1 Peter 1:1-2 - Are You Chosen?

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1-2
Summary: Peter lists several church to whom he is writing this letter.  He says they were chosen and destined by God and sanctified by the Holy Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ.

Thoughts: I think it might be easy to read this Scripture and think that the author is saying that only certain people are chosen by God.  There are several groups who believe themselves the chosen few. If you are not one of them, you are definitely not chosen by God and are not going to be wih God after you die. I always wonder how they bring new people in to their group. How do they know who is chosen?!  These beliefs don't line up, however, with my image of God. I believe in a God who loves all of us, who loves creation, who weeps with us and rejoices with us. This God that I believe in has chosen each of us and is waiting for us to choose back.  This God came to earth in human form to show us the love of God in person. This God is best captured by the last line of this text: "May grace and peace be yours in abundance." God wants us to be in relationship with God and wants us to have grace and peace in abundance!

Prayer: God, you have chosen each of us. Let us also choose to be in relationship with you, so that we might have grace and peace in abundance! Amen.