
By John Tillman

Christians have been taught that we are “living out our time as foreigners.” But in western culture, that was built on Christianity, it has been too easy to forget and too easy to feel at home right here in the world. But for the first time, some Christians are beginning to feel unwelcome.

This cannot be called persecution. It is at worst a loss of status.

Persecution of Christians around the world is more than murder, rape, and torture. In the countries in which Christians suffer the most, persecution is social and systemic.

It is this type of persecution—a systemic loss of legal rights and status—that scares Christians in the west more than facing down a knife attack, a rampaging truck, or a bullet.

This fear has made American Christians a paranoid and unpredictable group. Liable to believe fake news, liable to vote for candidates and support policies that two decades ago would have been inconceivable, and liable to turn on each other.

Nothing demonstrates our paranoia better than the increasingly divisive nature of religious dialogue. Progressive Christians blame conservative Christians for being dogmatic and mean-spirited. Conservatives blame progressives for abandoning central Christian teachings.

This is how people act when they are living in fear. But this is not the reverent fear of the Lord that Peter speaks of. That reverence is born out of love and leads to loving one another deeply, from the heart.

We live in fear that the Lord will let us suffer rather than rejoicing in that suffering as Peter instructs. We are living in fear that soon we will be considered the extremists—cast out from society.

The believers Peter was writing to were the losers and outcasts. They had literally been scattered from their homeland and cast out to the margins.

Christian thought has always been extremist thought. It is a revolutionary rejection of the world’s power structure. Jesus was crucified for extremist thought. It was Christian extremist thought that brought down slavery.

We need not fear being marginalized if we properly fear God. Christianity has done much of its best work from the margins.

It was from the margins that first-century Christians won more than converts, they won the culture. Not by winning court cases or electing the right officials, but by demonstrating the extremity of God’s love that comes from the Gospel.

May God give us grace to follow their example.

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Today’s Readings
Isaiah 13 (Listen – 3:11) 
1 Peter 1 (Listen 3:53)

Read more about Where Martyrdom Begins Part 1
We are commanded to take up our cross daily, not finally. It is in the so-called small, everyday sacrifices that we give our lives for each other. 

Read more about The Way of Love Amidst Fear
Fear is natural and one shouldn’t be ashamed of being afraid. However, the response of a Christian must be supernatural.