Reading: Peter continues to write encouragement in his letter to the church, a church scattered all over the world. The church, contrary to the ones defiant toward God, is not disobedient and doesn’t stumble over the message that Jesus is the cornerstone of the lasting kingdom. They have accepted Jesus as the Lord of their lives.

But again, as the church accepted Christ, Peter lets us know that it wasn’t anything the church did. It was all God from the beginning. They were chosen. We are chosen. And what is amazing is the transformation. The ones that are chosen have gone drastically from darkness to light, and the thing about light is that light reveals and exposes what was in the darkness. 

Have you ever been able to see your swing on video? A coach’s instruction, paired with a little video, goes a long way in helping a player tackle their batting flaws. After seeing your swing for yourself, with the help of some much-needed critique, you understand what needs fixing and then go work on it.

The “wonderful light” of Jesus Christ exposes who we are. That’s scary for some. Many don’t want to come to the light because of the shame, failure, or judgement of who they are before a holy God - a God without flaws. But Peter calls it “wonderful”. Why? It seems scary to be exposed like that…

We have to deal with those faults and failures when they are exposed, but as Peter says that there is mercy! When we come as we are to Jesus, he doesn’t punish us right away for our faults. The light is gentle. Good coaches, when we mess up, don’t give up on us, but they walk us through how to be better. 

First, we have to be open for correction. It’s pretty difficult to fix a problem if the coach can’t tell you the problem. We can’t be so sensitive not to accept some gentle critiques. Then, it’s our job to repent or turn from that sin. As Peter says, Christians are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession”. We pursue holiness knowing that we have a Father that views us as something really special. No sin is too great for forgiveness.

He loves you and wants a deeper relationship with you today. When we repent, we receive mercy and strive for holiness. The freedom from sin is worth the pain of exposure. The light is so good, and when we are transformed, we don’t have to hide who we are anymore! We can stand in the light.

Reflection: James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” What sins do you need to confess to someone else and to God so you can be healed? 

Prayer Prompt: God, there are some things that I need to confess to you today. I believe the light of Christ is much better than the domain of darkness. I don’t want to hide in the darkness anymore about this. I am struggling with (fill in the blank) and want to repent today. Thank you for your mercy and forgiveness. I’m going to turn from sin and walk in the light!